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MoMA New York Tickets: how to buy, prices and schedules

Spending an afternoon at the MoMa is a great plan: here's how to get tickets and the works you can't miss inside the museum.

Isabel Catalán

Isabel Catalán

8 min read

MoMA New York Tickets: how to buy, prices and schedules

Van Gogh's Starry Night at MoMa | ©Hellotickets

The MoMA in New York is the most important museum in the world on modern art and one of the essential visits in the Big Apple. It has an extensive collection of 200,000 pieces, including Picasso, Dali, Van Gogh and Andy Warhol, among many others.

New York's MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) is incredibly popular. It is not surprising, therefore, that it is one of the most visited and has long access queues. Here's how to avoid them:

:::product-alias-card|id=3|badge=The best option|title=Secure your early entrance to MoMa|description=Perfect if you want to visit this museum without having to waste time waiting at the ticket office and visit the exhibits at your own pace.:::

MoMA offers a complete experience dedicated to modern art suitable for all ages. With :::link|text=skip-the-line admission to MoMA|element=pa-3::: you get immediate access to the MoMA Museum in New York to see the world's most famous collection of modern and contemporary art, which houses iconic works such as Picasso's "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon", Miro's "Dutch Interior" and Warhol's "Campbell's Soup Cans".

The repertoire also includes architecture, photography, film, design, performance art and media. In addition, with this skip-the-line ticket to MoMA you will also have access to MoMA PS1, the contemporary art center in Long Island City, for 14 days following your visit to the Manhattan venue to soak up even more art. This cultural space hosts a variety of exhibitions ranging from artist retrospectives to site-specific exhibitions.

Why I like this option: it's the cheapest but also the most convenient way to access the museum. You are guaranteed entrance without having to wait in endless lines at the entrance.

Recommended if... you want to visit the MoMa at the best price.


How much do MoMa tickets cost?

The exterior of the MoMa| ©Wikimedia
The exterior of the MoMa| ©Wikimedia

In Hellotickets you can get :::link|text=tickets to the MoMa|element=pa-3::: online and in advance for 20 € (standard single ticket). It is best to avoid buying them at the box office, as there are usually long lines and after a long time waiting at the door, you will enter the museum already tired.

If you are a minor or belong to a certain group (student, over 65, etc) you can opt for special rates. Check here for prices and how to get cheap tickets for the MoMa.

Ticket prices at the box office

If despite the queues, buying tickets at the box office is going to be your option, please note that these are the rates you will find:

  • Adults: $25
  • Seniors over 65 with ID: $18
  • Disabled visitors: $18
  • Students with ID: $14
  • Children under 16: free

MoMA New York Hours

MoMA is open from 10:30 am to 5:30 pm daily (Fridays from 10:30 am to 8 pm). Regarding closing days, MoMA is closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. MoMA PS1 is also closed on New Year's Day.

However, if you are thinking of completing the experience by having a drink in one of its cafes or restaurants or even visiting its design stores, you can check here all the MoMA opening hours to make sure you organize your visit smoothly.

Where to find us and how to get there

MoMa location on the New York map
MoMa location on the New York map

MoMa is located on 53rd Street between 5th and 6th Avenues. To reach MoMa by public transportation, the nearest subway station is the 5th Avenue and 53rd Street stop on the E and V lines. By bus, it can be reached on the M1, M2, M3, M4 and M5 lines.

The good thing about being located in the heart of Midtown is that it makes it a perfect spot on the map from which to organize other visits or tours. So, if you have time, it is always a good option to walk there (it is not far from Times Square, Central Park or even the Flatiron Building).

Tourist Cards that include MoMA

The MoMa garden| ©Wikimedia
The MoMa garden| ©Wikimedia

To make the most of your trip to New York the best idea is to buy a tourist card. Why? If you make the most of it, you will save money and time by not having to buy individual tickets and in some cases, you won't even have to wait in line. It is also very convenient to have all your tickets in one place.

New York City Pass

The New York Pass is a pass that works for days and is paid depending on the number of days of validity you choose. Attention, because they are not 24-hour days, but from the time of activation of the pass you have until midnight before it counts as a full day and stops working at the attractions.

This tourist card is highly recommended if you like to see many things in one day and make the most of your trip. Its duration is from one to ten days.

It includes: a travel guide in English, skip the line access to more than 100 attractions and activities, New York's top attractions such as MoMA, Statue of Liberty, Madame Tussauds Museum, Empire State Building, 9/11 Museum, Top of the Rock, Manhattan cruise, Manhattan sightseeing bus... You can read more details here: New York Pass.

New York City Explorer Pass

If during your trip to New York you are very clear about the tourist attractions you want to see, the New York City Explorer Pass is ideal to customize your visit to the maximum as you can choose between 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 10 attractions and you will pay according to the amount you choose. From the moment you activate the pass, you have a whole month to visit the attractions you have chosen, so you can take your trip at your leisure.

It includes: free choice among more than 100 activities and attractions, queue-free entry to some attractions and validity for 30 days from the moment of activation of the pass. You can read more details here: New York Explorer Pass.

New York Sightseeing Pass

Like the New York Pass we talked about before, the New York Sightseeing Pass works by days and each day is valid from activation until midnight. This tourist card is the most recommended if you want to see the tourist attractions at your own pace, without rushing. Its duration is from one to ten days.

It includes: skip-the-line access to over 100 attractions and activities and includes credit to spend at the attractions, some pretty interesting discounts throughout the city and a free meal at the restaurant of your choice from a list of popular New York sites. You can read more details here: New York Sightseeing Pass.

What to see at MoMA

One of the galleries| ©Wikimedia
One of the galleries| ©Wikimedia

From the eight canvases and one drawing with which the MoMa began in 1929, its collection has grown to more than 100,000 pieces including paintings, prints, sculpture, photography, drawings, design, film, architecture and prints. To this must be added the annexation of MoMa PS1 in Queens, a cultural space that focuses especially on contemporary art. All this makes MoMa undoubtedly one of the best museums in New York.

MoMA's vast collection is spread over 6 floors, although the bulk is distributed between floors 2, 3, 4 and 5, as the first floor is used as a lobby (store, ticket offices, art lab, restaurant, etc.) and the sixth floor is reserved for special exhibitions. Here are the most important things to see at the MoMa.

Museum Collections

Inside the MoMa| ©MoMa
Inside the MoMa| ©MoMa

Hall

During your visit to New York's MoMa you can take the opportunity to have a coffee and relax in the museum's Sculpture Garden, an oasis in the middle of the city, designed by Philip Johnson in the 1950s.

Floor 2: 1970s - Present Collection

The second floor of MoMA New York is devoted to prints, illustrated books and audiovisual media. There is a café here as well.

Floor 3

The third floor of the museum is devoted to collections of architecture, graphic and industrial design, drawing and photography.

Floor 4: 1940s - 1970s Collection

Here you can find the work of artists such as Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Japer Johns, Jackson Pollock, Yayoi Kusama, Robert Rauschenberg and Mark Rothko.

Floor 5: 1880s - 1940s Collection

On the fifth floor of MoMA you can contemplate the paintings of artists such as Frida Kahlo, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Cézanne, Henri Matisse or Piet Mondrian.

Floor 6

The sixth floor is dedicated to special exhibitions. From the large windows on the top floor there are amazing views of Midtown Manhattan where important buildings such as Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick's Cathedral and Grand Central Station are located.

Isabel's traveller tip

For a brief visit to MoMA, focus on the fourth and fifth floors, where the works of famous artists such as Warhol, Pollock, Matisse and Cézanne are displayed.

Where to eat near MoMa

Dining near MoMA| ©Brett Jordan
Dining near MoMA| ©Brett Jordan

If so much art has given you an appetite or you're just in the area during your day of sightseeing and you want to eat something, here is a guide to the best places to eat near the MoMa. In general, you're in luck because it is an area with many offices and influx of people, both tourists and office workers who work in the surrounding area.

Finding a good American burger, a plate of pasta or even a place to make a quick stop for a good fast food menu won't be difficult.

A Brief History of MoMa

The entrance to the MoMa| ©Wikimedia
The entrance to the MoMa| ©Wikimedia

Located in the heart of Manhattan, right next to Central Park, is the MoMA Museum of Modern Art (Museum of Modern Art), the most important museum in the world of modern art. It opened in 1929 at the initiative of three philanthropists named Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, Mary Quinn Sullivan and Lillie P. Bliss in order to help others understand and enjoy the modern visual arts.

When MoMA opened its doors, she began exhibiting her first works in a modest facility. However, it was so well received by the public that in the following years the museum had to move several times to other larger locations until it finally settled on its current home in 1939.

Today it is considered a temple of modern and contemporary art in the West and has even undertaken a new expansion to get more space for new exhibitions.

The MoMa Store

Interior of the MoMa store| ©Bianca Porcar
Interior of the MoMa store| ©Bianca Porcar

He who warns is not a traitor: if you enter the museum store you will want to take everything. You may think that buying souvenirs in museums is a gimmick to exploit tourists, but the products in the official MoMA Design Store are worth at least a look. Design lovers will find unique items ranging from books, furniture and decorative pieces to mugs and New York souvenirs.

The New York museum store has, unsurprisingly, its own website and attracts hundreds of visitors daily whether or not they are MoMa visitors. It is located right in front of the museum, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, and is open every day of the week.

Other museums that may interest you

If you want to complete your visit to New York with some other museum, I can not fail to recommend the Museum of Natural History, one of the most impressed me the first time I visited. I tell you all about my experience in the article about Museum of Natural History New York Tickets: how to buy and prices.

Frequently asked questions

  • Is it free to enter MoMA?

    Yes, MoMA is free on Fridays, however only from 16:00 to 20:00. But it is important to know that at this time the museum gets crowded, so it is almost impossible not to wait in a long line.

  • What is the best time of day to visit MoMA?

    Ironically, the best time to visit MoMA is on Fridays between 12:00 and 16:00, as most visitors will be waiting at 16:00 to get in for free.

  • What can I see at MoMA?

    MoMA's most important works include Van Gogh's Starry Night, Dali's The Persistence of Memory, and Andy Warhol's Cambell's Soup Cans, among many others.

  • Is the MoMa included in any of the city's tourist passes?

    Yes, entrance to MoMA is included in the New York Pass, Sightseeing Pass and Explorer Pass.