History Museums in San Francisco: Tips to Visit the Most Popular Ones

The California Academy of Sciences is one of the most popular history museums in San Francisco. This is where you will find the Kimball Natural History Museum. It's one of four "museums" you will find inside this Golden Gate Park attraction.

When you purchase an admission ticket, you will gain access to all four museums. The other three include the Steinhart Aquarium, the Morrison Planetarium, and the Osher Rainforest. 

Quick Facts: The Kimball Natural History Museum follows the timeline of evolution. Inside, you will learn about tectonic plate movements, see an 87-foot-long blue whale skeleton, and learn more about how our ancestors survived harsh environments.

Location: 55 Music Concourse Drive in Golden Gate Park

Cost: Prices change based on demand and start at $39 to $45 for adults. Discounts for children, seniors, and students with IDs. Admission is included with the CityPASS discount card. You can also pick up skip-the-line tickets, so you don't have to waste any time when you arrive.

Insider's Tips: Make sure to arrive first thing in the morning so you can get tickets to one of the planetarium shows. They offer the tickets on a first-come, first-served basis and it's one of the things you do not want to miss here. Also, make sure to head to the top to check out its amazing living roof!

One of the things that makes San Francisco unique is the fact that we are one of the only cities in the world that still uses cable cars. There are currently three cable car lines up and running. 

This is one of the reasons why the Cable Car Museum is one of the most popular history museums in San Francisco. It’s easy to spot a cable car on the street, but you can learn much more about them here.

Quick Facts: At any given time, four cables are pulling the cable cars along the three lines on the streets of San Francisco. You can see all four running during your visit.

Location: 1201 Mason Street in Nob Hill, near Chinatown

Cost: FREE!

Free Days: This is one of the history museums in San Francisco that is free, all the time! Find more free museums in SF.

Transit: Take a cable car! The Powell-Mason cable car runs right in front it. You can also get here on the Hop-On Hop-Off tour—just get off at the stop in North Beach and walk up Washington Street. It is about five blocks away from this stop on the northern end of Nob Hill.

Insider Tips: It is in the front part of the cable car barn, where they put the cars away at night. Head up the hill on Washington Street for the chance to see a car entering or leaving the barn. The best view is from across the street.

The Fire Department Museum takes you back through the history of the fire department. Not only will you learn about the department and some of its old firehouses, but you will also learn more about some of its infamous fires. These are the reasons it is one of our top history museums in San Francisco.

Two of the fires covered here are those that started after the 1906 earthquake and the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. Both of these fires caused quite a bit of damage to the city.

Quick Facts: See hundreds of photographs and other items from some of the most famous fires and firehouses in San Francisco.

Location: 655 Presidio Avenue in Pacific Heights

Cost: FREE!

Hours: Thursday through Sunday 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm, as staffing allows (call ahead to confirm)

Free Days: This is another one of the history museums in San Francisco that is free, all the time!

Transit: Your best option is to take the bus from Union Square. The 1 (exit at California and Presidio) and 38 (exit at Geary and Presidio) all drop off about two or three blocks from the station. A cab from Union Square will cost around $20. 

Insider Tips: It is free and run by volunteers, so make sure you call ahead to confirm they are open before heading over; 415-553-3546 after 1 pm to see if they are open.

The Walt Disney Museum is about the life and times of the man, Walt Disney. You'll see pictures and other information from his early years, through his times running the Walt Disney company, and up until his death. 

Disney was a controversial man both while he was alive and after his death. This is a great way to find out about the real man and what he stood for in life. It's also one of our most visited history museums in San Francisco.

Quick Facts: It features some never-before-seen pictures of his life and family. 

Location: The permanent gallery is at 104 Montgomery Street in the Presidio (not the Montgomery Street in the Financial District). Two other buildings near the permanent exhibit are used for traveling exhibits, movies, and other special events.

Cost: The cost is $25 for adults, $20 for seniors over 65 and students with ID, $15 for children ages 6 – 17, and free for children under 6 with an adult admission. Free for active, retired, and veteran US military personnel, as well as a spouse or dependent with valid ID. 

Hours: Thursday through Monday from 10 am to 5:30 pm (last entry at 4:30 pm); closed Tuesday and Wednesday and on New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. 

Discount Passes: Included with the Go City and CityPASS C3 pass

Transit: The Hop-On Hop-Off tour is a great option for getting here. The other option is to take the bus. You will need to pick up the 30 near Union Square and take it to the stop at Mason and Halleck Streets. You will then need to walk about 10 minutes over to the museum. 

Insider Tips: Some of the special exhibits are not included in your general admission tickets. Check the calendar before visiting to see if you want to also buy tickets for these special events.

The Beat Museum is one of the more eclectic history museums in San Francisco. This city was the heart of the Beat Generation in the mid-1950s. This famous group of writers created and publicized their unique culture that included experimental drugs,, sex and overly expressive ways of living their lives.

Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsbery, and Lawrence Felinghetti are three famous writers of this generation. Here you will find memorabilia, early writings, and other items from these three and other famous people included in the culture of the Beat Generation.

Quick Facts: The museum was originally located between San Francisco and Big Sur. However, they moved it here several years ago since this neighborhood was the main location for this generation.

Location: 540 Broadway (at Columbus) in North Beach

Cost: $8 for general admission; $5 for teachers, students, military, and seniors

Hours: Thursday to Monday from 10 am to 7 pm

Discount Passes: Admission is included with the Go City all-inclusive pass

Transit: This is another one of the museums in San Francisco that is centrally located. It is in the heart of the North Beach area. You can access it from the Hop-On Hop-Off bus. Another fun way to get here is by taking the Mason-Powell cable car line from Union Square.

Insider Tips: It is quite small, just two floors of items. However, if you are fascinated by the Beat Generation, there is no better museum to visit than this little gem in the North Beach neighborhood.

The main part of the Maritime Museum used to be in the white bathhouse on Beach Street, right next to the water. This area is now used for temporary exhibits. It's one of the history museums in San Francisco I recommend you check out, but it only takes a few minutes.

A few years ago, a new, larger Visitor's Center opened on the first level of the Argonaut Hotel on Jefferson and Hyde Streets. This is where you will find some wonderful exhibits on display about the history of Fisherman's Wharf.

It tells the entire history of the waterfront in San Francisco. It shows details on important ships coming in and out of the San Francisco Bay as well as a timeline for all of the changes over the years. 

At the San Francisco Maritime Museum, you will also learn a little about the California Gold Rush, shipwrecks, and communications at sea. There are interactive activities as well as some movies and other hands-on learning exhibits. My favorite part is the lighthouse lens from the Farallon Islands Lighthouse. It's really interesting to see up close how the light works. 

Cost: FREE

Hours: Open every day from 9:30 am to 5 pm, with longer hours in the summer. This is one of the history museums in San Francisco that closes on Thanksgiving, December 25, and New Year's Day.

The Chinese Historical Society is another one of the specialized history museums in San Francisco. Located in the heart of Chinatown, this museum showcases the experiences of Chinese Americans. 

Here you can see hundreds of artifacts, art pieces, and photographs documenting their lives and culture. The museum is one of a kind and worth a visit if you want to learn more about the history of the Chinese Americans. 

Quick Facts: It is maintained by the oldest and largest Chinese Historical Society in the country. 

Location: 965 Clay Street, near Powell Street in Chinatown

Cost: $15 adults; $10 for seniors, military, and students with ID; free for kids in grades K - 7 and younger

Hours: Wednesday through Sunday from 11 am to 4 pm

Get Here: Get off at the Chinatown stop on the Hop-On Hop-Off bus, take the Powell-Hyde Cable Car from Union Square, or take either the 1-California or the 30-Stockton bus from Union Square. You can also take a cab from Union Square for around $20.