ATTRACTIONS
Amusements
Audium
1616 Bush Street • San Francisco, CA 94109
Located at the Corner of Franklin Street
415-771-1616
This one-of-a-kind theater presents a unique exploration of space through music. One can listen as 136 speakers produce sounds that move past and under and surround the listener in the darkness of this 49-seat theater. more... mapBay Area Discovery Museum
557 McReynolds Road • Sausalito, CA 94965
415-487-4398
This hands-on family museum features exhibits that focus on natural sciences, the arts, and other multimedia presentations. Attractions include an exploration of San Francisco Bay, the chance to outwit and navigate a maze, and the opportunity to create innovative art projects. more... mapCheese School of San Francisco, The
1555 Pacific Avenue Second Florr • San Francisco, CA 94109
415-346-7530
A one in a lifetime experience is waiting for you at this facility. The Cheese School offers fantastic and delicious education including classes like For the Love of Chocolate, Triple Crèmes & Champagnes, American Cheese & Wine and many more! A great way to spend an afternoon doing something new and different! more... map
Historic Homes & Buildings
Haas-Lilienthal House (circa 1886)
2007 Franklin Street • San Francisco, CA 94108
Located Between Washington & Jackson
415-441-3015
This elegant Queen Anne Victorian home delights visitors with one-hour tours of its large, formal rooms and many original furnishings; the Ballroom features books, postcards and more for sale. more... mapMission Dolores (circa 1782)
3321 Sixteenth Street • San Francisco, CA 94114
415-621-8203
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this place is San Francisco's first registered landmark and it is the oldest intact building in the city. The structure houses a variety of paintings and artifacts from California's Mission period. more... map
Historic Sites & Monuments
Hyde Street Pier Historic Ships
Beach Street • San Francisco, CA 94108
415-561-7100
The only "floating" National Park, this area is home to the world's largest collection of historic ships. Some of these National Landmark vessels include the 1886 square rigged ship Balclutha, the 1895 schooner C.A. Thayer, and the 1890 ferryboat Eureka; tours. Special events, and programs are held throughout the year, and some ships are also available for private rentals. map
Libraries & Research Centers
Henry Wilson Coil Masonic Library & Museum
1111 California Street • San Francisco, CA 94108-2284
415-776-7000 ext. 143
This library and museum seeks to tell the story of Freemasonry in California through books, photographs, special exhibits, lectures, and tours of the building. more... mapMaritime Museum Library
Located at Building E, Fort Mason Center
415-561-7040
This library holds one of the world's largest collections of maritime records, including maps, logbooks, ship plans, photographs, and oral histories. more...San Francisco Performing Arts Library and Museum
401 Van Ness Avenue • San Francisco, CA 94108
Located at Veterans Building, Fourth Floor
415-255-4800
Numerous exhibitions, presentations, and extensive educational programs are featured at this performing arts research library. more... map
Museums & Galleries
Asian Art Museum of San Francisco
200 Larkin Street • San Francisco, CA 94102
415-581-3500
One of the largest museums in the Western world devoted exclusively to Asian art, the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco's collection includes over 17,000 pieces of art work spanning 6,000 years of history. more... mapCalifornia Academy of Sciences
55 Music Concourse Drive • San Francisco, CA 94118
Located in Golden Gate Park
415-379-8000
"The greenest museum of its size in the world," the 412,000 square foot California Academy of Sciences is a multifaceted scientific institution that features a four-story tropical rainforest, an aquarium, a colony of African penguins, a planetarium, natural history museum and more. more... mapCartoon Art Museum
655 Mission Street • San Francisco, CA 94105
415-227-8666
This is one of only two museums in the United States dedicated to the preservation and exhibition of cartoon art. The museum features 11,000 original pieces in its permanent collection, as well as a 3,000-volume research and library facility. more... mapChinese Historical Society of America
965 Clay Street • San Francisco, CA 94108
415-391-1188
This museum and learning center houses the largest collection of Chinese American artifacts in the country, and it traces the history of the Chinese American from the 1850s to the present. more... mapExploratorium-Museum of Science
3601 Lyon Street • San Francisco, CA 94123
415-563-7337
Voted the best museum in San Francisco, this experimental, hands-on museum features over 650 interactive exhibits which are designed to stimulate the mind and spark curiosity. more... mapGolden Gate Railroad Museum
Located at Hunters Point Shipyard, Building 809
415-822-8728
This museum offers visitors the chance to learn about local railroad history by touring old passenger cars, taking a cab or train ride, using a handcar, and learning how to run a locomotive. The museum has preserved numerous pieces of steam and passenger railroad equipment. more...Jewish Museum, The
166 Geary Street, Suite 1500 • San Francisco, CA 94108
415-591-8800
Exhibitions having to do with Jewish history that are geared towards a multicultural audience of Jews and non-Jews are featured in an effort to serve the diverse and broad-based Bay Area community at this museum. more... mapJudah L. Magnes Museum
2911 Russell Street • San Francisco, CA 94705
510-549-6950
Situated on beautiful park-like grounds, this museum of Jewish art, culture, and history features an unmatched archive of Western United States Jewish history, as well as tens of thousands of Jewish ceremonial, folk, and art pieces from around the world. more... mapLegion of Honor, The
Thirty-Fourtth Avenue & Clement Street • San Francisco, CA 94122
Located at Lincoln Park
415-863-3330
This museum showcases ancient and European art that dates from 2,500 B.C. through the 20th century, and it has one of the world's leading collections of Rodin sculptures. Other artists represented at this museum include El Greco, Rembrandt, Rubens, Monet, and Picasso. more... mapMexican Museum
Located at Fort Mason, Building D
415-202-9700
Artistic expressions of the Mexican and Latino peoples and cultures are featured in many collections and exhibitions at this cultural museum. more...Museum of Craft and Folk Art
Located at Fort Mason Center, Landmark Building A
415-775-0991
This unusual museum features witty and elegant exhibitions of contemporary crafts, American folk art, and traditional ethnic art, from both home and abroad, as well as offers educational programs and interesting publications. more...Octagon House
2645 Gough Street • San Francisco, CA 94108
Located at Union Street
415-441-7512
Situated in a former circa 1861 residence, this museum features Early American decorative arts and documents, including the signatures of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Informal tours are held monthly on the second Sunday and the fourth Thursday of the month. mapPresidio Museum
Lincoln Boulevard and Funston Avenue • San Francisco, CA 94108
Located at Fort Mason
415-561-4331
Originally built as a hospital in the 1860s, this museum focuses on the role of the military in the history and development of San Francisco from 1776 to the present. mapRipley's Believe It or Not
175 Jefferson Street • San Francisco, CA 94133
Located at Fisherman's Wharf
415-771-6188
This museum invites visitors to see the odd, the unusual, and the unbelievable, including such oddities and curiosities as a shrunken torso, a cable car made of match sticks, and hundreds of other hard-to-believe artifacts. more... mapSan Francisco Airport Museum
1766 El Camino Real • San Francisco, CA 94010
Located at San Francisco International Airport
650-821-6700
Exhibitions featured throughout these airport terminals highlight aviation history in the Pacific area, and it showcases the unique cultural life of San Francisco. more... mapSan Francisco Art Institute
800 Chestnut Street • San Francisco, CA 94133
Located Between Leavenworth & Jones Streets
415-771-7020
This museum features numerous contemporary art exhibitions, artistic projects, a Diego Rivera mural, and a cafe that offers spectacular views of the Bay. more... mapSan Francisco Maritime Museum
900 Beach Street at the Foot of Polk Street • San Francisco, CA 94108
Located Across from Ghirardelli Square
415-561-7100
Housed in an historic Art-Deco building, this museum features hundreds of maritime artifacts, photographs, artwork, and model ships. One of the highlights is Sparks, Waves, and Wizards, the only exhibit of its kind to document the history of communication at sea. more... mapSan Francisco Museum of Modern Art
151 Third Street • San Francisco, CA 94103
Located Between Mission and Howard Streets
415-357-4000
This spectacular museum offers the West Coast's most comprehensive collection of 20th century art, as well as shopping at the Museum Store and dining at the Caffe Museo. The extensive and varied collection includes important works in painting, sculpture, photography, architecture and design, and media arts. more... mapSociety of California Pioneers
300 Fourth Street at Folsom • San Francisco, CA 94107
415-957-1849
Established in 1850, the Society of California Pioneers is the oldest historical society west of the Mississippi. They offer a historical museum, an art gallery, a research library, and a variety of educational programs. more... mapSomArts Cultural Center
934 Brannan Street • San Francisco, CA 94103
415-552-2131
This museum showcases a variety of cultural art created by emerging and professional multicultural artists, as well as hosts shows and special events throughout the year. more... mapWax Museum at Fisherman's Wharf
145 Jefferson Street • San Francisco, CA 94133
415-885-4834, 800-439-4305
At this wax museum, visitors can learn about the art and craft of sculpting in wax, as well as see life-like replicas of famous celebrities and historical and legendary figures from the past. more... mapWells Fargo History Museum
420 Montgomery Street • San Francisco, CA 94108
415-396-2619
Two levels of this legendary bank's headquarters are filled with an assortment of artifacts from the time of Wells Fargo's founding to the present, including such items as stagecoaches and real gold nuggets. more... map
Parks, Gardens & Zoos
Conservatory of Flowers
Golden Gate Park • San Francisco, CA 94117
Located in Golden Gate Park, JFK Drive
415-666-7001
1,700 plant species from the tropical forests of more than 50 countries around the world are represented via exhibits and floral displays at the Conservatory of Flowers, the oldest public conservatory in the western hemisphere. more... map
Science & Technology
California Academy of the Sciences
55 Concourse Drive • San Francisco, CA 94118
Located at Golden Gate Park
415-750-7145
At this science center, visitors can experience an earthquake, explore the deep sea, view starry skies, and track wild animals of Africa, among other adventures. more...USS Pampanito Submarine
Located at Pier 45, Fisherman's Wharf
415-755-1942
Having seen action in the Pacific during World War Two, this submarine is one of the most completely restored naval vessels in the United States. Visitors can come aboard and explore the details of the submarine, and listen to a state-of-the-art audio tour that incorporates the actual voices of Pampanito crewmen telling tales of their adventures aboard the vessel. more...
Tours & Cruises
Blue and Gold Fleet
Located at Pier 41, Marine Terminal
415-705-8200
This company offers cruises that provide wonderful views of San Francisco Bay, the island of Alcartaz, private charters, and commuter ferry services to and from Tiburon, Vallejo, and the East Bay. more...Dockside Boat and Bed
Located at Pier 39
415-392-5526, 800-436-2574
Here one can spend a night on a yacht, taking advantage of the dockside accommodations that feature 22 private motor and sailing yachts from which to choose. This is the way to truly experience the ocean, as one catches whiffs of the salt air, listens to the gently lapping waves, and gently, soothingly rocks with the motion of the undulating waves, while being bedazzled by beautiful sunsets or the lights shimmering on the night waters. more...Gray Line San Francisco Sightseeing
Located at Pier 43 1/2 Embarcadero
415-434-8687, 888-428-6937
Half-day, full-day, and evening tours of San Francisco, Muir Woods, Sausalito, the Wine Country, Yosemite, and more are offered by this full service company that specializes in charters and customized tours. more...Hornblower Cruises and Events
Located at Pier 33
415-788-8866, 800-ON-THE-BAY
This company offers premier dining cruises that feature imaginative cuisine, spectacular views, and lively entertainment. more...Red and White Fleet
Pier 43 -1/2 at Fisherman's Wharf • San Francisco, CA 94133
415-673-2900
Founded in 1892, the historic Red and White Fleet is legendary for its premiere San Francisco Cruises. Family owned, the Red and White Fleet is committed to environmental sustainability and community education. Enjoy spectacular views of San Francisco Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, and the San Francisco skyline. more...Rendezvous Charters
BOOK
Located at Pier 40, South Beach Harbor
415-543-7333
Enjoy a romantic cruise at sunset, or a beautiful Sunday morning brunch, aboard one of these classic schooners. One option is to sail around the bay in the oldest certified sailing vessel in San Francisco. Charters include two to three hour cruises, and special tours can be arranged for holidays and special occasions. more...San Francisco Electric Tour Company
165 Jefferson Street, Suite 2F • San Francisco, CA 94133
415-474-3130, 877-474-3130
Guided Segway tours of the San Francisco waterfront is provided through this company that provides three hours of fun where visitors can see San Francisco traveling at eight miles per hour. more... map
Vineyards, Wineries & Breweries
Anchor Brewing Company
1705 Mariposa Street • San Francisco, CA 94107-2334
Anchor's eight unique beers—including Anchor Steam®—are all produced in one of the most traditional and handsome breweries in the world. Each brew is virtually handmade from an all-malt mash in our handcrafted copper brewhouse. more... mapMarin Brewing Company
1809 Larkspur Landing Circle • San Francisco, CA 94939-1801
Larkspur
Brewing locally and winning globally, Marin Brewing Company is a brewery, pub and restaurant offering the highest quality brews. All the beers are produced at our on-site brewery with all natural ingredients (barley malts, wheat malt, hops, yeast, honey, spices, raspberries, blueberries and water) without adjuncts such as cereal, rice or fillers. more... map
| Print - ATTRACTIONS | Back to Top >> |