🇺🇸 San Francisco • 26 Verified Museums & Culture

Best Museums, Galleries & Cultural Experiences in San Francisco

Plan your cultural itinerary in San Francisco with 26 verified museums, art galleries, concert halls, and historic institutions. Base yourself in Nob Hill, Union Square & Embarcadero or North Beach, Russian Hill & Marina for easy walking access.

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#1 • Art Museum & Gallery • CA

Exploratorium (Pier 15 Interactive Science & Art)

World-renowned hands-on museum of science, perception, and art on the Embarcadero with over 650 interactive exhibits.

Tip: Visit on Thursday nights (18+) for cocktails and DJ sets at After Dark.

Pier 15, The Embarcadero, CA, San Francisco

#2 • The award-winning audio tour voiced by former inmates and guards makes the prison history intensely gripping.

Alcatraz Island & Cellhouse Tour

Legendary federal maximum-security penitentiary on a rocky island in the bay, once housing Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly, and the 'Birdman'.

Tip: Book the Night Tour for a haunting experience with live cell-door slam demonstrations and views of San Francisco lit across the water.

Alcatraz Island, CA, San Francisco

#4 • Theatre & Performing Arts • San Francisco

Herbst Theatre

The Herbst Theatre is an auditorium in the War Memorial and Performing Arts Center in the Civic Center, San Francisco. The 928-seat hall hosts programs such as City Arts & Lectures, SFJAZZ Center, and San Francisco Performances.

San Francisco

#22 • Art Museum & Gallery • San Francisco

California Historical Society Museum & Bookstore

California Historical Society Museum & Bookstore is an art museum and exhibition gallery on 678 Mission Street South of Market, San Francisco.

678 Mission Street South of Market, San Francisco

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