Best Museums in San Francisco

With colorful Victorians lining the hilly streets, endless cafés and shops to get lost in, plus the Pacific Ocean nearly always within view, San Francisco is an ideal destination for tourists in any season. Along with its natural beauty, San Francisco is also home to a number of world-class museums that showcase the best in local and international culture.

This guide will go over the best museums in San Francisco and help you discover which is right for you. Some museums are better for adults, while others are great for young kids and visitors of all ages. Plus, we'll look at the overall cost of visiting while also highlighting what makes each selection exciting and unique.

California Academy of Sciences

• 55 Music Concourse Dr., Golden Gate Park.

• Tickets cost around $40 per adult, depending on time and day.

• Involves science, outer space, animals, the arts, technology and more.

The California Academy of Sciences is a sprawling museum that features something for everyone to enjoy. Kids and adults alike can enjoy the marvelous aquarium complete with seahorses, thousands of fish and living coral, along with the museum’s famed albino alligator.

Visitors can also experience everything from dinosaur bones to a living colony of African penguins. Plus, you can discover unique exhibitions that teach about light, sound and other phenomena in a hands-on and exciting way, making it one of the top San Francisco museums for families with kids to visit today.

de Young Museum

• 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr., Golden Gate Park.

• Tickets cost around $20, depending on time and day.

• Features art and exhibits centering on art from the Americas, from the 17th century to more modern exhibits.

With nearly 30,000 works of art, the de Young Museum in Golden Park is a great place to enjoy stunning paintings, historical sculptures and other works from the Americas and abroad.

Plus, this museum features a number of styles, from traditional to more modern and abstract, making it a great place for all art lovers to experience. There are also rotating exhibits focused on various cultural arts, including fashion and more.

Last but not least, there’s an observation tower that has incredible views of the city and ocean. This is one of the best museums to visit in San Francisco if you wish to discover the best of America's famed and historic art.

Legion of Honor

• 100 34th Ave, Lincoln Park.

• Tickets cost around $20, depending on time and day.

• Great for older kids and adults.

The Legion of Honor is an expansive museum that features ancient and modern European art along with one of the largest collections of graphic art in the world.

The building itself is an architectural wonder and you can enjoy the neoclassical exterior, which is situated in a beautiful park overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge and the city skyline.

Within the museum, you can explore everything from ancient Italian pottery to brilliant 20th-century paintings and much more. Rotating exhibits also include exciting events such as drawings from Botticelli to German pottery, among other unique presentations.

If you love classical art, the Legion of Honor is one of the best art museums in San Francisco to visit on your next trip.

The Walt Disney Family Museum

• 104 Montgomery St.

• Tickets cost $20 for ages 6 and up and certain exhibitions require an additional fee as well.

• One of the few free museums in San Francisco for children

The Walt Disney Family Museum is perfect for young children and Disney fans of all ages. It combines historical documents, such as original sketches and designs, along with modern multimedia presentations to showcase the history of both Walt Disney as a person and his famous animations over the years.

Explore the evolution of the company along with behind-the-scenes footage of the creation of their most famous films and enjoy special presentations including full-length films and more throughout the day.

There are also rotating exhibitions featuring new artifacts relating to Disney and his work, although these require a separate ticket.

After exploring the museum, you can walk around Presidio Park and enjoy picturesque views of the Golden Gate Bridge.

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)

• 151 3rd St.

• Tickets are $30 for guests over 18.

• Features a vast selection of modern art from around the world.

The SFMOMA is one of America’s greatest museums for modern art. Experience everything from German impressionism to French avant-garde along with American styles such as Andy Warhol’s famous pop art.

With a jaw-dropping collection of paintings, sculptures and multimedia events, visitors of all ages will find something to enjoy in this spacious and constantly evolving museum.

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

• 701 Mission St.

• The museum is free on Wednesday and the second Sunday of every month.

• Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

The Yerba Buena Center for the Arts features unique and evolving art galleries based on local culture and international art. Showcasing different cultures and art styles, there’s always something new for visitors of all ages to discover.

Unlike other museums on this list, many of the YBCA’s attractions are multimedia installations, or works of performing art. This means that the museum may differ greatly from one season to the next.

From paintings to digital design, fashion and sculpted gardens, there’s an endless display of creativity here that makes it a must-visit museum in San Francisco.

Exploratorium

• Located on Pier 15

• Tickets are $40 for people 18 and over.

• One of the few free museums in San Francisco for visitors under the age of 18

Located on Pier 15, the Exploratorium is a great place for families and especially small children who can enjoy playing with the museum's countless games and hands-on learning activities.

Play with large contraptions that showcase prisms, unique musical instruments and other activities that teach about human perception from sight to sound and more.

The vast museum has a number of unique multimedia opportunities as well, including:

• Creating fog and rain

• Creating vibrant and colorful shadows

• Experiencing an earthquake

• Playing with gravity

Plus, there are many rotating exhibitions, such as seminars on eclipses and other exciting natural events.

San Francisco Cable Car Museum

• 1201 Mason St.

• The museum is free for all visitors.

• A quick but interesting stop for those interested in San Francisco’s iconic cable car.

The Cable Car Museum is a very small but free exhibit that showcases classic and historic cable cars, making it a unique place for those who can’t get enough of these local icons. Not only will you see the historical cars up close, but you’ll also learn how they were developed and how they continue to operate today.

To complete your day, make sure to hop on one of the working ones nearby to take an exciting tour of the city.

Children’s Creativity Museum

• 221 4th St.

• $20 for everyone aged 1 or over.

• Best for children 12 and under.

The Children’s Creativity Museum is great for young children as it focuses on hands-on arts and crafts plus exciting age-appropriate presentations.

Best of all, the Leroy King Carousel is right onsite and it’s a historic hand-carved carousel that’s been a local icon since it opened in 1906. For families with small kids, this is one of the best children's museums in San Francisco today.

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