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Museums & Galleries

San Francisco boasts over 23 major museums and galleries and hundreds of smaller exhibit and performance spaces. They form an eclectic center combining both established, traditional humanities institutions with the sort of street and performance art that drive innovation.  

A few of San Francisco's Most Notable Museums & Galleries

  • San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
    The first museum on the West Coast devoted solely to 20th-century art, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art opened in 1935 in the South of Market District. There are four subdivisions within the museum for modern art enthusiasts to enjoy:  photography, painting and sculpture, architecture and design, and media arts. Permanent collection exhibits by renowned artists Pollack and Picasso draw large crowds. 
  • M. H. de Young Museum
    Located in Golden Gate Park, the de Young is San Francisco's oldest museum. Its collections include American paintings, decorative arts and crafts, and arts from Africa, Oceania and the Americas, as well as western and non-western textiles. Long known as the City's Museum, the de Young is particularly recognized for its many educational arts programs for children and adults. The de Young re-opened in a state-of-the-art new facility in Golden Gate Park on October 15, 2005.
  • Legion of Honor
    Built to commemorate Californian soldiers who died in World War I, the Legion of Honor is a beautiful building located in San Francisco's Lincoln Park. Overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Golden Gate Bridge and all of San Francisco, the Legion is most noted for its breathtaking setting. Its collections include Rodin's Thinker, which sits in the museum's Court of Honor, european decorative arts and paintings, ancient art, and one of the largest collections of prints and drawings in the country.
  • Asian Art Museum
    Over the past 35 years, the museum has been a leader in the presentation of special exhibitions and dynamic public programs that have helped fulfill its mission of leading a diverse global audience in discovering the unique material, aesthetic and intellectual achievements of Asian art and culture. The museum contains over 17,000 artifacts and pieces of art that span 6,000 years of history. The Asian Art Museum is at the Civic Center, after relocating from its original location at Golden Gate Park in 2003.
  • Zeum-Children's  Art & Technology Museum.
    Zeum is a non-profit multimedia arts and technology museum. Its mission is to foster creativity and innovation in young people and their families. Individuals of all ages combine hands-on use of animation, digital technology, electronic media, traditional and non-traditional materials, and the power of their imaginations to create high quality stories, movies, performances, music, art and more.
  • California Academy of Sciences
    The City's newest cultural jewel, The Academy of Science is located in the heart of Golden Gate Park and includes the Kimball Natural History Museum, the Steinhart Aquarium and the Morrison Planetarium. The Academy houses over 400,000 square feet of exhibition space and three acres of new green space—including a living roof and a 4-story living rainforest.
  • The Contemporary Jewish Museum
    Housed in a dramatic new building by architect Daniel Libeskind, The Contemporary Jewish Museum presents exhibitions and hundreds of programs exploring the Jewish spirit and imagination.
  • The Museum of the African Diaspora
    The Museum of the African Diaspora is the first major museum in the world focused on the African Diaspora culture and on presenting the rich cultural products of the people of Africa and of African descendant cultures across the globe.
  • The Yerba Buena Center
    The Yerba Buena Center is a multidisciplinary art center that features visual arts, performing arts, film, video and education programs. The exhibits change periodically and feature works of art from various cultures, countries and artists.  Located in the Yerba Buena Gardens, it has been open since 1993 and has a 755-seat, state-of-the-art theater.
  • The Exploratorium
    The Exploratorium is a science-themed museum, located next to the Palace of Fine Arts, and has hundreds of interactive exhibits for all ages.

For more information on area museums and attractions, please contact The SFCVB at www.sfcvb.org.