There is a lot to do in San Francisco and some may actually wonder why you would want to check out the museums when in the city. For one there are many people who live in and around San Francisco and have had enough of the other fun and activities. And then there are some of those rare days that are cold and foggy and the best thing to do on those days is to stay indoors and take a look at the intriguing exhibits that the city has to offer.
Here are the top 10 museums that you should visit when you drive down to San Francisco. Take a look at the specific location to plan your itinerary for the day in addition to the cheap or free days that each one of them has.
Located on 3rd Street this is a museum that has different operation timings on different days. As many museums, the protagonists of this museum believe that the objective of the place is to ensure that everyone develops a certain appreciation of the world of art. There are more than 26,000 paintings and sculptures that you can watch. The museum can be visited free of cost on the first Tuesday of every month and the fee is halved on Thursday between 6pm to 8:45pm. While the exhibits that are showcased are changed regularly, some of the exhibitions that are on currently include the Henri-Cartier-Bressen (The Modern Century), Exposed (Voyeurism, Surveillance, and the Camera Since 1870), The More Things Change (extraordinary things made since 2000), Bill Fontana: Sonic Shadows, How Wine Became Modern + Wine 1976 to Now, The Anniversary Show and Art in the Atrium: Kerry James Marshall (monumental murals in the Haas Atrium). The modern art collection includes paintings, sculptures, photography, architecture, media arts and ArtScope.
2. Exploratorium – 10 Best Museums in San Francisco
A place that prides in being more than a museum, this is a place where you can interact with various exhibits and explore the world of art and science. There are pieces that will challenge your perception and those that will play tricks on your sight and touch. The place has everything for everyone irrespective of whether you are an educator, a parent, a teen, a scientist, an artist or plainly someone who is curious about what you can discover. Among the various things that you can explore here, you can find a cow’s eye dissection, seasons and shadows, a planetarium and details of sub zero gardening. You can also make your own petroglyph, find out your age and weight in other worlds, create solar images and cute-ify too. The museum is located on Lyon Street and is open from Tuesday through Sunday from 10am to 5pm.
3. Cartoon Art Museum – 10 Best Museums in San Francisco
On Mission Street, you can find this museum that is surely one of its kind. It would be a crime to miss out on this museum when you are in the city because it offers an experience that is unparalleled. Open from Tuesday to Sunday from 11am to 5pm, the entrance fee is $7 for adults, $5 for students and seniors, $3 for children between age 6 and 12 and free for kids under the age of 6. The first Tuesday of every month is a ‘Pay What You Wish Day’ and so access is available for free if you so want. The museum presents the history of cartoons and animation, development, a showcase of the life of creators, comics, digital animation and more. Exhibitions are organized regularly in the museum for the delight of kids and adults alike. One of the upcoming one is Overture: Looney Tunes Behind the Scenes that is being organized between December 4th 2010 and May 15th 2011.
Open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9:30am to 5:15pm with the exception of Friday when it is open till 8:45pm, this museum is has been operational since 1895. It is located on the Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive in the heart of San Francisco;’s Golden Gate Park. The entrance fee is $10 for adults, $7 for seniors, $6 for students. Children 12 and under are allowed free admission. The museum is designed collaboratively by renowned Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron and Fong & Chan Architects and boasts of a collection that includes American Art from the 17th century to the 20th century. Some of the famous collections include African Art, Oceanic Art and Textile Arts too.
Located on 34th Avenue and Clement Street in Lincoln Park is the Legions of Honor, a museum that is based on the Palais de la Legion d’Honneur in Paris. The museum was built to commemorate the soldiers from California who participated in the World War I. There are paintings of the medieval era till the 20th century. This is one museum from where you can also get to see a gorgeous view of the ocean since it is located slightly on the outskirts of the city. The place is operational from Tuesday to Sunday and is open from 9:30am to 5:15pm. Entry on the first Tuesday of every month is free but admission to special exhibitions is charged. The museum includes exhibits and collections like European paintings, European Decorative Art, Ancient Art, Works on Paper and more. In December there is Japanesque woodblock printing demonstration by Tom Killion and film screening of “Yojimbo” that is planned.
6. Asian Art Museum – 10 Best Museums in San Francisco
One of the largest museums, this is a museum that has been dedicated to Asian Art alone. Here you can travel through history and learn about the last 6000 years of history of some of the major areas in the continent. The museum is located on Larkin Street, the place has programs that are developed for families, teens, Japanese and more. Some of the highlights of the place include Beyond Golden Clouds: Five Centuries of Japanese Screens, Music of the Japanese Biwa and Special Concert by Kitaro.
This wax museum at Jefferson Street is open from 10am to 9pm and has exhibits from World War II, Axis Gang, Royalty, World Leaders, presidential Library and various halls of religions like Catholism, Buddhism, Taoism, Hindiism and more. There are also some sports and entertainment exhibits like Hollywood Hunks, Gone with the Wind, Titanic, The Wizard of Oz and more. Tickets are at $14 for adults, $7 for children between 6 and 11 years, $10 for juniors between 12 and 17 years and seniors.
A museum for the lovers of the sea and the oceanic world, here children can bird watch and spend an entire day holidaying at the park. There are historic ships to view at the Hyde Pier like the 1895 C.A. Thayer, the last commercial sailing ship of Pacific Coast. You can also look at the 1890 Eureka, the last diesel ferry that left the shores of the US and the 1883 Balclutha, a ship built in Scotland.
9. Zeum – 10 Best Museums in San Francisco
The Zeum is a children’s museum that gives a hands on exposure to multimedia art and technology. There is a lot of information about creativity, collaboration and communication. Opening hours can be checked here. Exhibits and activities include the main gallery, animator studio, digital workshop, spiral gallery and Studio Z.
Located in the Golden Gate Park area, this museum is open from 9:30am to 5pm from Monday to Saturday and from 11am to 5pm on Sunday. The museum and academy presents expeditions and science heroes too. There are specific events like the Reindeer Rendezvous, Winter Themed Craft and behind the Scenes.
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