What does “skip-the-line” mean when you visit the Guggenheim?
With close to 1 million annual visitors, the Guggenheim Museum is one of New York’s most visited attractions. By pre-purchasing these tickets, you can skip waiting for long periods of time in the ticketing line and enter the museum right after the security screening.
Quick overview: How to skip the lines at the Guggenheim Museum
The Guggenheim is one of NYC’s most iconic art museums, and because its collections and exhibitions change often, weekends and holidays can get busy, especially between 12pm–4pm. While it doesn’t have airport-style security like observation decks, queues can form at the ticket desk and at the entrance scanner. Waits are usually 15–30 minutes on regular days and 30–45 minutes on peak dates. The best way to avoid those lines is to pre-book and use skip-the-line entry.
- Skip-the-line tickets (From $30): These let you bypass the on-site ticket counter entirely. You choose an entry time, show your mobile ticket at the entrance, and walk straight in. You still join the standard bag check queue if one forms, but overall entry is significantly faster—often under 10 minutes on most days. Ideal if you know when you’ll visit and want a smooth arrival.
- Extended-validity entry (Use anytime until 31 May 2026): A rare perk—these tickets don’t lock you into a specific date. Visit any time before 31 May 2026 and skip the ticket-purchase line on arrival. Great for flexible itineraries, bad weather backups, or locals who want to drop in spontaneously. Note that peak weekend crowds still apply.
- City passes: Many NYC multi-attraction passes like the New York CityPASS® (5 attractions) and the Go City New York Explorer Pass include the Guggenheim as one of their museum options. They skip the on-site ticketing line, but you’ll still join the normal entrance queue, and some passes may require reserving a time-slot separately. Best suited if you’re planning to hit 3–5 major attractions across 2–3 days.
