The Bay Area Free or Discounted Museum Cheat Sheet

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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.

MONDAY

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

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

The Japanese Tea Garden

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

Wednesday
Bay Area Discovery Museum
Bay Area Discovery Museum
Bay Area Discovery Museum
Bay Area Discovery Museum

Bay Area Discovery Museum Free First Wednesdays, where admission is free for Bay Area residents* occurs twice a year. The next two Free First Wednesdays are September 3, 2025 and March 4, 2026.

Bay Area Discovery Museum
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
Yerba Buena Center For The Arts
Yerba Buena Center For The Arts
Yerba Buena Center For The Arts
Yerba Buena Center For The Arts

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

Yerba Buena Center For The Arts

THURSDAY

Thursday
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.

Letterform Archive
Letterform Archive
Letterform Archive
Letterform Archive

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

Letterform Archive
Museum of Craft and Design
Museum of Craft and Design
Museum of Craft and Design
Museum of Craft and Design

Free First Thursdays: Admission is free for all visitors on the first Thursday of every month.

Museum of Craft and Design

FRIDAY

SUNDAY

Sunday
Asian Art Museum
Asian Art Museum
Asian Art Museum
Asian Art Museum

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

Asian Art Museum
The Oakland Museum of California
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
Yerba Buena Center For The Arts
Yerba Buena Center For The Arts
Yerba Buena Center For The Arts
Yerba Buena Center For The Arts

Entry to YBCA Galleries is free on the second Sundays.

Yerba Buena Center For The Arts

MUSEUMS, ALWAYS FREE

Everyday
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
deYoung
de Young Golden Gate Park
deYoung
de Young Golden Gate Park

At 4:30 pm we offer free admission to our permanent collection. All are welcome; no ticket required. Special exhibition prices still apply. The Hamon Observation Tower does not require a ticket for entry. Open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. 

de Young Golden Gate Park
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
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
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
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
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 Museum of International Propaganda
The Museum of International Propaganda
The Museum of International Propaganda
The Museum of International Propaganda
The Museum of International Propaganda
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
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
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

MUSEUMS, FREE DATES VARY, CHECK WEBSITE

Vary
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. Check website for announcements.

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
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