I’ve put together a list of fun, free or inexpensive activities available in NYC for students:

 

1. Theater

Broadway and off-Broadway productions in the city are ever-changing; transcendent, expressive and exciting for all theatre-goers. While theatre can be an expensive commitment, for students in the city, many theatres offer dramatic discounts. To see shows, simply bring student identification to the theatre prior to the show. In addition, many shows also offer lotteries to which anyone can enter and receive cheap to free tickets. Learn more at Student Rush, an informational site for all listed rush policies for Broadway and Off-Broadway shows as well as money saving tips for museums, dance and live music throughout the city.

 

2. We Wanted a Revolution: Black Radical Women, 1965-85

Also in Brooklyn, at the Brooklyn Museum, you can see this free museum exhibit celebrating black women icons and their activism in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. The exhibition features sculptures, paintings, photography, and documentaries, as well as actual journals and documents of the time period focused on in the exhibit.

 

3. Smorgasburg

In Brooklyn, hundreds of food establishments set up stands, selling diverse food from all over NYC. On Saturdays, this outdoors food market (aka Smorgasburg) is in Williamsburg, and on Sundays in Prospect. See more here.

 

4. Museum at FIT

Visit the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology to explore various collections of clothing and accessories, highlighting the evolution of fashion from the 18th century on. Currently, see the Force of Nature exhibition, which focuses on clothing with natural influences over time. See more here.

 

5. Governor’s island

Although the humid and hot weather can make outdoor full-day excursions seem forbidding, on the lighter summer days, you can take a free ferry from Manhattan/Brooklyn to Governor’s Island. There are plenty of fun activities, from bike-riding to eating great food to exploring historical monuments. In addition, the island is often host to a number of events. To learn more, visit the Governor’s Island homepage here.