Free museum night vs. paying full price, which is actually the better date?

Last weekend I took my partner to the free Friday night at the art museum downtown. We saved $28 on tickets but spent 40 minutes waiting in line to get in, and the galleries were so packed we could barely see half the exhibits. Compare that to a $14 ticket on a random Tuesday where we had the whole place to ourselves and actually talked about the art. I know free stuff feels like a win upfront, but when time is limited and crowds kill the vibe, is it really cheaper per good hour? Other option is the planetarium's discount evening which costs $8 but only shows one 20 minute show. Has anyone else hit this wall where the budget option just took way longer than you expected to feel worth it?