The Bay Area is known for being expensive but many museums offer free or pay-as-you-wish options. As long as you are flexible and don’t mind crowds you have many places to choose from. Bay Area libraries may have FREE museum passes that you can check out or make reservations using your library card. Check with your local library for more information and availability.

MUSEUMS, ALWAYS FREE

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Autodesk Gallery at One Market

Bay Model Visitor Center

Bolinas Museum

Cable Car Barn & Powerhouse

Cantor Center for Visual Arts

Chinese Culture Center

International Art Museum of America

Belvedere-Tiburon Landmarks Society

San Francisco Fire Department Museum

LACIS Museum of Lace and Textiles

Marin History Museum

MarinMOCA

The Marine Mammal Center

The Museum of American Heritage

The Museum of International Propaganda

The Mexican Museum - El Museo Mexicano

Musée Mécanique

Museo Italo-Americano

Museum of the American Indian

Nike Missile Site

The Randall Museum

San Francisco Railway Museum

The Sake Museum

Sake Museum

The Sake Museum

San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art

San Francisco Maritime National Park

SF Camerawork

San Francisco International Airport

SFO Museum

San Francisco International Airport

The Space Station Museum

West County Museum

WildCare

MUSEUMS, FREE DATES VARY, CHECK WEBSITE

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California Academy of Sciences

The California Academy of Sciences

California Academy of Sciences

The California Academy of Sciences is a renowned scientific and educational institution dedicated to exploring, explaining, and sustaining life on Earth. Check website for announcements.

California Academy of Sciences

CuriOdyssey

Explore science and meet native California animals! CuriOdyssey’s free Community Days take place on varying days, both during the week and on the weekend, so that more visitors have the opportunity to experience CuriOdyssey. Vehicle entrance fee for Coyote Point Park is $6 per car.

CuriOdyssey

Walt Disney Family Museum

The Walt Disney Family Museum

Walt Disney Family Museum

The Walt Disney Family Museum is free on Walt Disney’s Birthday in December.

Walt Disney Family Museum

The Exploratorium

All visitors to The Exploratorium can pay-what-you-wish on our yearly Community Days, when museum entry is on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Exploratorium

San Francisco Zoo & Gardens

The San Francisco Zoo is pleased to offer Free Days for San Francisco residents on certain days. On Free Days, all San Francisco residents are eligible for free admission to the Zoo and must provide valid ID at the front gate as proof of residency.

San Francisco Zoo & Gardens

MONDAY

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The Japanese Tea Garden

Admission is free from 9:00am-10:00am Monday, Wednesday, and Friday Each week.

The Japanese Tea Garden

TUESDAY

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Conservatory of Flowers

The Conservatory of Flowers is free to all visitors on the first Tuesday of every month.

Conservatory of Flowers

de Young

de Young general admission is free the first Tuesday of every month. Special exhibition fees still apply.

de Young

The Legion of Honor

The Legion of Honor general admission is free the first Tuesday of every month. Special exhibition fees still apply.

The Legion of Honor

The Museum of Craft and Design

The Museum of Craft and Design admission is free to everyone on the first Tuesday of every month.

The Museum of Craft and Design

San Francisco Botanical Garden

San Francisco Botanical Garden Free on the 2nd Tuesday of every month, daily 7:30-9am, as well as Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.

San Francisco Botanical Garden

Cartoon Art Museum

The first Tuesday of every month is our

Pay What You Wish Day.

Cartoon Art Museum

WEDNESDAY

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Bay Area Discovery Museum

Bay Area Discovery Museum Free First Wednesday is every other month to Bay Area residents. See website for details.

Bay Area Discovery Museum

The Japanese Tea Garden

Enter the Japanese Tea Garden Mon, Wed, Fri: FREE admission if entered by 10:00 am

The Japanese Tea Garden

Yerba Buena Center For The Arts

Entry to YBCA Galleries is free on Wednesdays and second Sundays.

Yerba Buena Center For The Arts

THURSDAY

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UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive

UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive Free First Thursdays: Galleries free for all on the first Thursday of each month.

Letterform Archive

On every Thursday, all year long, enjoy free admission!

Letterform Archive

FRIDAY

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Contemporary Jewish Museum

Visit The CJM with free admission on the first Friday of each month! Free First Fridays are open to all visitors.

Contemporary Jewish Museum

The Japanese Tea Garden

Enter the Japanese Tea Garden Mon, Wed, Fri: FREE admission if entered by 10:00 am

The Japanese Tea Garden

San Mateo County Historical Association

San Mateo County History Museum

San Mateo County Historical Association

Admission will be free at the History Museum on the first Friday of the month.

San Mateo County Historical Association

SUNDAY

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Asian Art Museum

Asian Art Museum general museum admission is free every first Sunday of the month.

Asian Art Museum

Oakland Museum of California

The Oakland Museum of California

Oakland Museum of California

Every first Sunday of the month, General Admission to OMCA’s Galleries of California Art, History, and Natural Sciences is free and tickets to Special Exhibitions in our Great Hall are offered at a discounted price of $6.

Oakland Museum of California