San Francisco's 20 Must-Visit Museums

By: Kat Bein, Kyrie Sismaet By: Kat Bein, Kyrie Sismaet | March 19, 2023 | People, Lifestyle, Travel & Recreation, City Life, Culture, Neighborhoods, Travel, Art, Culture Feature, Women of Influence Latest, Entertainment, Local, Community, List - Entertainment, Creators,

San Francisco is teeming with life and culture, shining as a proud example of what can happen when brilliance, creativity and daring share the same streets. We’re a city shaped by the margins of culture, a time-proven breeding ground for visionaries and icons that mold our times.

Whether you’re in SF for a visit or you’re a long-time local, this City by the Sea offers more than a few choice museums to explore and contextualize our world. Whether you’re looking for a bit of fun on a rainy afternoon or want to come up-close-and-personal with the classic greats, these world-class museums offer a chance to reflect, educate and get to know yourself and your world a little better.

Asian Art Museum

200 Larkin St / (415) 581-3500 / Website

From the ancient world to modern technological wonders, San Francisco's Asian Art Museum is a monolith of creativity and cultural importance. Featuring more than 18,000 artworks ranging from centuries-old jades and ceramics to Instagram-generation video installations, this institution has aimed to engage and connect diverse communities for more than 50 years. The Bay Area owes much to its Asian and Asian-American population, and people of all backgrounds are invited to learn and marvel at the cultural contributions of so many creative minds throughout eras.

The Beat Museum

540 Broadway / (800) 537-6822 / Website

Jack Kerouac. Alan Ginsberg. Neal Cassady. The mad minds and larger-than-life characters of the 1950s Beat literary movement played a big part in San Francisco’s counter-cultural history, and the legacy of these figures is honored in this jazzy place of life and learning. Check the calendar for live readings, discussions and exhibits that aim to inspire a new generation to follow in artistic footsteps, so the Beat goes on for decades to come.

Cable Car Museum

1201 Mason St / (415) 474-1887 / Website

Free to the public and open every day but Monday, this quaint little spot dives deep into San Francisco’s local history via the lens of its world-famous cable cars. It’s surprisingly informative, and it’s a living exhibition, because the Cable Cars are still very active today. Learn how they work and see SF’s signature transport in action.

California Academy of Sciences

55 Music Concourse Dr / (415) 379-8000 / Website

Located in the heart of Golden Gate Park, this non-profit learning institution showcases the wonder and beauty of the natural sciences that surround our everyday lives. From dinosaur bones to exotic jellyfish, the dark depths of space and the vibrant ecosystems of the rainforest, the California Academy of Sciences puts you right in the middle of the action. The calendar is brimming with adventurous events, and there are even nightlife gatherings for curious minds 21 years of age and older.

Cartoon Art Museum

781 Beach St / (415) 227-8666 / Website

Calling all kids at heart. The Cartoon Art Museum celebrates animated entertainment in all its many forms. Enjoy exhibits on comic strips, comic books, anime, graphic novels and even political cartoons. Boasting a collection of more than 7,000 original pieces, the nearly 8,000-square-foot space hosts screenings, readings, discussions and more.

The Contemporary Jewish Museum

736 Mission St. / (415) 655-7800 / Website

Founded in 1984, the CJM highlight the cultural contributions of outstanding Jewish creatives from a wide range of mediums and practices. It doesn't have a collection of its own but teams with national and international partners to bring exciting exhibits to SF. Check the museum calendar for upcoming events, tours, classes and supplementary content.

de Young Museum

50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr. / (415) 750-3600 / Website

Located inside the beautiful and famous Golden Gate Park grounds, de Young fine arts museum is a popular attraction in its own right. It’s permanent collection includes American and African arts as well as oceanic art, textiles, works on paper and photography. Rotating exhibits explores all manner of mediums with launch events and other community gatherings always on the calendar.

Exploratorium

Pier 15, The Embarcadero / (415) 528-4444 / Website

Who said science, technology and the arts had to be separated? This family-friendly center of activity and learning makes curiosity a hands-on experience so questioning minds of all ages can see how our complex world brings science and art together in beautiful ways. Beyond self-exploratory exhibits, the Exploratorium also offers web content, film screenings, evening art and science events for adults, and more.

The Gregangelo Museum

225 San Leandro Way / (415) 664-0095 / Website

Vibrant and full of surprises, the Gregangelo Museum of velocity arts and entertainment is truly one of a kind. Built as an interactive and inspiring slice of escapism, the private-home-turned-exhibit has been wowing guests with sensory adventure for more than 40 years. Get lost in its over-the-top environments, take pictures and become part of the living experiment. As featured in Netflix, BBC, HGTV and more, this place just has to be seen to be believed.

GLBT Historical Society Museum

4127 18th St / (415) 777-5455 / Website

San Francisco owes to much to the LGBTQ+ community. For decades, SF has been a safe haven for the marginalized minority, but it’s also been a place where those voices ring loud and clear, steering the direction of life itself. People of all identities and lifestyles are welcome to explore the hallowed halls of the GLBT Historical Society to learn about revolutionaries like politician and civil rights leader Harvey Milk, artist Gilbert Baker, the history of the rainbow flag and more.

Legion of Honor

100 34th Ave / (415) 750-3600 / Website

Sister to de Young, the Legion of Honor art museum is located in Lincoln Park near the Land’s End Trail. The institution’s permanent collection contains historical art spanning the past 4,000 years, from European paintings to ancient art of the Mediterranean. Check the calendar for upcoming exhibits and events, and make it a point to pop in whenever you’re enjoying the northern view.

SF Museum of Modern Art

151 3rd St / (415) 357-4000 / Website

Featuring seven floors and more than 45,000-square-feet of art-filled public space, the SF MoMA curates thoughtful and meaningful exhibits that reflect our time and public discourse. It’s personal collection includes paintings, sculptures, photographs, architecture, design and media arts, while the building itself—designed by Snøhetta and Mario Botta—is a piece of art in itself. Check the museum’s calendar for free days, and keep in mind that guests 18 and younger get into the MoMA for free every first Thursday of the month.

Musee Mécanique

Pier 45, Fishermans Wharf / (415) 346-2000 / Website

One of the most unique museums we’ve ever seen, Musee Mécanique features hundreds of classic coin-operated entertainment machines, from penny arcades to antique slot machines, pinball machines and animatronic novelties of all sorts. Family owned and operated since 1933, this personal collection of arcade oddities is one of the most memorable things you can explore in the Bay Area, so don’t miss it.

Museum of African Diaspora

685 Mission St / (415) 358-7200 / Website

This non-profit contemporary art museum stands to celebrate black cultures across the globe, inviting conversation and inspiring all peoples to learn more and embrace the African diaspora through a global lens. An affiliate of the Smithsonian, the MoAD in SF combines exhibits with poetry readings, performances, video projects and more.

Museum of Craft and Design

2569 3rd St / (415) 773-0303 / Website

Fashion is passion, and crafts are the language of the people. Founded in 2004, this cathedral of creativity showcases makers, artists and craftspeople that are pushing the boundaries or expectation and crafting the conversation of today. Beyond inspiring exhibits, MCD hosts maker events, walk-throughs and even some field trips for paying members, plus the store is always full of something cool.

Randall Museum

199 Museum Way / (415) 554-9600 / Website

Quietly perched atop the scenic Corona Heights Park is the wonderfully fascinating Randall Museum that is simply magical for both adults and children alike. With live animals, a lush outdoor garden, featured local art, and volunteer exhibits dedicated to promoting science in playfully engaging ways, this cute mountaintop destination is delightful, sunny, and is one of the most hidden gem museums that boasts endless whimsy (like their underground model train exhibit!).

Definitely refuel with their coffee outside, as their idyllic garden boasts a stunning view of downtown, and is just a quick walk to the summit of the photoworthy park!

SOMArts

934 Brannan St / (415) 863-1414 / Website

Tucked away in the SoMa's Filipino Cultural Heritage District is this calming artistic space that often uplifts and platforms local BIPOC artists and activists. With an expansive high-ceiling warehouse space, a tranquil outdoor garden, and a packed calendar of intersectional community events, this is a captivating and peaceful escape from the surrounding bustling downtown that will also allow you to intimately discover new grassroots artists and their talented personal and social justice passions.

The Tenderloin Museum

398 Eddy St / Website

Defining the Tenderloin's thriving, though tumultuous, history is this dazzling hidden gem museum, which works to promote and preserve the neighborhood's musical, queer, and untold stories. As a thrilling area once rich with jazz clubs, LGBTQ watering holes, and even renowned recording studios, the spectacular exhibits here capture and showcase them all in powerful and inspirational ways. This is a captivating choice that will have you walking out with a greater appreciation for the Tenderloin's pivotal activism, musical, and overall cultural contributions to the city and beyond.

USS Pampanito

Pier 45 off Embarcadero / (415) 775-1943 / Website

All aboard this retired Naval vessel that made six patrols in the Pacific Ocean during World War II. The USS Pampanito welcomes you to step into history, seeing for yourself what life was like for a 1940s Naval officer aboard a real submarine. Recognized as a National Historic Landmark, the sub has been restored to operation, offering everything from exhibits to sea music concerts on a daily basis.

Walt Disney Family Museum

104 Montgomery St. / (415) 345-6800 / Website

Disney theme parks are magical destinations full of wonder and over-priced goods, but there’s way more to the story than mouse ears. Step inside the mind of America’s greatest, controversial and perhaps least understood entrepreneurs at this interactive, non-profit institution in SF’s beautiful Presidio in Golden Gate Park. See some of Disney's early drawings, cartoons, films and more, plus a moder of the original Disneyland, then leave inspired to start your own magical universe.

No matter what educational content you're looking to discover in San Francisco, all of these incredibly edifying landmarks are perfectly entertaining as they are enlightening!

Photography by: Courtesy of StephanHoerold/Getty Images

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