The Best Museums in San Francisco

Asian Art Museum

The Asian Art Museum has recently added more than 15,000 square feet more space to house groundbreaking exhibitions and art installations -- including the U.S. museum debut of an immersive, multisensory dreamscape created by Tokyo-based international... more

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Buffalo Soldier Museum and Library

Learn more about the legacy of African-American participation in the armed forces dating back to our first war: the Revolutionary War. more

Cable Car Museum

Houses a collection of historic cable cars, photographs, mechanical displays and gift shop run by the Friends of the Cable Car Museum - a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of cable car history. Admission is Free. Open every... more

California Academy of Sciences

Come nose-to-beak with penguins and parrots, watch sharks and sting rays cruise beneath your feet, and feel the spray of the California coast. Fly to Mars (and beyond the Milky Way!) from the safety of your planetarium seat, take a virtual safari in... more

California Historical Society

The California Historical Society, founded in 1871, is a nonprofit organization with a mission to inspire and empower people to make California's richly diverse past a meaningful part of their contemporary lives. We invite you to visit the Californi... more

Cartoon Art Museum

Cartoon Art Museum has produced numerous exhibitions and publications focusing on a myriad of cartoon art. The museum's key function is to preserve, document, and exhibition this unique and accessible art form. Through exhibitions and other exhibi... more

Chinese Historical Society of America (CHSA)

The Chinese Historical Society of America (CHSA) is one of the oldest and largest organizations dedicated to the study, documentation, and dissemination of Chinese American history. Housed in the historic Julia Morgan Chinatown YWCA, the CHSA Museum... more

CHSA Museum

The Chinese Historical Society of America Museum is situated in the heart of San Francisco’s Chinatown. Located in a historic building designed by renowned architect Julia Morgan, the Museum introduces the rich history of the Chinese American e... more

Contemporary Jewish Museum

The Museum and its Mission Since its founding in 1984, the Contemporary Jewish Museum has engaged audiences of all ages and backgrounds through dynamic exhibitions and programs that explore contemporary perspectives on Jewish culture, history, ar... more

de Young Museum

Free Saturdays The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco offers free general admission every Saturday for all San Francisco residents. Explore permanent collections and enjoy a variety of free programming. Some special exhibitions are not included in t... more

Exploratorium

The Exploratorium is now open in our spectacular new home at Pier 15 on San Francisco's Embarcadero. There are 150 new exhibits - indoors and out - plus hundreds of beloved classics, a Bay Observatory, a bigger focus on tinkering and social science,... more

GLBT Historical Museum

Located in San Francisco's Castro District, The GLBT History Museum is the first full-scale, stand-alone museum of its kind in the United States. The museum celebrates 100 years of the city's vast queer past through dynamic and surprising exhibitions... more

Grabhorn Institute

A living museum of printing history, the Grabhorn Institute supports the fine press publisher Arion Press and the historic typefoundry of M & H Type. Our gallery is open free to the public Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. We off... more

Haas-Lilienthal House

Tours of this house museum are offered regularly: – Sundays, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. – Wednesdays and Saturdays, noon – 3 p.m. Tours leave every 20 to 30 minutes and last about 1 hour. All visits to the house must be guided.... more

International Art Museum of America

Located at the heart of downtown San Francisco, on 1025 Market Street near Sixth Street, the International American Art Museum is a permanent, non-profit museum open to the public. Presenting an eclectic collection of contemporary Asian art, old Chin... more

Legion of Honor

Free Saturdays The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco offers free general admission every Saturday for all San Francisco residents. Explore permanent collections and enjoy a variety of free programming. Some special exhibitions are not i... more

Madame Tussauds San Francisco

Are you ready for your starring role? The world famous Madame Tussauds is now open on San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf! Located next to Pier 39, join us to walk the red carpet and experience the true spirit of San Francisco. Immer... more

Mexican Museum

The soul and spirit of the arts and cultures of Mexico and the Americas are fundamentally linked. Through its programs, The Mexican Museum voices the complexity and richness of Latino art throughout the Americas. The Mexican Museum, initially locate... more

Morrison Planetarium in the Academy of Sciences

Our 75-foot dome displays one of the most accurate—and immersive—digital Universes ever created. From faraway galaxies to the workings of our own planet, you'll experience the cosmos like never before. Sit in the middle if you want a... more

Musee Mecanique

Welcome to the Musee Mecanique, one of the world’s largest privately owned collections of mechanically operated musical instruments and antique arcade machines. We will take you on a journey from turn of the century hand cranked music boxes to... more

Museo Italo Americano

The Museo ItaloAmericano is the only museum in the United States devoted exclusively to Italian and Italian-American art and culture. Established in 1978, the Museo ItaloAmericano is a non-profit institution governed by a Board of Directors. Admiss... more

Museum of 3D Illusions

A visitor to the Museum of 3D Illusions is not a passive observer but a full-fledged participant of the paintings created by the best artists. This is a place where photography is not just encouraged – it is part and parcel of the exhibition. more

Museum of Ice Cream San Francisco

Stand back Color Factory, there’s a new buzz-worthy experience in town. The news of a downtown San Francisco location is melting the hearts of ice cream lovers who have been anxiously waiting for the doors to open and reveal an interactive spri... more

Museum of the African Diaspora - MOAD

An international museum, based in San Francisco, MoAD is committed to showcasing the "best of the best" from the African Diaspora. To facilitate this, MoAD reaches out and initiates collaborative ventures with institutions of similar vision from arou... more

Napa Valley Museum Yountville

Situated mid-valley in the historic town of Yountville, between St. Helena and Napa, the Napa Valley Museum Yountville is dedicated to enriching the cultural fabric of our community through exhibitions, collections, educational programs and creative... more

National Japanese American Historical Society

The National Japanese American Historical Society (NJAHS), founded in 1980 in San Francisco, is a non-profit membership supported organization dedicated to the preservation, promotion, and dissemination of materials relating to the history and cultur... more

Natural World Museum

The Natural World Museum collects and exhibits art that depicts the world of nature for the enjoyment and enlightenment of its visitors and educates the public about wildlife preservation, habitat protection, and conservation. more

Pacific Heritage Museum

The Pacific Heritage Museum of San Francisco was established in 1984 by the former Bank of Canton of California, now United Commercial Bank, as a public service for the citizens and visitors of San Francisco. The museum is housed in the historic US S... more

Petaluma Historical Library & Museum

The former library now houses Petaluma poultry, dairy, and Miwok Indian history exhibits from the 1850s. The cornerstone for this stately Carnegie Library was laid in 1904. The building, designed by local architect Brainerd Jones and built from local... more

Phyllis Wattis Theater at SFMOMA

This 278-seat theater includes state-of-the-art audio and projection equipment, making it the perfect setting for film screenings, presentations, or live performances. more

Presidio Officers' Club

San Francisco's most historic building is now the Presidio's museum and cultural center. Free and open to all, the Presidio Officers' Club offers exhibits tracing the Presidio's past and present, free live music and talks, weekend crafts for k... more

Randall Museum

The Museum is Currently closed for renovations. Help us Revitalize the Randall for San Francisco's next generation of explorers, adventurers, and dreamers. more

Randall Museum at Mission Art Center

Randall Museum is located at Mission Art Center and is open to the public 10 a.m. to 5 p.m, Tuesday through Saturday. The museum is closed on Sundays and Mondays. The building is also open selected Sundays, Mondays, and evenings for scheduled classe... more

Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum

San Francisco has staked its claim as one of the most beautiful cities in the world, bringing in travelers from all over. And though the city has its fare share of sights to see, one of its premiere institutions is Ripley's Believe It or Not, located... more

San Francisco Architectural Heritage

The Heritage offices are located in the historic Haas-Lilienthal House in San Francisco’s Pacific Heights neighborhood. The office is open Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. If you are interested in touring t... more

San Francisco Children's Art Center (SFCAC)

Established in 1978, The San Francisco Children’s Art Center (SFCAC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, child-centered community art organization that values the importance of process-oriented art instruction. At SFCAC, children experience the advantag... more

San Francisco Film Museum

We aim to establish a physical location, a place in which to offer a unique film entertainment and educational experience for the San Francisco Bay Area. WHAT WE DO * Advocate for film preservation and become a state-of-the-art repository for... more

San Francisco Fire Museum

The museum is home to a large collection of historic fire department memorabilia. more

San Francisco Maritime Museum & National Park

The San Francisco Maritime Museum features interactive exhibits, ship models, figureheads, maritime paintings, photos, and artifacts. Its library has a premiere collection of martime history: books, magazines, oral histories and reference service to... more

San Francisco Museum & Historical Society

The San Francisco Museum and Historical Society’s mission is to preserve, interpret, present, and disseminate historical data, information, and knowledge relating to the City and County of San Francisco so as to enhance the experience of living... more

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