Walking around Central Park is one of the best free things to do in New York, 25 travel tips you should know before. This post lists hundreds of free things to do in New York, including night time activities, things to do with children, and museums and attractions. Rock Center's most recent art installation, Changing Spaces by Jeppe Hein, is effectively a water fountain with jets coming out of the ground, allowing passers-by in and out and soaking if they so choose. The water-based social sculpture, which was unveiled in the Plaza del Centro on June 22, is made up of four circles with walls of water that enclose that shoot from the ground randomly and merge, dividing the water pavilion into smaller spaces within it.
It would also be a great way to freshen up after taking your skates for a ride on the new Flipper's Roller Boogie Palace at the Rock Center. Hundreds of items have been extracted from the extensive and centennial archive of the New York Public Library for display, many of them for the first time in a permanent exhibition called The Polonsky Exhibition of The New York Public Library's Treasures. Inside the NYPL Stephen A. Schwarzman Building and its beautiful Gottesman Hall, there are more than 250 unique and rare items selected from its research centers, including the only surviving letter from Christopher Columbus announcing his discovery of the Americas to the court of King Ferdinand and the first Gutenberg Bible brought to the Americas.
Enjoy the great outdoors while taking in the impressive large-scale sculptures and installations in this 4.5-acre public space. Built on a former landfill site, today the park features beautiful, lush green lawns overlooking the East River and has a reputation as a premier outdoor spot for artists to create site-specific wonders. Supervised by fashion historian Valerie Steele, the FIT Museum exhibits selections from the institute's permanent collection, as well as temporary exhibitions focusing on individual designers and the role of fashion in society. FIT has one of the largest and most impressive collections of clothing, textiles and accessories in the world, including some 50,000 suits and fabrics dating from the 5th century to the present day.
Just remember that you must be at least 16 years old and only groups of four people or less are allowed. Built on an abandoned railroad track, this 1.45 mile (2.3 km) long, plant-covered trail offers breathtaking views as it takes you along Manhattan's West Side. The ferry is primarily for commuters, but that doesn't mean everyone else can't ride it as well. The ferry has been operating since 1905 and its route crosses the port of New York.
With nearly 3 miles of sandy beaches to walk on, visitors can fully enjoy their ride for free while taking in the sights and sounds of Coney Island (while enjoying some saltwater candy). It really is one of the best free things to do in New York.