New York’s major museums and which pass includes them
For many visitors, museums are the main reason to buy a pass. Yet neither Go City nor CityPASS® offers The Met, and the New York CityPASS® leaves out MoMA. The table shows which museum is in which pass.
| Museum | Go City | Headout Pass | CityPASS® | without pass (Go City) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Met | only with a combo ticket (guided tour) | guided tour, Premium | not included | $30 (according to The Met) |
| MoMA | in all three passes | Standard | only C3® and C-All® | about $30 |
| American Museum of Natural History | in all three passes | Standard | in all three | about $43 |
| Guggenheim | Explorer and New York Pass | Standard | in all three | about $30 |
| Whitney | Explorer and New York Pass | Standard | in all three | about $30 |
| Intrepid Museum | in all three passes | Standard | in all three | about $38 |
| 9/11 Memorial & Museum | in all three passes | Standard | in all three | about $36 |
The Met
Neither Go City nor CityPASS® offers the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Fifth Avenue). At the ticket desk, adults pay $30, seniors aged 65 and over $22 and students $17, while children up to 12 get in free. “Pay what you wish” is only open to New York State residents and to students from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.
Opening hours: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 10 am to 5 pm, Friday and Saturday until 9 pm. The museum is closed on Wednesdays, as well as on Thanksgiving, 25 December, 1 January and the first Monday in May. According to the museum, there is no need to buy a ticket in advance.
With a pass, The Met only comes with a guided tour. Either in the combo ticket with the New York Pass from Tiqets (around two hours, entry included) or as a premium attraction in the Headout New York Pass. Headout has a two-hour guided tour in English and an orientation tour with audio guide; according to Headout, the latter also includes entry to The Met Cloisters on the same day.
MoMA
With Go City you can choose the Museum of Modern Art in each of the three passes, in the Essentials Pass as one of the nine sights. Go City does not require a reservation. With CityPASS®, MoMA is only in the New York C3® and the New York C-All®, including MoMA PS1 in Queens according to CityPASS. The New York CityPASS® does not include it.
American Museum of Natural History
Located on Central Park West, the Natural History Museum is included in every pass. With Go City and CityPASS®, a special exhibition that otherwise costs extra is added, depending on availability. According to Go City, adults pay about $43 without a pass and children about $26, and you do not need to reserve.
Guggenheim and Whitney
With Go City you can choose both museums in the Explorer Pass or the New York Pass; the Essentials Pass does not have them. All three CityPASS® products include them. For the Guggenheim, CityPASS recommends a reservation, while at the Whitney it is required. If you are 25 or under, you get into the Whitney free according to CityPASS, so do not use up a pass slot on it.
Intrepid and 9/11 Museum
The Intrepid Museum is on an aircraft carrier on the Hudson; according to Go City, highlights include the Space Shuttle Pavilion and the submarine Growler. Every pass includes it or offers it as a choice. The same goes for the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, except that you need a time slot there; with Go City you can reserve it in the app up to 14 days ahead.