San Francisco

de Young Museum

A modern and ethnic art focused museum, with three levels of exhibits with contemporary and historical pieces from America as well as art of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas in a uniquely-designed building with courtyards and sculpture gardens that includes Three Gems piece by Turrell. One corner of the building houses the free Hamon Observation Tower which offers a lovely 360-degree view of the park and surroundings.

Tue-Thu, Sat-Sun 9:30AM-5:15PM, Fri 9:30AM-8:45PM · $15 adults, $10 seniors, $6 students, free for 17 and under; includes same-day admission to the Legion of Honor. Special exhibits may require extra admission; first Tuesday of each month free

Exploratorium

Along the Embaradero in between the Ferry Building and Fisherman's Wharf, The Exploratorium was the first interactive science museum in the world, and remains perhaps the best. The converted pier is filled with intriguing interactive experiments about nearly every branch of the natural and social sciences. If you're lucky, they'll conduct one of their most famous (and fascinating to most children) demonstrations: the dissection of a cow eyeball. The exploratorium also includes the Tactile Dome, a maze that you explore in pitch darkness, using only your sense of touch.

Tue-Sun 10AM-5PM; open Thu 6-10PM for ages 18+ only, closed Mon · $29.95 adults, $24.95 students/teachers/disabled/seniors/youth 13-17, $19.95 youth 4-12, children 3 and under free · Wi-Fi · Wheelchair accessible

Palace of Fine Arts

The only structure remaining from the 1915 World's Fair, it features a classical Roman rotunda (1,100 feet wide, 162 feet high) with curved colonnades (30 Corinthian columns frame a wide walkway in the colonnade) situated in an idyllic park setting with a classical European-Style lagoon. It's a great place to unwind, have a picnic, and watch the swans float elegantly by. It also has a theater offering a variety of shows, musical and cultural events.

6AM-9PM daily · Free · Built 1915

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)

A gigantic and innovative art museum with multiple floors of galleries featuring changing exhibitions as well as permanent displays featuring the works of some very famous 20th century artists, including Georgia O'Keeffe, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, and many others.

Fri-Mon 10AM-5PM, Thu 1PM-8PM · $25 adults, $22 seniors, $19 for ages 19-24, free for age 18 and under · Wheelchair accessible

USS Pampanito Submarine

This is a National Historic Landmark — an authentic World War II submarine with many original artifacts on display. Up to 80 personnel ran this submarine and it could be at sea for up to several weeks at a time.

Opens at 9AM daily. Call for closing time · $20 adults, $12 seniors/students, $10 children, $9 active military (free for those in uniform), free for children 5 and under

Mission Dolores

Mission San Francisco de Asis

The oldest building in San Francisco, commissioned in 1776 by Father Serra and members of the De Anza Expedition as the 6th of the 21 missions in California. The original mission is a small building adjacent to the parish church, a large building with intricately decorated towers that was, also, the first Catholic church west of the Mississippi River to be deemed a basilica. The attached cemetery is one of the few in San Francisco that were not relocated to Colma during the first half of the 20th century.

Built 1791

Walt Disney Family Museum

Opened in 2009, this museum focuses on the life of Walt Disney and his accomplishments. The museum is not run by The Walt Disney Company, meaning that while it views Walt Disney in a favorable light, it doesn't come off as corporate propaganda. The collections have some fascinating Disneyana, including the Oscar awarded to Disney for Snow White, a multiplane camera used prominently in Disney animated films, and a number of posters promoting early Disneyland rides. This is an absolute must-see for Disney enthusiasts, but even casual Disney fans will be impressed by the material here, which does a very good job of showing how a man with a gift for cartooning built what would become a modern media empire.

Wed-Mon 10AM-6PM; closed Jan 1, Thanksgiving, Dec 25 · $25 for adults, $20 for students and seniors, $15 for ages 6-17, free for under 6 · Wheelchair accessible

Musee Mecanique

Probably the largest and most extensive antique arcade in the world. Several hundred coin-operated musical instruments, antique arcade games, fortune telling machines, and mechanical dioramas. that date from the turn of the century to the early 1990s. The proprietor is typically moving around the space on rollerskates, doing maintenance on the machines.

Mon-Fri 10AM-7PM, Sat Sun and holidays 10AM-8PM · Free to browse, but the machines take change · Free entry · Wheelchair accessible

Telegraph Hill

Telegraph Hill earned its name in the days of the Gold Rush when it was used as a signaling post to relay messages about incoming ships to the bay. Coit Tower was erected at its peak in 1933 and rewards a weary traveler with some wonderful views over the city. Over time a quiet residential neighborhood built up along the hillside, and their magnificent flowing gardens have always been something to admire on your way up or down. Other neighbors include a colony of colorful feral parrots, predominantly red-masked parakeets, which grew up as descendants of escaped domesticated pets. One can drive to the top, but it's better to take one of the narrow steps leading up and down the sides of the hill (including the Greenwich and Filbert Steps), as they offer better views over the Bay.

91 m high

Asian Art Museum

Built in 1917 as the city's public library building, this building is a fantastic blend of "Beaux Arts" and modern design elements. It was designed by renowned architect Gae Aulenti (architect of the Musée d'Orsay, Paris). Inside, you'll find many interesting architectural details including the grand staircase, loggia, vaulted ceilings, the great hall, stone floors, period light fixtures, an oddly interminable escalator, and inscriptions. The museum is one of the largest and newest museums of Oriental art. It has circa 15,000 artifacts covering 6,000 years of Asian history. The Asian Art Museum hosts many special exhibits as well. The cafe on premises also has some decent food, though pricier and somewhat more tame than better places a short walk away.

Tue-Sun 10AM-5PM (with extended evening hours every Thu until 9PM); closed New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day · Free first Sunday of every month, $15 adults, $10 seniors/students/youth ages 13-17, free for children 12 and under/military/SFUSD students. Th evenings at a reduced rate ($10) after 5PM. Special exhibitions cost extra · Wheelchair accessible

Cable Car Museum

Here you can see the mechanisms that drive San Francisco's famed cable cars, as well as plenty of cable car memorabilia and information on the history of the cable cars.

Apr–Oct: 10AM-6PM daily; Nov–Mar: 10AM-5PM daily · Admission is free

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

An interesting venue for local contemporary artists. Rotating exhibits, performances, and film screenings.

Wed Sun noon–6PM, Thu-Sat and first Tue of each month noon–8PM · $10 adults, $8 seniors/students, free on the first Tuesday of each month

Randall Museum

A small but fun children's museum with several interactive exhibits, including live animals, a science exhibit, a toddler play area, and a railroad exhibit which includes a model railroad layout which is open on Saturdays. The museum is perched on a hill, offering great views of the San Francisco skyline.

Tue-Sat 10AM-5PM · Free · Free entry · Wheelchair accessible

San Francisco Railway Museum

A small but charming museum with exhibits on the history of rail transportation in San Francisco, with a particular emphasis on the streetcar systems. It's a good companion piece to a streetcar ride, with a stop on the F-line just outside the front door.

Tue-Sun 10AM-6PM · Free · Free entry · Wheelchair accessible

Ghirardelli Square

It was declared a city landmark in 1965, and today it's still possible to view the remnants of the old chocolate-making machinery there (though chocolate production stopped years ago). Be sure to pop into the chocolate shop; they often hand out free samples at the front door, though the sample may not make up for the long wait in line. The square has a few boutiques, restaurants, specialty stores, and galleries catering mostly to tourists. Be sure to visit the San Francisco Brewing Company for some great west coast IPAs and other freshly brewed beers, but be prepared to pay tourist prices for them. It also has great views over the Bay.

11:00-21:00 · Free

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

The park consists of a visitor center, Hyde St Pier and the fleet of historic ships moored there, the Maritime Museum, Aquatic Park, and the Municipal Pier.

Heritage listed

GLBT History Museum

A GLBT history museum, with exhibits that take you from the bedrooms and back rooms to the bookstores and bars, from Harvey Milk's victories to transgender sex workers' riots, from social movements to secret fantasies.

Mon, Wed-Sat 11AM-7PM, Sun noon-5PM (except holidays), Tue closed · $5

Haas Lilienthal House

This is an Queen Anne Victorian, built solely out of redwood in 1886 for William Haas. It has been fully preserved to its original design. It houses the San Francisco Architectural Heritage which offer tours inside the house and around the grounds.

Tours: Sun 11AM-4PM, Wed and Sat noon-3PM. Tours leave every 20 to 30 minutes and last about 1 hour · General admission $8, seniors and children 12 and under $5

California Academy of Sciences

An absolutely stunning museum and an excellent place to take the children. Among the many highlights of this museum is the building itself; ride the elevator to the top to see the Living Roof, a literal green roof and marvel of architecture with soft hills covered in grass and flowers. On the ground floor are numerous interactive science exhibits, outdoor gardens, an aviary, and towering over the massive exhibit halls is the sphere-like Planetarium on one side of the building, while the other side is overshadowed by the domed Rainforests of the World exhibit, a massive transparent dome which contains a winding pathway that takes you to the top, past towering trees and animal displays. As if all that wasn't enough, the building also contains a fantastic aquarium on the bottom floor, which showcases the more unusual sea life such as octopus, jellyfish, sea dragons, and sea stars among its displays of coral reefs, kelp forests, and tidepools. It's a big museum; be sure to give yourself at least a few hours to see it all.

Mon-Sat 9:30AM-5PM; Sun 11AM-5PM · $34.95 adults, $29.95 seniors/students/teens, $24.95 children 4-11, free for ages 3 and under

Children's Creativity Museum

formerly known as "Zeum"

An arts and technology museum geared towards kids and families, centered on giving visitors a chance to produce animation, video, sound, performance visual arts, and more.

Tue-Sun 10AM-4PM · $12.95; free under age 2

Clarion Alley

Another alley full of murals, between 17th and 18th and Mission and Valencia.

Beat Museum

Features quite an extensive collection of exhibits, books and manuscripts that focus on Jack Kerouac and the literary Beat Generation. Plenty of books and T-Shirts for sale here as well.

10AM-7PM daily · $8 adults, $5 students/seniors

The Octagon House

Dating from 1861, this eight-sided house with its cupola top, dormer windows, and roof lanterns was built in the belief that such octagonally shaped houses promote healthier living. Today, the building is an American Colonial museum. It has many artifacts on display including antique furniture and historical documents. It is run by the National Society of the Colonial Dames.

Open to the public on the second Sun of every month, and the second and fourth Thu of every month, from noon-3PM · Free

Chinese Historical Society of America Museum

This is well worth a visit, with exhibits on the history and experience of Chinese immigrants to San Francisco over the past 150 years.

Mon–Tue closed, Wed – Sun 11AM-4PM · Free · Wheelchair accessible

Maritime Museum

Shaped like a ship, this historic building was built by the WPA as a bathhouse and served as the Maritime Museum for many years before a renovation. Inside you'll find maritime exhibits and beautiful underwater-themed murals.

10AM-4PM daily · Free · Built 1936

Ripley's Believe It Or Not! Museum

Set over 2 floors it has over 10,000 square feet of galleries, exhibits, illusions, and interactive displays.

Sun-Thu 10AM-10PM, Fri Sat 10AM-11PM · $25.99 (ages 13 and older), $17.99 children (ages 5-12) · Wheelchair accessible

Truhlsen-Marmor Museum of the Eye

A museum all about the eye: anatomy, vision, eye disorders and treatment, the history of ophthalmology, and rotating exhibitions. Run by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, it's well worth a visit if you're in the area and at all curious to learn about how eyes work.

Wed–Sun 11AM–4:30PM · Free · Free entry

Luggage Store Gallery

They organize exhibitions, performing arts events, arts education, and public art programs in order to encourage and facilitate the flow of artistic ideas between the different cultural and socio-economic stratums in society. They also host exhibits at the Luggage Store Annex (a.k.a. 509 Cultural Center) at 509 Ellis Street (near Leavenworth St).

Wed-Sat noon-5PM · Free · Live music

Fraenkel Gallery

A long-standing photography gallery with changing museum-quality exhibits featuring the work of many of the medium's masters.

Tue-Fri 10:30AM-5:30PM, Sat 11AM-5PM

San Francisco Historical Society

Exhibits in San Francisco's original US Mint Building about the history of the City.

Tu-Sa 10:00-16:00