SIGN UP FOR MY EMAIL TO RECEIVE YOUR FREE SAN FRANCISCO PLANNING GUIDE.
San Francisco Museum Exhibits: 2025 Schedule
By: Jill Loeffler • Updated: April 1, 2025 • Published: January 4, 2018
Discover a full calendar of current and upcoming San Francisco museum exhibits.
My schedule offers a monthly look at the top shows at popular museums such as the de Young, the SF Museum of Modern Art, and the Asian Art Museum.
The calendar includes traveling and temporary exhibits with the dates they will be open to the public.
You will need to buy a ticket in addition to the general admission tickets for many of the art exhibits.
You can pick these up when you arrive or in advance online.
Click the links below to jump ahead to a specific month:
SFTourismTips is made possible by readers like you! If you book through my links, I may earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support! Learn more.
The SF Asian Art Museum hosts a number of amazing exhibits every year. They usually have one to two traveling exhibits at a time throughout the year.April 2025
Asian Art Museum
- Qi Baishi: Inspiration in Ink, 12/12 - 4/7
- Yuan Goang-Ming: Everyday War, 4/3 - 7/7
- Beautiful, Bountiful, Boisterous Birds, 2/6 - 9/15
- Mountains of the Mind: A Chinese Landscape Journey, 1/30 - 7/28
California Academy of Sciences
- Dino Days
- Unseen Oceans
de Young Museum of Fine Art
- Paul McCartney Photographs 1963 - 64: Eyes of the Storm, 3/1 - 7/6
- Contemporary Painting in Papua New Guinea: Mathias Kauage and His Family, 3/16/24 - 3/15/26
- Leilah Babirye: We Have a History, 6/22/24 - 10/26/25
- About Place: Bay Area Artists from the Svane Gift, 8/10/2024 - 11/30/2025
- Matisse's "Jazz" Unbound, 1/25 - 7/6
- Isaac Julien: I Dream a World, 4/12 - 7/13
Legion of Honor
- Dress Rehearsal: The Art of Theatrical Design, 11/9 - 5/11
- Celebrating 100 Years at the Legion of Honor, through 10/2/2025
- Wayne Thiebaud: Art Comes from Art, through 8/17
Museum of Modern Art (SF MOMA)
- Ragnar Kjartansson: The Visitors, 11/5/2022 - 9/28/2025
- Yayoi Kusama: Dreaming of Earth's Sphericity, I Would Offer My Love, through 8/10
- Fortuna and the Immortality Garden (Machine), through Spring 2026
- When the World is Watching, through 4/27/2025
- Unity through Skateboarding, 8/17 - 5/4
- Count Me In, 8/17 - 4/27
- Table Manners, through May 31, 2026
- New Work: Samson Young, 12/21 - 6/22
- Around Group f.64: Legacies and Counterhistories in Bay Area Photography, 11/23 - 7/13
- Ruth Asawa: Retrospective, 4/5 - 9/2
- Kunie Sugiura: Photopainting, 4/26 - 9/14
The Walt Disney Family Museum
- Walt Disney Treasures Objects, New Object every two months, through September 2025
>> April events calendar for San Francisco
Find Tickets to Our Top Museums
Hop On Hop Off Bus: One of the best ways to explore the city and these San Francisco museum exhibits is with the Hop On Hop Off Bus. It will take you directly from attraction to attraction with ease. Learn more about the tour options here.
May 2025
Asian Art Museum Exhibits
- Yuan Goang-Ming: Everyday War, 4/3 - 7/7
- Beautiful, Bountiful, Boisterous Birds, 2/6 - 9/15
- Mountains of the Mind: A Chinese Landscape Journey, 1/30 - 7/28
California Academy of Sciences
- Dino Days
- Unseen Oceans
de Young Museum of Fine Art
- Contemporary Painting in Papua New Guinea: Mathias Kauage and His Family, 3/16/24 - 3/15/26
- Leilah Babirye: We Have a History, 6/22/24 - 10/26/25
- About Place: Bay Area Artists from the Svane Gift, 8/10/2024 - 11/30/2025
- Paul McCartney Photographs 1963 - 64: Eyes of the Storm, 3/1 - 7/6
- Matisse's "Jazz" Unbound, 1/25 - 7/6
- Isaac Julien: I Dream a World, 4/12 - 7/13
Legion of Honor
- Dress Rehearsal: The Art of Theatrical Design, 11/9 - 5/11
- Celebrating 100 Years at the Legion of Honor, through November 2, 2025
- Printing Color: Chiaroscuro to Screenprint, 5/24 - 11/30
- Wayne Thiebaud: Art Comes from Art, through 8/17
Museum of Modern Art (SF MOMA)
- Ragnar Kjartansson: The Visitors, 11/5/2022 - 9/28/2025
- Yayoi Kusama: Dreaming of Earth's Sphericity, I Would Offer My Love, through 8/10
- Fortuna and the Immortality Garden (Machine), through Spring 2026
- Unity through Skateboarding, 8/17 - 5/4
- Table Manners, through May 31, 2026
- New Work: Samson Young, 12/21 - 6/22
- Around Group f.64: Legacies and Counterhistories in Bay Area Photography, 11/23 - 7/13
- Ruth Asawa: Retrospective, 4/5 - 9/2
- Kunie Sugiura: Photopainting, 4/26 - 9/14
The Walt Disney Family Museum
- Walt Disney Treasures Objects, New Object every two months, through September 2025
>> May events calendar for San Francisco
June 2025
Asian Art Museum
- Yuan Goang-Ming: Everyday War, 4/3 - 7/7
- Beautiful, Bountiful, Boisterous Birds, 2/6 - 9/15
- Mountains of the Mind: A Chinese Landscape Journey, 1/30 - 7/28
de Young Museum of Fine Art
- Contemporary Painting in Papua New Guinea: Mathias Kauage and His Family, 3/16/24 - 3/15/26
- Leilah Babirye: We Have a History, 6/22/24 - 10/26/25
- About Place: Bay Area Artists from the Svane Gift, 8/10/2024 - 11/30/2025
- Paul McCartney Photographs 1963 - 64: Eyes of the Storm, 3/1 - 7/6
- Matisse's "Jazz" Unbound, 1/25 - 7/6
- Bouquets to Art 2025, 6/3 - 6/8
- Isaac Julien: I Dream a World, 4/12 - 7/13
Legion of Honor
- Celebrating 100 Years at the Legion of Honor, through November 2, 2025
- Printing Color: Chiaroscuro to Screenprint, 5/24 - 11/30
- Bouquets to Art 2025, 6/3 - 6/8
- Wayne Thiebaud: Art Comes from Art, through 8/17
Museum of Modern Art (SF MOMA)
- Ragnar Kjartansson: The Visitors, 11/5/2022 - 9/28/2025
- Fortuna and the Immortality Garden (Machine), through Spring 2026
- New Work: Samson Young, 12/21 - 6/22
- Around Group f.64: Legacies and Counterhistories in Bay Area Photography, 11/23 - 7/13
- Yayoi Kusama: Dreaming of Earth's Sphericity, I Would Offer My Love, through 8/10
- Ruth Asawa: Retrospective, 4/5 - 9/2
- Table Manners, through May 31, 2026
- Kunie Sugiura: Photopainting, 4/26 - 9/14
The Walt Disney Family Museum
- Walt Disney Treasures Objects, New Object every two months, through September 2025
>> May events calendar for San Francisco
July 2025
Asian Art Museum
- Yuan Goang-Ming: Everyday War, 4/3 - 7/7
- Beautiful, Bountiful, Boisterous Birds, 2/6 - 9/15
- Mountains of the Mind: A Chinese Landscape Journey, 1/30 - 7/28
de Young Museum of Fine Art
- Contemporary Painting in Papua New Guinea: Mathias Kauage and His Family, 3/16/24 - 3/15/26
- Leilah Babirye: We Have a History, 6/22/24 - 10/26/25
- About Place: Bay Area Artists from the Svane Gift, 8/10/2024 - 11/30/2025
- Paul McCartney Photographs 1963 - 64: Eyes of the Storm, 3/1 - 7/6
- Matisse's "Jazz" Unbound, 1/25 - 7/6
- Isaac Julien: I Dream a World, 4/12 - 7/13
Legion of Honor
- Celebrating 100 Years at the Legion of Honor, through November 2, 2025
- Printing Color: Chiaroscuro to Screenprint, 5/24 - 11/30
- Wayne Thiebaud: Art Comes from Art, through 8/17
- Ferlinghetti for San Francisco, 7/19 - 3/22
Museum of Modern Art (SF MOMA)
- Ragnar Kjartansson: The Visitors, 11/5/2022 - 9/28/2025
- Fortuna and the Immortality Garden (Machine), through Spring 2026
- Around Group f.64: Legacies and Counterhistories in Bay Area Photography, 11/23 - 7/13
- Yayoi Kusama: Dreaming of Earth's Sphericity, I Would Offer My Love, through 8/10
- Ruth Asawa: Retrospective, 4/5 - 9/2
- Table Manners, through May 31, 2026
- Kunie Sugiura: Photopainting, 4/26 - 9/14
The Walt Disney Family Museum
- Walt Disney Treasures Objects, New Object every two months, through September 2025
>> May events calendar for San Francisco
August 2025
Asian Art Museum
- Beautiful, Bountiful, Boisterous Birds, 2/6 - 9/15
de Young Museum of Fine Art
- Contemporary Painting in Papua New Guinea: Mathias Kauage and His Family, 3/16/24 - 3/15/26
- Leilah Babirye: We Have a History, 6/22/24 - 10/26/25
- About Place: Bay Area Artists from the Svane Gift, 8/10/2024 - 11/30/2025
- Rose B. Simpson: LEXICON, 8/30 - 8/2
Legion of Honor
- Celebrating 100 Years at the Legion of Honor, through November 2, 2025
- Printing Color: Chiaroscuro to Screenprint, 5/24 - 11/30
- Wayne Thiebaud: Art Comes from Art, through 8/17
- Ferlinghetti for San Francisco, 7/19 - 3/22
Museum of Modern Art (SF MOMA)
- Ragnar Kjartansson: The Visitors, 11/5/2022 - 9/28/2025
- Fortuna and the Immortality Garden (Machine), through Spring 2026
- Yayoi Kusama: Dreaming of Earth's Sphericity, I Would Offer My Love, through 8/10
- Ruth Asawa: Retrospective, 4/5 - 9/2
- Table Manners, through May 31, 2026
- Kunie Sugiura: Photopainting, 4/26 - 9/14
The Walt Disney Family Museum
- Walt Disney Treasures Objects, New Object every two months, through September 2025
>> May events calendar for San Francisco
September 2025
Asian Art Museum
- Beautiful, Bountiful, Boisterous Birds, 2/6 - 9/15
de Young Museum of Fine Art
- Contemporary Painting in Papua New Guinea: Mathias Kauage and His Family, 3/16/24 - 3/15/26
- Leilah Babirye: We Have a History, 6/22/24 - 10/26/25
- About Place: Bay Area Artists from the Svane Gift, 8/10/2024 - 11/30/2025
- Rose B. Simpson: LEXICON, 8/30 - 8/2
- Art of Manga, 9/27 - 1/25
Legion of Honor
- Celebrating 100 Years at the Legion of Honor, through November 2, 2025
- Printing Color: Chiaroscuro to Screenprint, 5/24 - 11/30
- Ferlinghetti for San Francisco, 7/19 - 3/22
Museum of Modern Art (SF MOMA)
- Ragnar Kjartansson: The Visitors, 11/5/2022 - 9/28/2025
- Fortuna and the Immortality Garden (Machine), through Spring 2026
- Ruth Asawa: Retrospective, 4/5 - 9/2
- Table Manners, through May 31, 2026
- Kunie Sugiura: Photopainting, 4/26 - 9/14
The Walt Disney Family Museum
- Walt Disney Treasures Objects, New Object every two months, through September 2025
>> May events calendar for San Francisco
October 2025
de Young Museum of Fine Art
- Contemporary Painting in Papua New Guinea: Mathias Kauage and His Family, 3/16/24 - 3/15/26
- Leilah Babirye: We Have a History, 6/22/24 - 10/26/25
- About Place: Bay Area Artists from the Svane Gift, 8/10/2024 - 11/30/2025
- Rose B. Simpson: LEXICON, 8/30 - 8/2
- Embroidered Histories, 10/25/2025 - 10/25/2026
- Art of Manga, 9/27 - 1/25
Legion of Honor
- Celebrating 100 Years at the Legion of Honor, through November 2, 2025
- Printing Color: Chiaroscuro to Screenprint, 5/24 - 11/30
- Manet and Morisot, 10/11 - 3/1
- Ferlinghetti for San Francisco, 7/19 - 3/22
Museum of Modern Art (SF MOMA)
- Fortuna and the Immortality Garden (Machine), through Spring 2026
- Table Manners, through May 31, 2026
>> May events calendar for San Francisco
November 2025
de Young Museum of Fine Art
- Contemporary Painting in Papua New Guinea: Mathias Kauage and His Family, 3/16/24 - 3/15/26
- About Place: Bay Area Artists from the Svane Gift, 8/10/2024 - 11/30/2025
- Rose B. Simpson: LEXICON, 8/30 - 8/2
- Embroidered Histories, 10/25/2025 - 10/25/2026
- Art of Manga, 9/27 - 1/25
Legion of Honor
- Celebrating 100 Years at the Legion of Honor, through November 2, 2025
- Printing Color: Chiaroscuro to Screenprint, 5/24 - 11/30
- Yinka Shonibare, 11/15 - 7/26
- Manet and Morisot, 10/11 - 3/1
- Ferlinghetti for San Francisco, 7/19 - 3/22
Museum of Modern Art (SF MOMA)
- Fortuna and the Immortality Garden (Machine), through Spring 2026
- Table Manners, through May 31, 2026
>> May events calendar for San Francisco
December 2025
de Young Museum of Fine Art
- Contemporary Painting in Papua New Guinea: Mathias Kauage and His Family, 3/16/24 - 3/15/26
- Rose B. Simpson: LEXICON, 8/30 - 8/2
- Embroidered Histories, 10/25/2025 - 10/25/2026
- Art of Manga, 9/27 - 1/25
Legion of Honor
- Manet and Morisot, 10/11 - 3/1
- Ferlinghetti for San Francisco, 7/19 - 3/22
- Yinka Shonibare, 11/15 - 7/26
Museum of Modern Art (SF MOMA)
- Fortuna and the Immortality Garden (Machine), through Spring 2026
- Table Manners, through May 31, 2026
>> May events calendar for San Francisco
Hi, I'm Jill!
Dreaming of a San Francisco vacation? As a proud local, I'm here to share my insider tips and personal experiences to help you make the most of this iconic city!
 |
 |
 |
Comments? Questions? Suggestions?
I would love for you to join me in my private Facebook group!
It's a great place to interact with me and others who know the area well.
You can ask questions, get advice for your upcoming stay, and then share your photos and advice with others when you return home. It's a great community and the fastest way to get answers to those nagging questions about your visit!