The Absolute Best Kids Museums in (and around)
San Francisco
The busy city of San Francisco is filled with family-friendly museums that offer great opportunities for kids to escape the busyness, slow down, and fuel their curious minds.
In this post, we’ll talk about all the top museums in San Francisco that you and your kids will absolutely enjoy.
Towards the end, we’ll also explore ways to gain reduced price admission to popular museums in California!
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Why museums are so important for children of all ages.
Museums are chock-full of opportunities for kids to learn and explore in ways that a typical classroom cannot give. Kid-friendly museums provide their young guests with hands-on, interactive exhibits which align with children’s natural styles of learning.
Taking kids to museums and aquariums starting at a young age exposes them to endless new and unique experiences which will eventually help them create a better, more well-rounded understanding of their surroundings.
This all, in turn, helps in their ability to think critically, make connections, and develop a deep appreciation of the world they live in.
Where are the best museums for kids in San Francisco?
The best kid-friendly museums in San Francisco are scattered all throughout the city in popular areas, so accessing a great museum on your next family trip to the City by the Bay can be very easy regardless of which neighborhood you choose to book your lodging in.
Here are the museums we’ll explore in this post and the great locations they’re in.
Exploratorium: The Embarcadero
Aquarium of the Bay: Pier 39
California Academy of Science: Golden Gate Park
Walt Disney Family Museum: The Presidio of San Francisco
The Randal Museum: Corona Heights Park
Children’s Creativity Museum: Downtown San Francisco
Bay Area Discovery Museum: Sausalito, CA
The Exploratorium
Where is the Exploratorium?
Pier 15 Embarcadero
San Francisco, CA 94111
What is the Exploratorium?
The Exploratorium is a very popular science museum located along the San Francisco Bay that the entire family will enjoy.
It’s a huge space that offers tons unforgettable experiences that encourage hands-on exploration. When you go here, you’ll have access to over 600 interactive exhibits that truly spark your curiosity and and thirst for discovery.
What will I get to see and do at the Exploratorium?
Some of the fun things you’ll experience include…
- An amazing view of the SF Bay and the Bay Bridge
- Drink out of a toilet water-fountain (not kidding)
- Stand in a distorted room
- Create an indoor tornado
- Watch a cow eye dissection
- Play with an anti-gravity mirror
- Create cloud rings
- Create colored shadows
CLICK HERE to grab your tickets to the EXPLORATORIUM!
Click below for some of the best things to do in the Exploratorium with the entire family. Get reading to learn and explore through this great interactive San Francisco museum!
Aquarium of the Bay
Where is the Aquarium of the Bay?
PIER 39
San Francisco, CA 94133
What is the Aquarium of the Bay?
The Aquarium of the Bay is another great place for kids to go to when visiting San Francisco.
Located right at the front entrance of Pier 39, this aquarium is a wonderful place for curious minds to learn about the beauty of Northern California’s diverse aquatic life.
In addition, your little marine biologist will walk away understanding the importance of environmental conservation and an appreciation for California’s wildlife.
What will I get to see and do at the Aquarium of the Bay?
Some of the fun things you’ll see at the aquarium include…
- hands-on touch pools
- mesmerizing jellyfish
- shark
- hypnotizing schools of anchovies
- underwater tunnel
- sea stars
- sea cucumbers
- tortoises
- chincillas
CLICK HERE to grab your tickets to the AQUARIUM OF THE BAY!
The California Academy of Sciences
Where is the California Academy of Sciences?
55 Music Concourse Drive
San Francisco, CA 94118
What is the California Academy of Sciences?
The California Academy of Sciences is a wonderful, family-friendly museum that even adults will enjoy.
It’s a gorgeous science-packed research institute, aquarium, and natural history museum located right in the middle of Golden Gate Park!
What will I get to see and do at the Exploratorium?
Some of the fun things you’ll enjoy include…
- penguins
- an albino alligator
- an albino python
- planetarium
- indoor rainforest
- earthquake room
- a living roof
- aquarium
- cafe
- gift shops
CLICK HERE to get your tickets to the CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
Thinking about taking your family to the California Academy of Sciences in
San Francisco? Here are 12 super fun reasons why you should!
The Walt Disney Family Museum
Where is the Walt Disney Family Museum?
104 Montgomery Street in the Presidio
San Francisco, CA 94129
What is the Walt Disney Family Museum?
The Walt Disney Family Museum is a great San Francisco museum that’s perfect for Disney-loving families.
Located in the middle of the historical Presidio of San Francisco, the Walt Disney Family Museum offers interactive exhibits about well-known Disney cartoons, drawings, films and music that many Disney fans will recognize.
What will I get to see and do at the Walt Disney Family Museum?
Some of the fun things you’ll see at the museum include…
- sound lab where you can create music and sounds
- earliest drawing of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit
- beginning sketches of Mickey Mouse
- the equipment used to create early Disney animated films
- a miniature model of Disneyland in Anaheim , California
- earliest drawings of all the favorite Disney characters.
CLICK HERE to get your tickets to the WALT DISNEY FAMILY MUSEUM in San Francisco
The Randall Museum
Where is the Randall Museum?
199 Museum Way
San Francisco, CA 94114
What is the Randall Museum?
Another great kid-friendly museum to visit in San Francisco is the Randall Museum, which is a small museum, centered around science and nature.
What’s truly wonderful about this place is that, in order to make sure the museum’s exhibits are available to all, admission here is FREE.
In addition to it’s exhibits, the Randall Museum offers science and arts classes that are free to low cost, again, making learning and discovery accessible to all.
What will I get to see and do at the Exploratorium?
Some of the things you’ll see at the museum include…
- raccoon
- rabbits
- chickens
- turtles
- tarantula
- model railroad
- rocks & minerals
- toddler play space
- views of the city
- cafe
Children's Creativity Museum
Where is the Children’s Creativity Museum?
1221 4th Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
What is the Children’s Creativity Museum?
For your art-loving kids, the Children’s Creativity Museum is a wonderful, family-friendly space in San Francisco for imaginative youngsters.
The museum is filled with exhibits that encourage young innovators to create through multi-media art and technology. The museum curates these exhibits with the strong belief that creative expression and critical thinking are key to enriching the next generation.
What will I get to see and do at the Children’s Creativity Museum?
Some of the fun things you’ll see at the museum include…
- coding tools
- robots
- puppet theater
- train sets
- messy paint play
- Lego wall
- animation tools
- carousel
- spacious playground
- sketch town
Bay Area Discovery Museum
Where is the Bay Area Discover Museum?
557 McReynolds Rd
Sausalito, CA 94965
What is the Bay Area Discovery Museum?
While the Bay Area Discover Museum isn’t technically in San Francisco proper, it is still a very popular kids museum for many visiting families.
Situated on the northern end of the Golden Gate Bridge, this kid-friendly museum offers spacious indoor and outdoor spaces dedicated to fun, hands-on exploration, discovery, and creation.
What will I get to see and do at the Exploratorium?
Some of the things you’ll experience include…
- water play areas
- designated space for toddlers
- outdoor exploration area
- bubbles
- gorgeous views of the golden gate bridge
- simulation play space
- musical instruments
- bubbles
- outdoor play structures
- art studio
How to get reduced price admission to museums in San Francisco
The price of museum admissions can be pricy for most families. Let's be real. Who doesn't love a good discount?
Here are a few possible ways you and your family can save a few bucks when visiting museums in San Francisco!
- Discover & Go: If you and your kids have a library in California, you may be able to get discounted admission tickets through this amazing program! Check out their site of a list of participating counties and partners!
- Museums for All: This an amazing program that makes museums and zoos accessible to everyone, regardless of income. With a qualifying EBT card, you and your family can experience museums at a discounted rate.
- Free admission days: Every so often museums will offer free admission days to the public. Why not check to see if these free admission days align with your San Francisco visit. Keep in mind that these days might change, so be sure to check directly with the museum for the most up-to-date information.
- Go City Passes: Go City passes allow San Francisco visitors to get discounted access to popular tours, attractions, and museums. This would be perfect for families planning on enjoying multiple SF attractions in one trip.
In Conclusion
Don't miss out on going to
San Francisco museums
with your kids!
Museums are great places for kids to explore their current interests and discover future passions.
At museums, through interactive exhibits, families can see creatures from the deepest parts of the ocean and learn about stars far out in our galaxy!
San Francisco has so many great museums and aquariums where kids can satisfy their curious minds. From the touch pools of the Aquarium of the Bay to all the hands-on science exhibits at the Exploratorium, you and your family can find so much to do and explore in these kid-friendly
San Francisco museums.
So get curious with the kids at one of these incredible museums during your next trip to
the City by the Bay!
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