New York SNAP recipients can now receive free membership to The Met
Photo by Charles Parker from Pexels
The Metropolitan Museum of Art on Tuesday launched free membership for New Yorkers enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The initiative is offered through the new “Explorer Membership” level, which provides one year of free membership, access to member preview days, a digital membership card, invitations to community programs, and more. The program is a joint effort by the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs, Human Resources Administration, and Department of Social Services, and follows a similar initiative launched by the American Museum of Natural History last July.
“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 NYC’s greatest cultural institutions–entirely for free,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.
“This administration believes the very best of our city should belong to the people, and today’s announcement is another step toward making that vision real.”
More than 1.7 million New Yorkers rely on SNAP, and the program helps ensure that individuals and families facing economic strain have access to free, high-quality cultural experiences in safe, intergenerational public spaces.
However, under the Trump administration, those protections have been scaled back, as the president cut $186 billion from the program over 10 years last July and has since instituted new work requirements in March that could affect eligibility for millions of New Yorkers.
The new rules, known as “Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD)” work requirements, require certain SNAP recipients to prove they are working, volunteering, or in school for a set number of hours each month to maintain their benefits, according to New York Focus.
Notably, the new policy eliminated automatic work requirement exemptions for homeless people, veterans, and young people formerly in foster care, removing protections for groups considered particularly vulnerable.
In response, the Mamdani administration launched an interagency effort to protect New Yorkers at risk of losing benefits. Officials say the initiative has reduced the number of projected benefit losses by 65 percent, according to a press release.
SNAP recipients are expected to begin losing benefits this month under the federal government’s “three-strike” policy, which reduces or terminates assistance after three months of noncompliance.
The partnership with the Met seeks to build on the city’s commitment to upholding SNAP benefits and ensuring equitable access to cultural spaces for all New Yorkers. Last July, the city partnered with the American Museum of Natural History to offer free admission, plus entry to one ticketed exhibition per visit, for SNAP recipients.
To enroll in the membership program, SNAP recipients can visit the museum’s membership desk at its Fifth Avenue location or at the Cloisters. To raise awareness of the program, the Met is distributing flyers and printed materials in libraries, community centers, and NYCHA developments.
Explorer Memberships expire after one year and may be renewed onsite at the Membership Desk. The Met membership includes free admission for one guest and children 17 and younger.
Visitors can enjoy the Met’s spring and summer programming and exhibitions, including the first major Raphael exhibition in the United States, on view through June 28, and the new Costume Institute exhibition, which pairs objects from across the museum’s collections with historical and contemporary garments, among other offerings.
In a statement, Max Hollein, the Met’s director and CEO, celebrated the partnership and welcomed SNAP recipients.
“The Met is here for everyone,” Hollein said. “Our mission is to connect all people to creativity, knowledge, ideas, and to one another, and we are honored 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,” he added, “and we can’t wait to invite our new 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.”
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