What's not to love about museums? You learn new things. You see interesting art. You can use them as a neutral location to figure out whether or not your Hinge date is a total bust. But getting in the door can get pricey, which is why free days are a total blessing. We put them all in one place just for you.
SAN FRANCISCO
SFMOMA // Yerba Buena
de Young // Golden Gate Park
- Free on the first Tuesday of the month.
- Free general admission for Bay Area residents every Saturday (more info here).
- Discover & Go also offers free general admission for California library cardholders.
- Pay what you can every Wednesday.
- Free every first Sunday of every month. Additional entrance fees apply to special exhibits.
- Free for SF residents everyday.
- Free for all on the first Tuesday of every month.
- Temporary closure — read details here.
- "Pay What You Wish" - Next date: TBD.
- Free admission for CA public school teachers! More info here.
- Free on other community days which occur a hand full of times throughout the year. (More info here).
- Discover & Go also offers free general admission for California library cardholders.
Get $3 off Daytime Admission when you walk, bike, or take public transit to the Academy
Discover & Go also offers free general admission for California library cardholders.
- Free for SF residents everyday, all day.
- Free for all everyday from 7:30-9am.
- Free on the second Tuesday of every month.
- Free on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day.
- Free for SF residents everyday.
- Free for all every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9am to 10am.
- Free on the first Wednesday of the month. Free tickets are not available online – capacity is on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Free every second Saturday.
- Free every Wednesday and second Sundays.
- Free days for SF residents announced periodically.
EAST BAY
- Free on the first Thursday of the month.
- Free telescope viewings every Friday and Saturday night, weather permitting. Check out more info here.
- Admission to San Leandro's historic house museum is free and open to the public every weekend from 11 AM to 3 PM.
SOUTH BAY
- Free year-round for young visitors ages 17 and under, college students, and school teachers.
- Free every first Friday of the month after 6 pm.
- Free on Smithsonian Museum Day (September 18).
- Free every first weekend of the month for visitors who present an active Bank of America, Merrill, or Bank of America Private Bank (formerly U.S. Trust) branded debit or credit card with valid photo I.D.
- Find more info on community days here.
- Discover & Go also offers free general admission for California library cardholders.
- Free from 5 pm to 9 pm on the first Friday of each month, except in January and July.
- Pay what you can admission from 4 pm to 7 pm every Friday.
- Discover & Go also offers free general admission for California library cardholders.
- The visitor center of NASA's Bay Area research center is always free.
- Open to the public Tuesday evenings from 5 PM to 8 PM, and on Saturdays from 10 AM to 3 PM.
- The railroad heritage museum is always free.
NORTH BAY
- Free for Bay Area residents every first Wednesday every March and September.
- Free for active military personnel (one child and one adult) every day.
- Admission is always free.
