My 3 year old LOVED the place, esp the bubble machine area, bubble wind tunnel, and the GIANT BALL PIT. It's a spot that entertains the kids and parents, so def check it out and indulge your child (and maybe your own internal one too). read more

Balloon Museum - Museums Near Me - San Francisco, California

I enjoy visiting museums and this was my first time going to a Balloon Museum. The Balloon Museum was held at the Palace of Fine Arts. Tickets can be purchased in advance or on site at the ticket office. Reservations are made for timed entries throughout the day. This was an ok museum for me and didn't quite peak my interest. The Balloon Museum would be perfect for couples going on dates and for kids. Otherwise it's just ok for others. There are two exhibits within that made me feel like a kid again. The pool of mini balls and the room of swirling balloons. read more

See all

I wanted to check out the Balloon Museum because I've been to other cute balloon exhibits with ball pits that were really fun and interactive. Unfortunately, this one didn't really spark my interest. It felt more like a place designed mainly for kids, photo opportunities or maybe date nights for couples. Other than that, there wasn't much that I found particularly engaging or exciting. read more

See all

This Balloon Museum is conveniently located and easy to get in and out. Who knew they had price surging? YUP! Surging on the long weekends and also for summer.... I guess that is their busiest times. But I wanted to see what new exhibits were added as this Balloon Museum travels the world. This is their second appearance in the State of California. I saw the Museum in Los Angeles last year. Yes, they do have new exhibits added compared to what I saw last year. The Balloon Pool had orange balloons compared to black that I've seen before. Very organized! Not sure why their price was so high but I guess it is what it is. Once you see this Museum you are set! No need to go again.... unless you check the listing of exhibits and compare it to what you've already seen The interaction with sound to the balloons is what you want to see! Go ! At least Once ok? read more

See all

An amazing adventure at The Palace of Fine Arts to host The Balloon Museum. With so many exhibits I felt there wasn't enough time to relish in the creativity of the artists. It was so much fun. I also appreciated how each exhibit had a tribute from the artist who created their exhibit, it gives you a little perspective. There are way too many photo ops & way too little time, but I was so glad to have participated at this museum. read more

See all

I visited the balloon museum on the last day they were open. I was confused by the large blow up person laying on their back, where you literally walk through their spread legs. The art piece was labeled as a disabled person, but when I walked through the art, and even above this piece, I searched thoroughly for some indication of it being a disabled person and saw nothing... just felt like a very unnecessary piece to put in a museum that attracts kids. Most of the rooms were interactive with was fun only if you interact with the rooms. I think three of the coolest rooms were the giant ball pit, the dark bubble room, and the room with the colorful glass that gets projected onto the walls. The ball pit room played a strange video on the screens that included mushrooms, a man floating around that was a shadowy figure and a giant eyeball. Again, it was very strange for a balloon museum that definitely attracted a lot of kids. The last weird thing we saw was this room where you put on virtual reality goggles and you would think they would show something kid friendly or having to do with balloons, but it showed some dancers that were in piñata looking clothes and they were touching each other and very much virtually in your face. Before we got to see what people were seeing, I saw a little girl take off her goggles and she didn't want to put them back on, but I don't blame her. Overall the museum had some cool interactive rooms, but there was a fair amount of weird things I wouldn't want my kids to see. read more

See all

My best friend and I had really high expectations for this museum but most rooms were pretty lackluster. We had a time slot for 11:30 and were swiftly led into the first exhibition which were a bunch of balloon arches. Our favorite room was the ball pit but unfortunately they only gave us a minute before they started their show. Once the show ended, everyone was told to leave the room. If we had known, we would've waited for the next show so we could truly enjoy the room. The short time we did have, the ball pit room was perfect for photo ops and we were delighted by the nostalgic feeling of playing in a ball pit. Our second favorite room would be the silver balloon room. We adored the color scheme! The whole exhibition took about 40 minutes which we felt was not worth the price. I would say if you do have kids, it is worth it for them to enjoy. read more

See all

I'm sorry but I expected more from this place, especially what I paid for. It's definitely pricey on the weekends. The ball pit was the funnest interactive portion but everything felt eeh to below mid. For the price, I expected a lot more interactive rooms. The bubble room needs a few mops here and there because even with the shoe socks on, my pants were getting soaked at the bottom. The workers seemed miserable. Although, I don't blame them since doing a repetitive task can be draining. Pick something else if visiting SF. read more

Balloon Museum - Aesthetically pleasing to look at though. - Museums Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

This museum is so fun! We went here on a Saturday around 4:30pm and it wasn't too crowded that day. This museum reminded me of the museums in Japan and they have a cafe with snacks and drinks too! Anyways, I loved how interactive this museum is and I had a bunch of "favorite" rooms. My favorite rooms were the Invisible Ballet, Swing, ADA, Airship Orchestra, Hyperfeeling, and Playground! Out of all those favorites I listed, the Hyperfeeling room was my very favorite because of how fun the ball pit pool is! I'd recommend this place! We spent a little over 2.5 hours here, but I would've stayed longer if we didn't have other plans in this area. I tend to love interactive museums and exhibits, so this was a lot of fun. read more

See all

A pretty cool museum located in the Palace of Fine Arts. It's inside where the old Exploratorium used to be. We went on Juneteenth so there was somewhat of a crowd, but nothing too crazy. The tickets were pretty expensive for what the experience was and I don't think it's worth it for about ~$50 per person. We spent about less than 90 minutes here. The exhibits are really cool and you can get really hands on with the exhibits. There's giant balls you can play around with and you can walk inside and through really neat inflatable structures. I'm really bummed out about the ball pit room because we only got to be there for maybe 10 minutes or less and I saw other reviewers said they got to be there for longer. I think we got the short end of the stick because we were one of the last few people to get in before the next group, and when we got in the video experience started. The workers then had usher everyone out and I wish I had more time in this room. We got a few neat pictures in but it was a bummer. The gift shop has balloon animals you can purchase as well as other merch. Theres a dessert and drink bar too. Overall, it was a neat experience but definitely not worth for the money. I'm still pretty bummed out from the ball pit room. read more

See all

My husband and I actually had the BEST time together at the Balloon Museum! We were in SF for work, but I surprised him with tickets to celebrate his birthday on the day we flew in. I had seen the promo video for EMOTIONAIR and it looked awesome, but I didn't really know what to expect. These types of pop-up/traveling museum experiences can be hit or miss sometimes, but we were pleasantly surprised by the amount of balloon installations and interactive elements. Even without having children, we had a blast. The experience starts from the moment you arrive outside with the Octopus Attacks! installation taking over the building with its tentacles. The venue being set at the Palace of Fine Arts is the perfect backdrop and makes for a beautiful walk before and/or after the museum experience. There are at least 20+ different rooms/installations and we both felt like the length of the experience was well worth the price. We went through the whole thing in about 1.5 hours, but you could spend more time if you had young children who were actually playing along the way. I took wayyyy more video content and than photos (pics don't really do it justice), but I'd have to say one of our favorite installations was the Invisible Ballet -- a room filled with hundreds of silver balloons dancing through the air while you stand in the middle of it, wind blowing your hair everywhere -- it was so fun! We also really loved the massive ball pit "HYPERFEELING" that was thankfully not too crowded when went. The whole digital show within the ball pit room is so cool, we spent about 15-20 minutes in that part. I'm glad we were able to catch this unique museum while were were in town. There is even a VR experience and cute balloon shop at the end. Loved the balloon flower bar! read more

See all

Balloon Museum is great for everyone! It is a good family activity to do with your kids, or it makes for a great date night with your significant other. Planned this day to spend with my hubby, we spent $108.34 for two tickets. Location of the museum is at the Palace of Fine Arts. There was a lot of interactive things to do, I suggest to bring some hand sanitizer wipes if preferred. You are able to touch, play, feel, and see. You're interacting through art! Had a lot of fun taking pictures and getting videos. At some points there was long lines started to form, but it didn't take long to get through them. Towards the end, you're able to buy snacks, drinks, candy, etc. read more

See all

The Mother's Day called for something both mom and son love. We went to the museum for 3:30 entry on a weekend. You can stand in the line little later to not have cranky toddler. The museum exhibits are a mix. We loved the ball pit, bubble sound machine , the bubble laser show and most importantly balloons from shop. It took 1.25 hrs to complete it. Our son was not excited for some of them as it was over stimulating. Loved the ball pit experience. There are restrooms at the entry and make sure you visit since there is only one route to go from one to another. It can get stuffy inside depending upon number of people. But visit once for the experience. Parking is $3 per hour and could be long wait too. read more

See all

We checked out the current exhibition at the Palace of Fine Arts this past weekend, Emotionair: Art You Can Feel. Staff worked efficiently, so there were no delays with entry (at our reserved time), and the entire experience was well organized. Visitors can explore at their own pace once inside, though there are some lines for a few exhibits, no unreasonable waits. Shoe covers were provided for a couple of the rooms (far more efficient than having people remove their shoes, like at other similar interactive art exhibitions). There are clear signs describing each work of art, keeping with the balloon theme, images or use of inflatables, hot air balloons, LED balloons, and bubbles. Emotions are connected to each interactive exhibit, including surprise, anger, frustration, contemplation, resonance, trust, enthusiasm, entrancement, layered, expectation, amazement and wonder, and carefree joy. My faves were the "Hyperfeeling" ball pit which combines multiple emotions as visitors of all ages engage in a multimedia show, and the giant inflatable bunnies (even if they're meant to be creepy with the tunes playing in the background) in Momoyo Torimitsu's "Somehow, I Don't Feel Comfortable". But I also really liked "Invisible Ballet", being immersed in what is described as a tornado of balloons, and "A Quiet Storm", surrounded by soap bubbles and captivated by the lovely shadows created with the light effects. There's a gift shop and cafe at the end, serving pastries, desserts, and cocktails. There are a few tables and seating here too, as well as an additional VR exhibit (not for kids), The Eternal Guardians, which we were able to experience before leaving. Note, if you use the bag/coat check in the beginning, you need to exit the venue at the end and walk outside back to the museum entrance to retrieve your belongings. read more

See all

I was fortunate to grab the tickets at 50% off. Had a 6pm time slot for a Thursday but we arrived by 5pm. We had to wait until 6pm. No early entry. There are some nearby benches plus the Palace of Fine Arts to walk around to pass the time. You can also buy tickets in person. It seems any time slot between 5-6pm, had a few people entering but by 6pm there was a medium size line. Still it didn't seem overly crowded once inside. Lighting is dim, so photos on iPhones don't come out as nice. There is a fee for coat check, I believe it was a $5.xx a piece. We decided to keep ours and our backpack on. We only really needed to set them down for a bit while we were in the giant yellow ball pit room. There are restrooms before you enter as well as inside. The water fountain near the entrance has been broken for some time. We spent a little less than 1.5 hours there. A fun place for families, groups of friends or even date night. Seniors may not enjoy it so much due to the strobe lights and stairs. At first the pieces seemed underwhelming but it got better. Staffs for the most part were nice. However the last bit in the VR room, the staff looked like he didn't wanna be there. There is a bar-ish area and a gift shop but that was at the end. It would have been nice if we were allowed to hang out there before our timed slot to get a drink. Who wants a cocktail or beer after the fact? read more

See all

We had such high expectations for the Balloon Museum. We arrived 30 minutes early, but they let us in anyway. The ticket checker at the front almost didn't let me in because he did not read that our ticket was a family ticket with two parents, not one. The workers were not very kind. The art installations were cool but it would have been nice if they warned us ahead of time that some of the exhibits would be incredibility loud and overwhelming. We weren't prepared and didn't bring ear plugs or headphones to protect our ears. Best room: the ball pit Worst room: the first bubble exhibit with the loud sounds. read more

Balloon Museum - Balloons - Museums Near Me - San Francisco, California

This exhibition is the limited time exhibition so not sure how long they will be there but it is a true SF style hip, cool, fun, quirky art with "balloons" which are actually bouncy house type of blow up "balloons". The creativity of the artists is mind blowing! As you'll see from the walk through structural art to mirrors, lights, and sounds incorporated cart pieces, there are great variety of arts. If you've been to Burning Man, it reminds me of some of those art pieces I've experienced at BM as they are not "for viewing only" but experience based arts. There are some adult humor like the ball pit. You'd think a giant ball pit is a kids thing but the graphics that come up were somewhat twisted and some a little dark, not so much that it'd freak kids out... I thought it's clever of their subtleness. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience and I look forward to next exhibition! Anything the come up with would be a worth your time & money read more

See all

This museum was so much fun. It's bright, colorful and really mesmerizing. I'm not usually a fan of the ball pits but it was the highlight of the day. They gave us shoe covers. Each exhibit has its own show with music. It took about an 1 1/2 hours to get through everything. Cons: Tickets are a bit pricey, over crowding (go on a weekday) and parking can be a pain if you aren't lucky enough to grab one. read more

Balloon Museum - Ball pit - Museums Near Me - San Francisco, California

This is a fun-filled experience for young kids. It's located next to Presidio They have parking for a fee next to the site. I recommend paying through their apps since we noticed the parking meter is not working. Your purchased ticket entitles you to enter at a specific time. Once you enter, you'll be greeted by a large amount of balloons of different sizes and characters. We brought our grandson with his cousins and everybody enjoyed and had fun playing with balloons. You'll be entering several rooms and each room has several balloon structures. I see children running and enjoying the sights and feelings of the balloons. One room has a pool size made up of small balls. It's like swimming in a pool of orange balls. The children enjoyed entering the pool and playing with the orange balls. This is a fun place for children to play with balloons and balls. It's worth an experience for them. read more

See all

I had sooooo much fun! The was a very unique and active experience that I'm glad I didn't miss. I felt like the staff were super chill and let you really enjoy your time in the different rooms- meaning they didn't rush you out of the rooms and were actually cool to just talk to about the museum! My fav was the ball pit room of course lol. I felt like a big kid again! Lines were not too crowded on a Saturday around 5PM. Groups moved through in decent in time. They also have a food and bar section at the end of the This is great for all ages. Adult/date night or family night it's worth the visit! read more

See all

The experience was a bit underwhelming. I came with two girlfriends for a 4:15PM reservation on a Sunday. We arrived around 3:50PM to find parking; Definitely recommend planning ahead because parking was a nightmare. Since the event is held at Palace of Fine Arts, the lot was completely full and the area was packed with people taking professional photos (understandable, it's an iconic spot). We ended up driving around the neighborhood for nearly 30 minutes before finally finding a spot. Thankfully, we were still able to enter around 4:30PM with no issues. The museum itself was very interactive, which makes it great for kids. However, the crowd made it difficult to really enjoy. Some rooms are timed, but there were still way too many people, especially parents with young children. It felt super chaotic, and the ventilation inside the rooms was terrible. It smelled like body oil and sweat although the hallways had some air flow. If you're planning to come with kids, please teach them about personal space and respect. At one point while waiting in line, the group behind us, their 4 year old boy came up between my friend and the wall and grabbed her butt. She turned around in shock, and the mom just pulled her son away and told her friend, "he's just a kid! He's 4 years old!" without even acknowledging what happened, apologizing or simply correcting her son on the spot. My friend was understandably upset. Accidents happen, but it's important for parents to set boundaries and take accountability, especially in crowded public spaces like this. read more

See all

I went with my husband and 25-month old son. We all had a blast! My son especially loved the ball pit, bubbles, and the exhibit with the silver balloons. I wasn't expecting much since this is a pop-up, but definitely would go again before the pop-up ends. The pop-up is currently located at the Palace of Fine Arts. Parking was easy to find. Took about 1.5 hours to get through the exhibits. read more

See all

Incredible Balloon sculptures full of color, sound, with larger than life art. So much fun and full joy! There's a lot of kids so go early when it's not too crowded. Tip: Parking lot in back is the closest to the entrance. Timed entry. Make sure to take screenshots of each ticket since a cell signal may be sketchy. read more

Balloon Museum - Entrance - Museums Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Awesome experience worth seeing. My favorite, probably like everyone else, was the huge ball pit. I just laid there and let the balls hold me in my areas of pain. It was very therapeutic. It wasn't the easiest getting out but the experience was reminiscent of our childhoods and being at the McDonald's ball pit, except without the smell of feet :) Recommend to anyone interested in going. read more

See all

This experience wasn't as great as I thought. It isn't meant for younger kids as it's just big inflated ballons. Only one room where the ballons look cool, otherwise it's just inflatable ballons and it's just basically a walk through. I don't think it was worth the $ for a ticket. But it's great for just cool pictures. read more

Balloon Museum - Museums Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Do not enter this building without sanitizer. I am not a crazy germ freak but honestly it's dirty, and gross. Kids touching everything (my own included). There was also a disgusting amount of flies in the waiting area. Sick. Aside from the germs and bugs, this was a solid activity for kids. Parental overstimulation at its finest, but a good activity nonetheless. Definitely one and done. read more

You can only arrive 15 mins prior to your check-in time but there's plenty to do in the area to kill time. There was so much to see in the exhibit. There's lots of rooms. Be prepared to wear shoe covers. They didn't help much in the soapy bubble room though because my shoes still got wet. Overall, I think it was a fun experience. read more

Balloon Museum - Museums Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

I went with a friend and a group of elementary school boys, and we all had a blast! The descriptions of the art appeal to more mature audiences while the exhibitions themselves are fun for all ages. We spent about two hours going through, and boy were some of the installations truly magical. read more

See all

Very fun art installment at the Palace of Fine Arts but I would've preferred more interactive exhibits. For its price I expected more but I still enjoyed. read more

Balloon Museum - Museums Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

i found this place on tiktok and i dont regret it. i went on thursday afternoon bought a ticket when i arrived. All the rooms were amazing it just keeps getting better and better. There is no time limit you can easily spend more than an hour. The also have a shop at the end and vr. Overall and amazing activity. read more

See all

Amazing pop up experience at the Palace of Fine Arts. I have two young kids and I thought this would be a cool exhibit for them to experience; the exhibit is virtually all tactile and encourages you to explore through touch, which is perfect for those that have sensory curiosity. The entire exhibit took almost exactly 90 minutes for us to get through, and that was us taking our time as well. There are many different exhibits to see throughout the journey here. While you can't touch all the art, most of the things here are fair game. They have staff distributed throughout who will give you special instructions for each exhibit if needed. Some exhibits are timed, like the ball pit, to keep you moving along and to bring in additional groups for play. This was definitely a very fun experience and they have a cafeteria at the end for you to grab some drinks/food. There are also restrooms located both at the entrance and one in the middle of the exhibit. Afterward, you can take a walk outside and see the beautiful architecture. Parking is always congested here but there are lots of spaces around the perimeter of the palace with people always leaving, plus a couple of additional lots nearby. read more

If you are in SF with the family, this place is definitely worth a trip. It's usually around $50 a person, but you'll spend a good 2+ hours at the exhibit. My family and I attended the prior Balloon Museum in Los Angeles and the kids loved it. When we were planning our trip to SF, we put it on our must see list. The kids liked the setup at the Los Angeles experience better, but there were still some cool displays and interactive experiences. The massive ball pit is a hit with the kids...and adults. There were a few exhibits that were duplicated from LA, but enough new stuff for us to still enjoy it. read more

Balloon Museum - Massive Ball Pit - Museums Near Me - San Francisco, California

What a cute museum! Though at first glance, it may seem like it's for younger children. This is actually an experience for all ages! The parking is usually hard to find, as it usually is at the palace of fine arts, the displays at this exhibit are truly one surprise after another. They've been designed to represent various emotions that are part of the human experience. I would highly recommend checking this out if you have time!! read more

See all

This was a super fun experience. Of course lots of photo ops but you will have to just be patient. There are quite a few areas to explore and it's well thought out. I'd say the most obvious picture opp is the ball pit but then again you will see a lot of creatures with big eyes which of course I loved. Wish thought could have been bought but then again...I'm sure you would have to pay a pretty penny for it. read more

See all

Amazing pop up museam. Loved each room and the experiences . Totally worth it. Great for couples , families, kiddos. Age friendly and just fun. if you're thinking about it just get them tickets ! read more

See all

HELLA fun. Not $100 a person fun though. lol let's be clear. HOWEVER from the time you go in tot he time you leave, it's an experience. Age does not matter because there's a little something for everyone here. Be receptive, be patient and just let your self experience the sounds and touches and visuals the surround you. It's very immersive. So many different rooms with soo many different artist works. The kids see it as a total adventure, even the teens. The gift shop area and concessions are way over priced. Even for the City. But all in all it's pleasurable. No worries about the parking or break-ins either by the way. lol. I would recommend going if you're on the fence about it. Just be prepared to be a high feee but once you get over that it's smooth sailing read more

See all

I've been twice to this place, and I'd definitely go again. If you don't want to be exposed to too many little kids, go as late on a Saturday or Sunday as you can (like 8pm). It's worth taking your time through a few of the exhibits if you want the full experiences of them. Notably the ball pit and the room with 36 balloons on tethers are very much worth dwelling in. If you like psychedelic and abstract kinetic modern art, and loud techno/ambient soundtracks, you're probably going to enjoy this place a lot, no matter what age you are. I had no hesitation bringing my adult family here, and we all had a blast together. read more

Huge fan of pop ups in general, but wasn't sure what to expect with this and man..was this fantastic. It's a little team lab- esqe. In the best possible way. My fave was the ball pit with the show...like wow! Second was the silver balls whirling around the room as the fans rotated on and off. It was suffocating, intoxicating, amazing, all at the same time. It was also creative with the blow horn that blew out huge bubbles. The VR exhibit at the end is def a must. It was def an interesting experience. Def would do this again ! read more

See all

Great for every age but not at the same time. If you don't want to endure shrill screaming children choose your visit time accordingly. The exhibit space is poorly ventilated so it gets hot. I don't recommend wearing jewelry that can get lost in the ball pool thing. The exhibit is well thought out and artistically excellent. Be patient in the parking lot. read more

See all

Paid about $160 for two adults and a high schooler and a middle schooler. We had a blast! I thought we'd breeze through in 45 minutes but we spent a good hour and a half checking things out. We came during the week, found street parking in the neighborhood, got there around 12:30. I recommend this because there wasn't a lot of people so you're able to take a lot of videos and photos and you don't feel like you're in a cattle in a pen. We loved the bubble room with the ship foghorn. We didn't understand the pretty room with the pillow seats on the floor. Ball pit was large and fantastic. Music was uplifting. Favorite room was the balloons that floated around. So many fun videos and photos. Music was also great. This room single-handedly put me in the best mood. Highly recommend! But again, would've not enjoyed if it was crowded. read more

Balloon Museum - Museums Near Me - San Francisco, California