NEW YORK (Tuesday, June 2, 2026) - The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) together with the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs and the Department of Social Services today announced the launch of a free Membership program for New Yorkers who are part of the Supplemental Nu-trition Assistance Program (SNAP). The initiative will be offered through the new Explorer Mem-bership level, which comprises a free, one-year museum Membership, with benefits including free general admission, access to select Member Preview Days, a digital Membership card for streamlined entry, invitations to community programs, and more.
Over 1.7 million New York City residents rely on SNAP, and this initiative ensures that individuals and families navigating economic strain still have access to free, high-quality cultural experiences in a safe, intergenerational public space; and are offered opportunities for learning, reflection, and connection. The Explorer Membership is offered in collaboration with the Department of Social Services (DSS).
“We are proud to partner with The Metropolitan Museum of Art to ensure that every New York-er 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. This administration be-lieves the very best of our city should belong to the people, and today’s announcement is another step toward making that vision real.” -- Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani.
“The Met is here for everyone,” said Max Hollein, the Museum’s Director and CEO. “Our mis-sion is to connect all people to creativity, knowledge, ideas, and to one another, and we are hon-ored to partner with the City of New York on this important Membership program and extend to SNAP recipients a warm welcome and easy access to all The Met has to offer. This museum was founded by New Yorkers for New Yorkers, and we can't wait to invite our new Explorer Members in to enjoy everything from our groundbreaking exhibitions and stunning new collection galleries to our dynamic programs and activities we offer for visitors of all ages, all of which provide infinite opportunities for discovery, inspiration, and community.”
"The Met's new Membership program for SNAP recipients is a beautiful example of making sure all New Yorkers are not just welcome but actively invited into our city’s greatest cultural treas-ures," said NYC Cultural Affairs Commissioner Diya Vij. "This institution belongs to all New Yorkers, and this free Membership is a reminder to residents that art is not a luxury but a powerful source of connection and curiosity open to us all."
"We are honored to partner on this important initiative," said DSS Commissioner Erin Dalton. "Access to art and culture is an essential part of an equitable city. By removing financial barriers to accessing The Met for over 1.7 million New Yorkers, we create opportunities for learning, be-longing and inspiration that extend beyond individual beneficiaries to the whole community. "
The Explorer Membership is available as a complimentary Membership to New Yorkers who re-ceive in-state SNAP benefits. Memberships are valid for one year from the date of registration and can be renewed each year. The Explorer Membership is designed to ensure that participants can experience all the Museum has to offer, from special exhibitions, to talks, tours and programs available to visitors. The Membership includes:
- Free general admission for the cardholder and one guest, plus children 17 and under
- A digital Member card for streamlined entry
- Access to select Member Preview Days for new exhibitions
- Invitations to events and programs, including Community Wednesdays, festivals, and borough-based activations
- Onsite support and guidance for first-time and returning visitors
To enroll in the Explorer Membership program, eligible individuals can visit the Membership Desk at The Met Fifth Avenue (at 82nd Street and Fifth Avenue) and The Met Cloisters, the Museum’s branch for Medieval art in northern Manhattan. The Metropolitan Museum of Art always offers pay-as-you-wish admission at both locations for New York State residents and students from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
To ensure SNAP recipients across the city are aware of the Explorer Membership, The Met will be distributing flyers and printed materials through libraries, community centers, NYCHA devel-opments and other high-traffic locations; partnerships with grassroots organizations, tenant asso-ciations and faith-based institutions; and digital advertising.
The Explorer Membership rollout coincides with The Met’s robust lineup of Spring and Summer programming and exhibitions. Highlights of the season include Raphael: Sublime Poetry (through June 28), the first comprehensive, international loan exhibition in the United States on Renaissance master Raphael, widely considered to be one of the greatest artists of all time; Costume Art (through January 10, 2027), the new spring Costume Institute exhibition that pairs objects from across the Museum’s vast collection with historical and contemporary garments. Musical Bodies (opening June 7) will be the first major exhibition to explore the multifaceted relationship between musical instruments and the human body, bringing together some 120 works from around the world and across time, including musical instruments, paintings, sculptures, and draw-ings from The Met. At The Met Cloisters, the new exhibition Creatures of Myth and Imagination: Europe and the Americas (through October 18, 2026) brings art of the ancient Americas to The Met Cloisters for the first time for an exploration of fantastic beings in the visual arts over the course of a millennium, from 500 to 1500 CE.
The Met has participated in the Museums for All program since 2024 as part of our broader com-mitment to access. The Met is a member of the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs’ Cultural Insti-tutions Group, a cohort of private, non-profit organizations on city-owned property. CIG members receive substantial subsidies and capital investment from the city; in return for this support, they provide cultural programming for all New Yorkers.
For more information on the Explorer Membership, please visit The Met's Member FAQs page: https://www.metmuseum.org/support/membership/membership-faqs
About The Met
The Met is currently ushering the Museum into the future by renovating one-quarter of its two-million-square-foot building on Fifth Avenue galleries. These reimagined spaces will tell new sto-ries through the breadth of the collection, while improving visitor experience, infrastructure, and sustainability. This remarkable $1.5 billion capital campaign includes: the acclaimed Michael C. Rockefeller Wing for the arts of Africa, Oceania and the Ancient Americas (opened summer 2025); the new Condé M. Nast Galleries (opened May 10, 2026, with the inaugural exhibition Costume Art); new galleries for the Arts of Ancient West Asia and Ancient Cyprus (opening 2027); reimagined spaces for dining and retail inside a newly reactivated entrance off The Met's plaza (opening 2027); and the transformative Tang Wing for Modern and Contemporary Art (opening 2030). Learn more here.
The Met was founded in 1870 by a group of American citizens—businessmen and financiers as well as leading artists and thinkers of the day—who wanted to create a museum to bring art and art education to the American people. Today, The Met displays tens of thousands of objects cov-ering 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Muse-um lives in two iconic sites in New York City—The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters. Mil-lions of people also take part in The Met experience online. Since its founding, The Met has al-ways aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. Every day, art comes alive in the Museum’s galleries and through its exhibitions, events and educational programs, revealing both new ideas and unexpected connections across time and across cultures.