this place is such a great museum to go to in sf. i personally live in sf and i'm not a tourist but…read morei still had a blast coming here. it was really cool to see all the really big large wheels that are actually pulling the actual cable cars and i learned something new about how cable cars worked from going to the museum. it's free to just go in and it's a really fun time. there are a lot of people on the weekend and it's in nob hill, pretty easy to just walk up to. there's a cute little souvenir shop. i love especially all the street signs in the gift shop area. if you're into looking at history or you're really into looking at mechanical things, this place is definitely a must go to in sf.

Located about 5-10 minutes from Chinatown in Nob Hill, the Cable Car Museum is a really worthwhile…read moreeducational and fun stop. You get to see the huge wires that pull the cable cars in San Francisco and can read the signs about how they work and the history. I enjoyed the museum a lot more than I thought I would. The free admission is a rarity and appreciated. There is a nice gift shop inside. I bought a really nice, reasonably priced mug of San Francisco scenes including a cable car, but you need to check the mugs carefully since after one run in the dishwasher, the plastic picture starting peeling off by the mouth area.

Had some fun at this small museum in North Beach. It certainly has tons of stuff to check out if…read morewanting to learn about the Beat culture and others. The Beat Museum has artifacts from the era, including books, photographs, and a whole fucking car, yes. Good place for those not wanting to spend too much time in here. You can see everything in about an hour or so, it seems. Basically it got its start in 2003 in Monterey, as part of a collection by Jerry and Estelle Cimino. It's grown a lot since. They made a touring museum that visited college campuses, before the current location was opened in 2006. It's located across from the site of the City Lights Bookstore. The artists came here to make it a popular Beat hangout spot. Many of the artifacts were donated by families and friends. These include Neal Cassady's referee shirt from the Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, Allen Ginsberg's typewriter, and Jack Kerouac's tweed jacket. Also the director of the 2012 film On The Road, Walter Salles, donated the 1949 Hudson car. There's original art by Gregory Corso, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, and Harold Norse. Check out memorabilia from Ginsberg's 1957 obscenity trial for Howl. There's also a first edition copy of Kerouac's first novel, The Town And The City, cool stuff. Of course there's tons more to look at. There's also the area with the books you can purchase as well as other gifts. Cool stuff in this popular collection. It's certainly worth a visit for fans of On The Road or other Beat era books and music. This is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Revisited this building location after so many years..that's about 20 years..I hadn't seen the…read moreexhibit really...I paid $5 and also signed up for membership..the exhibit has Kerouac's flannel and also the exhibit has Ferlinghetti's navy uniform..football..beatnik car and Pollock all over..the exhibit was pretty good and I am glad I visited after the ending of the period..it's important to me..I guess you had to grow up in Washington DC..because my cousins don't even come here or call themselves beatniks..haha Diane Di Prima!!!

I had the pleasure of participating - notice I said participate rather than attend, as it truly is…read morean interactive performance - in the Haunted Dollhouse experience. I can scare easily, so I was a little concerned that I would be too startled, or fearful of a scary dollface. While I did scream a few times when something sudden happened, my main take away is one of Delight, Whimsy, Playfulness and Reverence. The house in which the scene is set is a masterpiece of intricate art - filled with gorgeous mosaics, theatrical curtains, history both painted on the walls and held in all manner of precious trinkets and artifacts. Our clown hosts were a joy, and I giggle as I recall how they played with us throughout the journey. The resident witch brought a deep, grounded presence to the tour show, and I even learned that I have a haunted object at home that wants to be exorcised! (post-show homework!) I experienced the most reverence in the room that I was afraid of the most at first. The clown and witch hosts shared the history of the dolls, which is also the history of people and place. I left the room no longer scared and instead touched by the stories behind each doll. Another favorite moment was the tea party (!!!) with delicious tea and homemade cookies and pastries and even scull shaped sugar cubes!? I love the attention to detail and handcraftedness in every aspect of the experience. And finally the cleansing ritual at the end felt powerful and very real. That alone was worth the price of admission! Come enjoy a true and unreapeatable San Francisco experience!

Wow! What an incredible, unique experience! If you are looking for something new for your group to…read moredo, I highly recommend visiting this one-of-a-kind museum. Each room is more spectacular than the one before. Such incredible talent! The tour we did (Combo Tour: Twice Upon a Time) was worth every penny. Be sure you do it with family or friends who you feel safe and comfortable sharing your deep thoughts with in order to make the most of this experience. No cameras are allowed inside. The expectation is that you are fully present and engaged during the tour which we were. It brought our family of 5 closer together having us share some insights we didn't know about one another.

The opening is strong because the recommendation from strangers on the cable car explains why you…read morewent, and then you immediately stumbled into something you couldn't have planned: the matcha seminar. I'd also keep your reaction to Writing in the Rain toward the end because it gives the review more substance than simply listing the museum's collections. I met a mother and daughter on a San Francisco cable car who told me the Asian Art Museum was their favorite thing they had seen in the city. Based on their enthusiastic recommendation, I decided to go. Admission was included with my Go City pass. I happened to arrive just in time for the final seminar in a series about tea. This one was presented by Constance Tea & Matcha, a San Francisco company, and focused on matcha. We learned how differences in shade, processing, and the time-consuming grinding process affect matcha, and watched a demonstration before receiving a sample. The matcha was a beautiful, vibrant green and had none of the bitterness that I sometimes associate with green tea. It was an unexpected bonus to my museum visit and one of those experiences I never would have known to plan in advance. The museum covers the art and cultures of many parts of Asia, including China, Japan, Korea, India and Tibet. There is a great deal to see, so you could easily spend several hours here depending upon your level of interest. One of the most memorable works for me was FX Harsono's Writing in the Rain, part of a current exhibition scheduled through September 7, 2026. Understanding the symbolism behind the work gave it a depth that stayed with me after I left. The bottom level also had an arts-and-crafts area, and there were tables in the atrium where visitors could learn and play mahjong. I liked that the museum provided opportunities to participate in Asian culture rather than only viewing objects behind glass. There is also a gift shop and a restaurant with reasonably priced and interesting choices, including chicken, pork and beef dishes. I'm glad I listened to two strangers on a cable car. Between the matcha demonstration, the extensive Asian art collections, the cultural activities and the thought-provoking contemporary art, the Asian Art Museum offered much more than I had expected. Sometimes the best travel recommendations come from the people you happen to meet along the way.

I revisited the Asian Art Museum recently for its community day on the first Sunday of the month…read more I'm not sure if there was a special exhibit, but there were many events happening at the museum - sip & sketch and a children's activity. I also saw signage for weekly mahjong happy hours and performances - it's so cool how the museum has become a community gathering place. I spent about an hour exploring the permanent collection and never fail to discover new treasures. I'm always amazed by the expansive collection of pottery and statues across cultures. If you time it right, joining one of the docent-guides tours would be a neat way to experience the collection.

Legion of Honor is a beautiful museum inside and out. The grand entrance is a precedent to all the…read morewonderful artwork you'll see inside. I went on a Saturday where it is free for residents of Bay Area counties. I'm not sure if you can get the ticket the day of in person, but I got mine online a few days prior since these tickets are limited. I might even recommend to get them a week ahead. The pieces inside range from 2D art to houseware to statues and settings. Everything was so impressive. We also made sure we grabbed seats 20 min prior to the organ show as the seats fill up very quickly. Though there is a ton of standing room if you aren't able to grab a seat.

We visited the Legion of Honor to see the exhibit called "The Etruscans: From the Heart of Ancient…read moreItaly." The Legion of Honor is located in Lincoln Park and is a component of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, which also administers the de Young Museum. The Legion of honor is not as big as the de Young Museum, but has a beautiful and exquisite collection of art. We enjoyed seeing the special exhibit of Ancient Italy. The lower level of the museum was the perfect fit for this amazing collection of the Etruscans civilization. There were around 200 examples of bronze and terracotta sculpture, gold jewelry, ceramics, and architectural features, as well as the longest-surviving piece of Etruscan writing. We really enjoyed this exhibit as well as other featured paintings and sculptures, on the main level. There is even a porcelain gallery with pieces from England and Europe, which we enjoyed seeing. They have a really nice gift shop and a cafe. We browsed the gift shop and had lunch at their cafe, which was very good. We would definitely come back to visit again for their next exhibit.

My friend and I had such a fun time here. We were lucky, too - it wasn't that crowded - so we…read morecould take our time and take multiple shots at each thing. I appreciated the example shots because sometimes I wasn't sure exactly how to pose. Customer service was good. The museum was fun. Super fun time. If I were to go back, I would bring a tripod. I realize this is weird, but it would have been cool to take more photos with my friend versus taking individual shots. One of the employees did come and take our photo at one of them, but it cost $15. I could see where this would be pricey if more had been taken, too!

When we went it wasn't crowded so we could take our time and take pictures. I like that there were…read moreguides on the floor that showed where to set up the camera. Also, it was helpful having sample photos up on the wall. Took 1 star off because it's a bit pricey. If it was a crowded day, it would have been stressful to take pics and take our time.

$10/pp for anyone over 5yo. Unlimited pass for the day. They require everyone to wear gloves…read moreincluding toddlers. It was quite fun, but for some people, it may feel a little claustrophobic. Good way to kill 10 minutes.

Fun for the kids. While you can race quickly to the exit, I noticed most kids including mine,…read moreintentionally stayed in it longer and wandered around. Not supposed to run but some were playing tag or hide and seek while I was there lol. My grown (old) self got a little dizzy following my younger kid around (he wanted someone to accompany him and stick together with), but glad I got to experience it once. Not sure I'd be eager to go again, but it's cool for what it is.

It is soooo good!…read more Been here at-least three times over the years. It keeps getting better. The variety of plants is astounding!

Loved how my $25.00 ticket included the Conservatory of Flowers…read more I don't feel it's worth the $15.00 entrance fee. Loved seeing the different flowers and plants. Wish it was a little bit larger! I always enjoy seeing the Carnivores plants!