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San Francisco Art Museums: List of the Six Best & Most Popular
by Jill Loeffler •
Our San Francisco art museums are some of the best in the country. Explore the most popular ones during your visit, including the SF Museum of Modern Art, the de Young Fine Arts Museum, and the Legion of Honor.
Many of the art museums in San Francisco feature highly acclaimed permanent collections. In addition, they draw in some of the best traveling exhibits in the US.
I love visiting the art museums in SF, especially because they always have new displays and most offer free days once a month.
Below you will find an overview of the best art museums in San Francisco, including information on their permanent collections and other visiting tips.
San Francisco Art Museums Map
In this map of the six best art museums in San Francisco, you'll see where they are located along with the districts they're in.
Disclaimer: I receive a small commission from some of the links on this page.
1. Museum of Modern Art
At the top of my San Francisco art museums list is the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. It’s located right in the heart of the city in the SOMA District.
It was founded in 1935, and underwent a huge renovation in 2016, which more than doubled its capacity. The building itself is a work of art, and all its contents are focused on modern and contemporary art.
This SF museum is home to some of the most famous art in San Francisco, including works by Picasso, Matisse, Clyfford Still, and Diego Rivera.
Quick Facts: Their permanent collection has more than 33,000 pieces of modern art. The exhibits include works of art, photographs, free standing art, and more. They also have a number of amazing traveling exhibits.
Location: 151 Third Street, between Mission and Howard
Cost: $30 for adults, $25 for seniors 65+, $23 for full-time students with ID, free for ages 18 and under
Hours: Friday to Tuesday 10 am to 5 pm; Wednesdays closed; Thursdays noon to 8 pm
Discount Passes: Go City San Francisco and San Francisco CityPass
Transit: This is one of the San Francisco art museums that is an easy walk from Union Square, as well as the BART and bus stops along Market Street.
Insider Tips and Free Features: Take some time to look around the SFMOMA building to admire its beautiful modern features.
On Floors 1 and 2, you'll not only find a great cafe and restaurant open to the public (no ticket required), but also 45,000 square feet of free art! You can walk around for free anytime the museum is open to get a taste of what they have to offer.
For SFMOMA ticketed guests, there's an exclusive indoor/outdoor cafe in their Floor 5 Sculpture Garden.
Check their schedule of free daily tours to participate in a guided conversation about a particular exhibit or artist.
Current Exhibits at SF Museums: Check out the calendar of temporary and traveling exhibits at top museums around San Francisco.
2. de Young Fine Arts Museum
The de Young Fine Arts Museum is one of two fine arts museums in San Francisco.
Founded in 1895, this SF art museum houses a number of pieces of American art from the 17th through 20th centuries. It also features ancient art, Native American, Oceanic, and African art.
Quick Facts: The de Young is located right across from the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park. It's a large space that occupies over 293,000 square feet and has an observation tower with 360-degree views.
Location: 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive in Golden Gate Park
Cost: $20 for adults, $17 for seniors (age 65+), $11 for students with valid ID, Free for youth 17 and under; Additional charge for some special exhibits and audio tours
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 9:30 am to 5:15 pm; closed on Mondays
Free Days: First Tuesday of every month; additional cost for some special exhibits
Discount Passes: Admission included with the Go City San Francisco pass
Transit: Your best option is to take the Hop-On Hop-Off tour to this SF art museum. Exit the bus at the stop by the California Academy of Sciences. The de Young is right across the street.
Other options include taking the bus or a taxi. Take the 5 Fulton bus (to 8th Avenue & Fulton) or the N Judah Muni train (to 9th and Irving) from Union Square; both drop you about six or seven blocks away from the de Young. If you take a taxi, it will cost around $25 from Union Square.
Insider Tips and Free Features: The de Young is just one of several San Francisco art museums that offer guided tours. These tours are great because you can ask questions about the pieces on display. These tours are free; you do not need to make a reservation and you are welcome to join them while already in progress.
Another fantastic feature of the de Young fine arts museum of San Francisco is free Hamon Observation Tower, which you can access for free for panoramic views of Golden Gate Park and its surroundings. You don't need a ticket for this; just hang a right at the ticket counter and head up the elevator to the 9th floor.
Free Days Calendar: Find a full schedule of upcoming free days for all San Francisco art museums.
3. Asian Art Museum
The Asian Art Museum is another one of my favorite art museums in San Francisco. It’s one of the largest museums that is completely dedicated to art and artifacts from all over Asia.
Quick Facts: This museum has over 17,000 items in its permanent collection, some of which are extremely rare and others that are several thousand years old.
Location: 200 Larkin Street, between Fulton and McAllister, in the Civic Center area near City Hall
Cost: $20 for adults, $17 for seniors (age 65+), $14 for college students with ID and youth (13-17), free for children 12 and under; most special exhibits are an additional $10 fee
Hours: Friday to Monday 10 am to 5 pm; Thursdays 1 pm to 8 pm; closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays
Free Days: First Sunday of the month on a first come, first served basis (so you will want to arrive early to ensure you get a ticket); additional cost for some special exhibits
Discount Passes: Admission is included with the Go City San Francisco pass
Transit: The Civic Center stop on the Hop-On Hop-Off tour will leave you just a block away from the Asian Art Museum. You can also take any BART or Muni light rail train from Market Street to Civic Center.
Insider Tips and Free Features: Since the Asian Art Museum is so large, I recommend that you set aside at least two to three hours for your visit. That way, you'll have time to watch the videos to learn more about each culture.
This SF art museum also has free guided tours throughout the day. Ask for the schedule when you arrive. You could also download the free Asian Art Museum app for self-guided tours available in six languages.
If you happen to come on a free first Sunday, make sure to check out the family-friendly activities, including crafting workshops, storytelling, and cultural performances.
4. Cartoon Art Museum
The Cartoon Art Museum is another one of the fun San Francisco art museums to visit. It is fully dedicated to cartoon and animation art.
This museum was founded in 1984, when a group of cartoon art enthusiasts decided to begin showcasing their own works of art. In 1987, it turned into an official museum with a permanent home.
Quick Facts: The Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco is also very large. It has thousands of pieces in its permanent collection and offers a great variety of traveling exhibits.
Location: 781 Beach Street in the Fisherman's Wharf neighborhood, just one block from Aquatic Park and Ghirardelli Square
Cost: $10 for adults, $6 for seniors/students/military/educators with valid ID, $4 for kids 6-12, free for kids under 6. The first Tuesday of every month is their Pay What You Wish Day.
Hours: Thursday to Tuesday 11 am to 5 pm; closed on Wednesdays
Transit: The museum is just one block from the Hyde Street cable car turnaround. You can walk here from anywhere in Fisherman's Wharf.
Insider Tips: Plan on spending at least an hour or more walking through and reading the variety of comics at the Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco.
Top Hotels for Your Visit
5. Legion of Honor
The Legion of Honor is the other of the two renowned fine arts museums of San Francisco. It dedicates its space to fine arts from sculptures to paintings.
This amazing SF art museum includes a Rodin-issued cast of the famous "The Thinker" statue. You will also find famous European paintings, ancient works of art, and photography on display at the Legion of Honor.
Quick Facts: The Legion of Honor's permanent collection showcases 4,000 years of ancient and European art; over 800 European paintings; several pieces of ancient art from Egypt, the Near East, Greece, the Aegean Islands, Etruria and Rome; the largest repository of works of art on paper in the western United States; and photography focused on early California and SF history.
Location: In Lincoln Park at 100 34th Avenue in the Outer Richmond district
Cost: $20 for adults, $17 for seniors (age 65+), $11 for college students with ID, free for youth 17 and under; $8 for audio tour; additional cost for some special exhibits
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 9:30 am to 5:15 pm, closed on Mondays
Free Days: First Tuesday of the month (and every Saturday for Bay Area residents); additional cost for some special exhibits
Discount Passes: Admission included with the Go City San Francisco pass
Transit: Parking is available at the Legion of Honor.
You can also take the bus. From Union Square, you can take the 1-California (to the 33rd Avenue and Clement Street stop) or the 38-Geary (to the 33rd Avenue and Geary Street stop). You can then either transfer to the 18, which drops off right in front of it, or walk about a half mile north to the museum. (Tip: You can get $2 off your admission if you use public transit!)
Insider Tips and Free Features: Head down to the lower level cafe for some of the best views of the Pacific Ocean. Free guided tours available with no reservations. Ask for a schedule when you arrive.
6. Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
The galleries at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts are one of the more interesting San Francisco art museums. They have no permanent art collection, but rather showcase special exhibits and performances.
Location: 701 Mission Street at 3rd Street in the SOMA District
Cost: $10 for general admission, $5 for students and seniors, free for youth and military
Hours: Wednesday to Sunday 11 am to 5 pm, closed Monday and Tuesday
Free Days: Wednesdays and second Sundays
Transit to the Museum: This is another one of the centrally located art museums in San Francisco. It is just a few blocks southeast of Union Square in the heart of the SOMA district.
If you're coming from Fisherman's Wharf, North Beach, or Chinatown, you can also take the 8 bus heading south and get off at 4th and Mission, just around the corner from the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.
Insider Tips and Free Features: In addition to their art galleries, the Yerba Buena Center for Performing Arts offers a range of events, films, and other shows at their theater venue. Before visiting, check out the calendar on the Yerba Buena website for even more events during your stay.
In addition, you'll find several free artistic and community events throughout the year. The Yerba Buena Gardens Festival offers music, dance, theater, and children's programs from about April to October. Other annual events, like the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. march and celebration, culminate here as well.
The Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco
What about the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco? Why is this iconic attraction not listed as one of the best art museums in the city?
Despite its name, the Palace of Fine Arts does not actually house art galleries or exhibitions. Instead, it hosts performances in its theater and can be rented as an event venue.
It is, however, still totally worth a visit to appreciate its beautiful architecture and the grounds surrounding it.
Discount Passes and Tours to See These Museums
Go City San Francisco
Admission to many of the San Francisco art museums is included with the Go City San Francisco pass. This is a multi-day, multi-attraction pass that saves you both time and money. It includes admission to more than 25 attractions in San Francisco and the surrounding areas.
Other popular attractions included with Go City are the California Academy of Sciences, the Exploratorium, and Aquarium of the Bay. Just a few of the free tours included with the pass are the Hop-On Hop-Off Big Bus tour, a GoCar tour, and a walking tour of Fisherman's Wharf.
With this pass, you also receive discounts and value-added offers at many retailers and restaurants throughout the city. To keep track of all the offers included, you will receive a free full-color guidebook when you buy the pass.
You can choose from one-, two-, three-, and five-day passes, so you can make it work for the amount of days you are visiting. Overall, you will only pay a fraction of the full-price tickets for all of these attractions.
>> Find more details on this Go City pass
Hop-On Hop-Off Tour
The Hop-On Hop-Off tour is a great way to get around San Francisco. This tour is specifically designed for those wanting to easily get from one attraction to the next without having to drive or take public transportation.
The San Francisco Hop-On Hop-Off tour includes 15+ stops throughout the city. You can hop on or off at any stop to visit some of these San Francisco art museums or other attractions.
This deal is available for one or two days. It is a great way of getting to some of the museums that are a little further out, such as the California Academy of Sciences or the de Young Museum, while seeing the city sights.
Learn more about the Hop-On Hop-Off Tour and reserve your ticket today!
Other Pages You Might Enjoy
There are even more ways to discover famous art in San Francisco, which takes many different forms.
Apart from our top SF art museums, we have tons of street art to enjoy, walking tours to help you find the best of it, and free museums to keep yourself entertained. Click on the images below to visit my other pages.
Comments? Questions? Suggestions?
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