New York City public school students will be off from Monday, Feb. 17 to Friday, Feb. 21 for midwinter break. Here are some free and pay-what-you-wish activities to keep kids busy during the week.

Pay-what-you-wish museums and free admission days

Plenty of museums and other cultural centers in the city offer free admission on certain days or for children under a certain age. Others offer pay-what-you-wish admission for New Yorkers. Here are a few:

A view of dinosaur fossils on display at the American Museum of Natural History. (Spectrum News NY1)

Pay-what-you-wish museums

• American Museum of Natural History – New York state residents can pay what they wish for general admission, with ID.
• Brooklyn Museum – Pay-what-you-wish for adults when purchasing in person. Visitors ages 19 and under get in for free.
• Metropolitan Museum of Art – Pay-what-you-wish for New York state residents and New York, New Jersey and Connecticut students.
• El Museo del Barrio – Pay-what-you-wish. Children under 12 get in for free.
• Museum of the City of New York – Pay-what-you-wish for New York state residents. Visitors 18 and under get in for free.
• Brooklyn Botanic Garden – Pay-what-you-wish on winter weekdays through February.

Free museums and cultural centers

• MoMA PS1 – Always free for New York state residents.
• Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden – Free access to main outdoor grounds and gardens.
• Whitney Museum – Free for anyone 25 and under.

Free Wednesdays:

• New York Aquarium – Free admission after 3 p.m. (Advance timed tickets are required)
• Bronx Zoo – Free admission to park. (Advance tickets required; rides and other attractions not included)
• Museum of the City of New York – Free admission for all, with ID.
• New York Botanical Garden– Free grounds admission for New York City residents all day, and for other visitors between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.

Free Thursdays:

• Brooklyn Children’s Museum – Free admission from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. (Advance tickets required)

Kid-friendly events at city parks

NYC Parks is hosting hikes, special activities and family-friendly Kids Week events during the break. Here are a few:

Families ice skating at Brooklyn Bridge Park ( Bryan Bedder/Getty Images)

Hikes and outdoor fun

• Winter Break Hike – Jones Woods Park, Staten Island | Feb. 17, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Mid-Winter Family Fun Hike – Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx | Feb. 17, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Blast Off – Discovering Space and Black History – Idlewild Park, Queens | Feb. 19-20, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• NYC Parks Winter Carnival – Soundview Park, Bronx | Feb. 21, 12p.m. to 3 p.m.

Kids Week activities

• All About Owls Hike and Craft – Blue Heron Park, Staten Island | Feb. 17, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Nature Scavenger Hunt – Brooklyn Bridge Park, Brooklyn | Feb. 18, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Urban Wildlife Exploration – Forest Park, Queens | Feb. 18, 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
• Survival Skills for Kids – Fort Greene Park, Brooklyn | Feb. 19, 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
• Winter Nature Crafts – Inwood Hill Park, Manhattan | Feb. 19, 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
• Birding for Kids – Pelham Bay Park, Bronx | Feb. 21, 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
• Bald Eagle Watch – Inwood Hill Park, Manhattan | Feb. 21, 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Kid-friendly sites to visit

Here are some free, mostly outdoor sites in New York City where children can explore:

The Staten Island Ferry passes the Statue of Liberty. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

Manhattan

• Staten Island Ferry – Take a free ride on the ferry to enjoy views of the Statue of Liberty and New York Harbor.
• The High Line – Walk along this elevated park with art installations, gardens and views of the city.
• Central Park – Explore nature trails, playgrounds and outdoor spaces and sights like the Great Lawn, Bow Bridge and the “Alice in Wonderland” statue.
• Battery Park – Enjoy views of the Statue of Liberty, Castle Clinton—a restored sandstone fort— and the harbor.

Brooklyn

• Brooklyn Bridge Park – Visit a waterfront park with playgrounds, open green spaces and views of Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge.
• DUMBO Waterfront – Walk along the waterfront while taking in views of the Brooklyn Bridge.
• Brooklyn Heights Promenade – Take a stroll on a walkway with panoramic views of Lower Manhattan, the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge.

Queens

• Astoria Park – Pay a visit to a park with a playground, track and views of the East River and the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge.
• Flushing Meadows-Corona Park – Explore this expansive park with landmarks like the Unisphere and playgrounds for kids.

Bronx

• Pelham Bay Park – Explore the city’s largest park, featuring nature trails, beaches and space for a winter stroll.
• Van Cortlandt Park – Explore more than 1,000 acres in the northwest Bronx.

Staten Island

• Staten Island Greenbelt – Visit a large natural area with trails for hiking and outdoor exploration.
• South Beach and Franklin D. Roosevelt Boardwalk – Explore a boardwalk where kids can watch the waves and enjoy a stroll.

New York City Libraries

Libraries across all five boroughs — Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island — are hosting a wide range of events for kids and families, from storytime sessions and STEAM activities to movie screenings and board game nights.

• For Manhattan, Staten Island and the Bronx, check nypl.org/events.
• For Brooklyn, check bklynlibrary.org.
• For Queens, check queenslibrary.org.

A view of the exterior of a Brooklyn Public Library in Sunset Park. (Spectrum News NY1)