New Program Gives 1.7M New Yorkers Free Met Museum Access

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — More than 1.7 million New York City residents who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are now eligible for a free annual membership to The Metropolitan Museum of Art under a new city-backed initiative.

The new Explorer Membership program, launched by The Met in partnership with the city's Department of Cultural Affairs and Department of Social Services, provides SNAP recipients with a free one-year museum membership that can be renewed annually.

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The membership includes free general admission for the cardholder and one guest, as well as children 17 and younger.

Members will also receive a digital membership card, access to select exhibition preview days, invitations to community events and festivals, and assistance navigating the museum's offerings.

"The Met is here for everyone," Museum Director and CEO Max Hollein said in a statement announcing the program. "Our mission is to connect all people to creativity, knowledge, ideas, and to one another."

The new membership expands on The Met's broader efforts to increase accessibility. The museum already offers pay-what-you-wish admission to New York State residents and students from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

"We are proud to partner with The Metropolitan Museum of Art to ensure that every New Yorker knows they are welcome to learn, experience beauty, engage with history, and find inspiration at one of New York City’s greatest cultural institutions – entirely for free," Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.

Eligible New Yorkers can enroll in the Explorer Membership program by visiting the Membership Desk at either The Met Fifth Avenue, located at 1000 Fifth Ave., or The Met Cloisters in northern Manhattan.

More information about eligibility and enrollment is available through The Met's membership program.

For questions, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.