Free & Affordable Ideas in Queens, NY

1. Learn through interactive exhibits at the New York Hall of Science

The New York Hall of Science, or NYSCI, is the only interactive science center in New York City, located within Queen's Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. The museum is a top attraction for families and for World's Fair buffs alike, originally opened for the 1964 World's Fair and still housed within one of the park's only still-standing structures from the fair. Visitors can explore more than 400 science and technology-themed exhibits, including permanent exhibits such as a technology gallery, a science playground, a STEM-focused library, and an amateur radio station. Free museum admission is offered on Friday afternoons and Sunday mornings, with additional special free hours offered at select times throughout the year. Visitors should note that free museum hours are suspended during some museum special events, including the annual World Maker Faire. Some attractions, including the museum's miniature golf course and 3D Theater, require a ticketed upcharge even during free admission hours.

Address: 47-01 111th St, Corona, NY 11368, Phone: 718-699-0005

2. Step back in time at Queens County Farm Museum

Queens County Farm Museum preserves the largest undisturbed tract of farmland remaining in New York City, dating back as far as 1697. The farm has been operated continuously since the 17th century and has been overseen by the city's Department of Parks and the Colonial Farmhouse Restoration Society of Bellerose since 1975. It is open to the public for free seven days a week during the morning and afternoon hours, spanning 47 acres throughout Queens' Glen Oaks and Floral Park neighborhoods. Preserved farm buildings include the Cornell Farmhouse and the New York City Landmark-listed Adriance Farmhouse, which may be explored as part of free guided tours on weekends. Hayrides are also offered on weekends between April and October, and a farmstand selling produce is showcased each Wednesday through Sunday on the site.

Address: 73-50 Little Neck Pkwy, Queens, NY 11004, Phone: 718-347-3276

3. Admire beautiful flowers at Queens Botanical Garden

Queens Botanical Garden is a 39-acre public botanical garden in Queens' Flushing neighborhood, originally established for the 1939 New York World's Fair and moved across the street from Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in the early 1960s.

The gardens are open to the public for free between November and March, with free admission offered during select hours on Wednesdays and Sundays throughout the rest of the year, with the exception of special event times. Rose, herb, bee, and perennial flower gardens are showcased at the gardens, along with an arboretum and a public art gallery. A Farm and Compost Site is also highlighted, showing visitors how to create compost for healthier soil and waste disposal.

Address: 43-50 Main St, Flushing, NY 11355, Phone: 718-886-3800

4. Explore the world of filmmaking at The Museum of the Moving Image

The Museum of the Moving Image is a unique media museum located in Queens' Astoria neighborhood, housed within a building formerly owned by the historic Kaufman Astoria Studios film studio. It was founded in 1988, originally known as the American Museum of the Moving Image, and strives to educate the public on the art, history, and technologies of film and other digital media. Exhibits showcase audiovisual artifacts related to the motion picture and television industries and the evolution of digital media throughout the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries, along with one of the world's most important collections of video gaming technology. Visitors can explore the museum for free Wednesdays through Sundays, with the exception of select paid hours on Friday evenings.

Address: 36-01 35 Ave, Astoria, NY 11106, Phone: 718-777-6888

5. Take photos of unique outdoor sculptures at the Socrates Sculpture Park

Socrates Sculpture Park is an outdoor sculpture park in Queens' Astoria neighborhood, showcasing large sculptures and multimedia installation works by emerging and established artists. The park was established in 1986 by artist Mark di Suvero, converting an abandoned landfill space into a four-acre garden that was permanent protected by the City of New York in 1998. New installations are showcased several times a year, including printmaking and photography billboard installations that have been developed as part of an ongoing billboard installation series since 1999. Free tours of current exhibitions are presented periodically by city artists, and free public special events are hosted at the site, including outdoor film screenings, a farmers' market, and yoga sessions.

Address: 32-01 Vernon Boulevard, Long Island City, Queens, NY 11106, Phone: 718-956-1819

6. Learn about local art and history at The Queens Museum

The Queens Museum is the borough's premiere art and history museum, located within Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. The pay-what-you-can-admission museum was originally founded in 1972 and is located within the New York City Building, constructed as part of the 1939 New York World's Fair. Permanent collections showcase more than 10,000 items, with more than half made up of artifacts and artwork related to the 1939 and 1964 World's Fairs. Major exhibits on display include the massive Panorama of the City of New York, which was designed for the 1964 Fair and depicts the city's five boroughs. Other attractions include archives of photography related to 20th-century city commissioner Robert Moses, Daily News Archive crime scene photographs, and court reporter drawings by cartoonist William Sharp.

Address: New York City Building, Corona, NY 11368, Phone: 718-592-9700

7. Visit The Queens Library on a rainy day

The Queens Library is the official public library system of the Borough of Queens, circulating a collection of more than 7.5 million items throughout its 62 locations. The system was named as 2009's Library of the Year by the Library Journal and is one of the world's largest library systems by circulation volume, dating back to 1858. The system's Central Library offers an International Resource Center with collections in many world languages, including Russian, Chinese, Spanish, and Korean, along with a Children's Library Discovery Center located adjacent to the main library building. Free computer stations are offered at each library branch, with the special-collection Black Heritage Reference Center offered at the system's Langston Hughes Library branch.

Address: 89-11 Merrick Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11432, Phone: 718-990-0700

8. Enjoy special events and shop for amazing books at Astoria Bookshop

Astoria Bookshop is one of only two independent booksellers in Queens, originally opened to the public in 2013 by Lexi Beach, a former employee at publishing magnate Simon and Schuster. Visitors can peruse the bookstore during business hours daily, with bestseller and classic novel sections offered, along with special collections such as a Spanish collection and a collection of books related to the borough and city. Regular free public special events are also hosted at the store, including author lectures and signing events in correlation with new book releases. Family-friendly events include children's storytime events and public board gaming nights. Visitors can also browse the store's bestseller collection online and order books through the company's website for at-home delivery.

Address: 31-29 31st St, Astoria, NY 11106, Phone: 718-278-2665

9. Visit the iconic Flushing Meadows-Corona Park

Flushing Meadows-Corona Park is Queens' most well-known public park, originally created as the site of the 1939 World's Fair and reused as the venue for the 1964 World's Fair. The park, which is located near Flushing Bay and the Grand Central Parkway, is the fourth-largest public park in New York City, spanning an area of nearly 900 acres. Many iconic World's Fair attractions remain, including the 140-foot Unisphere, which depicts a rotating globe of the Earth, and the New York City Building, which is home to the Queens Museum. Visitors can explore the New York Hall of Science for free or catch live theatrical presentations at the Queens Theatre in the Park for a ticketed upcharge. Other attractions include the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, which hosts the annual U.S. Open tennis competition, and Citi Field, which is the home stadium of the New York Mets.

10. Have picnic at Forest Park

Forest Park is a 538-acre city park in Queens that is known as one of New York City's most beautiful natural features, showcasing lands carved by the Wisconsin glacier over 20,000 years ago. Portions of the park were designed by legendary landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, including its Forest Park Drive. The park, which is Queens' third-largest park, is home to the borough's largest oak forest, spanning 165 acres and also showcasing tuliptrees, wild black cherry trees, and shagbark hickory trees. Visitor attractions include a 110-acre golf course, along with softball, tennis, baseball, handball, and bocce courts for public use. The George Seuffert, Sr. Bandshell hosts free public concerts throughout the summer months.

Address: Myrtle Ave, Woodhaven, NY 11421, Phone: 718-235-0815