The Awesome Free Museum List

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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

Featured
Autodesk Gallery at One Market
Autodesk Gallery at One Market
Autodesk Gallery at One Market
Autodesk Gallery at One Market
Autodesk Gallery at One Market
Bay Model Visitor Center
Bay Model Visitor Center
Bay Model Visitor Center
Bay Model Visitor Center
Bay Model Visitor Center
Bolinas Museum
Bolinas Museum
Bolinas Museum
Bolinas Museum
Bolinas Museum
Cable Car Barn & Powerhouse
Cable Car Barn & Powerhouse
Cable Car Barn & Powerhouse
Cable Car Barn & Powerhouse
Cable Car Barn & Powerhouse
Cantor Center for Visual Arts
Cantor Center for Visual Arts
Cantor Center for Visual Arts
Cantor Center for Visual Arts
Cantor Center for Visual Arts
Chinese Culture Center
Chinese Culture Center
Chinese Culture Center
Chinese Culture Center
Chinese Culture Center
International Art Museum of America
International Art Museum of America
International Art Museum of America
International Art Museum of America
International Art Museum of America
Belvedere-Tiburon Landmarks Society
Belvedere-Tiburon Landmarks Society
Belvedere-Tiburon Landmarks Society
Belvedere-Tiburon Landmarks Society
Belvedere-Tiburon Landmarks Society
LACIS Museum of Lace and Textiles
LACIS Museum of Lace and Textiles
LACIS Museum of Lace and Textiles
LACIS Museum of Lace and Textiles
LACIS Museum of Lace and Textiles
San Francisco Fire Department Museum
San Francisco Fire Department Museum
San Francisco Fire Department Museum
San Francisco Fire Department Museum
San Francisco Fire Department Museum
Marin History Museum
Marin History Museum
Marin History Museum
Marin History Museum
Marin History Museum
MarinMOCA
MarinMOCA
MarinMOCA
MarinMOCA
MarinMOCA
The Marine Mammal Center
The Marine Mammal Center
The Marine Mammal Center
The Marine Mammal Center
The Marine Mammal Center
San Francisco Maritime National Park
San Francisco Maritime National Park
San Francisco Maritime National Park
San Francisco Maritime National Park
San Francisco Maritime National Park
The Museum of American Heritage
The Museum of American Heritage
The Museum of American Heritage
The Museum of American Heritage
The Museum of American Heritage
The Mexican Museum - El Museo Mexicano
The Mexican Museum - El Museo Mexicano
The Mexican Museum - El Museo Mexicano
The Mexican Museum - El Museo Mexicano
The Mexican Museum - El Museo Mexicano
Musée Mécanique
Musée Mécanique
Musée Mécanique
Musée Mécanique
Musée Mécanique
Museo Italo-Americano
Museo Italo-Americano
Museo Italo-Americano
Museo Italo-Americano
Museo Italo-Americano
Museum of the American Indian
Museum of the American Indian
Museum of the American Indian
Museum of the American Indian
Museum of the American Indian
Nike Missile Site
Nike Missile Site
Nike Missile Site
Nike Missile Site
Nike Missile Site
The Randall Museum
The Randall Museum
The Randall Museum
The Randall Museum
The Randall Museum
San Francisco Railway Museum
San Francisco Railway Museum
San Francisco Railway Museum
San Francisco Railway Museum
San Francisco Railway Museum
Sake Museum
The Sake Museum
Sake Museum
The Sake Museum

The Sake Museum
San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art
San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art
San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art
San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art

San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art
SF Camerawork
SF Camerawork
SF Camerawork
SF Camerawork
SF Camerawork
SFO Museum
San Francisco International Airport
SFO Museum
San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco International Airport
The Space Station Museum
The Space Station Museum
The Space Station Museum
The Space Station Museum
The Space Station Museum
West County Museum
West County Museum
West County Museum
West County Museum
West County Museum
WildCare
WildCare
WildCare
WildCare
WildCare
Wells Fargo History Museum
Wells Fargo History Museum
Wells Fargo History Museum
Wells Fargo History Museum
Wells Fargo History Museum

MUSEUMS, FREE DATES VARY, CHECK WEBSITE

Featured
The California Academy of Sciences
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.

Neighborhood Free Weekends
All San Francisco residents receive free admission on two designated weekends.

New! Community Free Days
In celebration of the Academy’s 10th anniversary in our new Golden Gate Park building, we’re excited to thank the community we’re so proud to serve by offering free admission over a three-day period from September 23-25, 2018.

Community Access Programs
The Academy works with several Bay Area programs to make museum passes available to anyone through libraries and social service organizations.

California Academy of Sciences
CuriOdyssey
CuriOdyssey
CuriOdyssey
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
The Walt Disney Family Museum
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
The Exploratorium
The Exploratorium
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
Habitot Children’s Museum
Habitot Children’s Museum
Habitot Children’s Museum
Habitot Children’s Museum
Habitot Children’s Museum
San Francisco Zoo & Gardens
San Francisco Zoo & Gardens
San Francisco Zoo & Gardens
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

Featured
The Japanese Tea Garden
The Japanese Tea Garden
The Japanese Tea Garden
The Japanese Tea Garden

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

The Japanese Tea Garden

TUESDAY

Featured
Conservatory of Flowers
Conservatory of Flowers
Conservatory of Flowers
Conservatory of Flowers

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

Conservatory of Flowers
Contemporary Jewish Museum
Contemporary Jewish Museum
Contemporary Jewish Museum
Contemporary Jewish Museum

Contemporary Jewish Museum every first Tuesday of each month, admission to The Museum is free! Visitors are welcome to explore current exhibitions, view engaging films, and participate in Creative Aging programs at no cost.

Contemporary Jewish Museum
de Young
de Young
de Young
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
The Legion of Honor
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
The Museum of Craft and Design
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
San Francisco Botanical Garden
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
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, First Tuesday of the month—Free to the public.

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

Featured
UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive
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.


Note: Gallery admission will increase by $1 after January 1, 2018. Admission will remain free for BAMPFA members; UC Berkeley students, faculty, and staff; 18 and under; and on Free First Thursdays.

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, First Tuesday of the month—Free to the public.

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

FRIDAY

Featured
The Japanese Tea Garden
The Japanese Tea Garden
The Japanese Tea Garden
The Japanese Tea Garden

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

The Japanese Tea Garden

SUNDAY

Featured
Asian Art Museum
Asian Art Museum
Asian Art Museum
Asian Art Museum

Asian Art Museum, courtesy of Target, general museum admission is free every first Sunday of the month. Additional entrance fees apply to special exhibitions.

Asian Art Museum
The Oakland Museum of California
Oakland Museum of California
The Oakland Museum of California
Oakland Museum of California

The Oakland Museum of California on every first Sunday of the month, enjoy admission to OMCA with a suggested donation of $5 for general admission. There is an additional $4 fee for access to special exhibitions.

Oakland Museum of California