by Tessa Mitterhoff
As citizens of Scotch Plains and Fanwood, we have the privilege of living a short train ride away from one of the greatest cities in the world. Many students jump at the opportunity to visit the Big Apple’s attractions. Sadly, these trips can be rather rough on the wallet when tallying expenses such as transportation, food, tickets and entrance fees. However, for high school and college students, there is a way around these expenses. By simply showing a school-issued ID, students are eligible for plenty of discounts. This allows for exciting day-trips to New York City, on a budget.
Museums
Many museums in the city offer either free or discounted admission. The Museum of Modern Art on W. 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues has free entry for all ages on Fridays from 4 to 8 p.m. Junior Nick Verdiramo recently took a trip to MoMA with his brother; they both took advantage of this discount. “It was easy. I just showed the woman at the entry stand my student ID and she gave me the pin that gets you in,” said Verdiramo.
Other venues including The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art offer what is called “pay what you wish” at designated times. This means that there is no fee for entering, but donations are appreciated.
Broadway
Student rush tickets are a popular form of discounted tickets available for both Broadway and Off-Broadway shows. Basically, a limited number of tickets are reserved before each show and are sold on a first-come, first-served basis at the theater box office when it opens. Early arrival is recommended. At $20 to $40, these tickets are only a third of the regular prices.
The more popular shows such as The Book of Mormon, Rock of Ages and Wicked, offer a lottery rush, in which people have the chance to purchase highly discounted tickets by entering their names into a raffle. The great thing about the lottery rush is the seats are often in the first few rows, though the cheapest tickets available are the “standing room seats.” Outrageous discounts for Broadway’s best and most expensive shows make standing through the whole performance worth it.
“I would totally take advantage of a student discount for shows. It would make something I love going to so much more convenient!” said sophomore Casey Abramson. See studentrush.org for other discounts.
Attractions
In addition to museum and theater discounts, the city offers free or discounted entry to many attractions. The New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx is free on Wednesdays and charges $5 for a student all-ground pass the rest of the week. Art lovers will appreciate its upcoming show featuring gardens that inspired many of Claude Monet’s paintings. Visit from May 19 to Oct. 21.
Next door to the garden is the Bronx Zoo, which is free every Wednesday for all ages. And no one ever needs a ticket to enjoy Central Park in Manhattan. With spring well on its way, many other scenic parks are also free, including Socrates Sculpture Park in Long Island City, which features the work of local artists.
For further information regarding both theater and other NYC attraction discounts, visit studentrush.org.