Visited the Exploratorium as part of a short trip to SF from Seattle. In Seattle we have the Pacific Science Center which is similar to this, so I had a hard time not comparing my childhood memories there to my adult memories here. First off, there are a TON of exhibits here which was a little overwhelming because we didn't want to spend hours and hours there, but didn't want to miss anything cool! What I found was that a lot of the exhibits were really similar, or demonstrated very basic concepts (or sometimes nothing?). The science center in Seattle has fewer exhibits but seems like each one is a little more exciting. Also, we went on Friday, July 3rd and it was packed. Most exhibits had a line, and if you wait in line it was inevitable that a little kid would run up and use it before you (but who can say no to kids?). Overall it wasn't a bad experience, just not quite as good as I was expecting based on reviews and everything. read more

The first time I came here was 1988 on a school trip. I was so pleased to see that the old Vanna White upside-down face that so fascinated me as a kid is still there! Tip: if you are a childless adult and you want to go just to experience wonder without having to battle screaming sticky-fingered children to explore the exhibits, 10:45 a.m. on a Thursday in late September is a perfect time for it. No school groups, no weekend crowds. Give yourself minimum two hours to explore. read more

Such an amazing space, congrats to the staff on making the experience one to remember. The cafe/lunch space was calling to me- I'll be back to dine in such a lovely looking space with Bay side seating. Wow. btw, this is ageless. Throw the demographic bent out the window. Most young families seemed happy to have a safe space to let toddlers roam.. a small feat for small feet in sf. read more

My husband and I really enjoyed our visit here, without kids! We thought each exhibit was interesting and the entire place is well put together. Anyone who is a visually person- no matter their age- should have a fun little adventure here! We sped through the place pretty quickly- mostly because we were in a rush to grab lunch. But the entire staff we encountered with were sweet. They made small talk and seemed sincere. We will for sure come back in the future with kids of our own. Awesome place for curious minds! read more

Better than the old location at Palace of Fine Arts now on pier15. Newer exhibits. Hands on for kids. Bring hand sanitizer due to the many germy hands on exhibits. read more

Exploratorium - Back entrance - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - San Francisco, California

Excellent for the big kid inside me and all the kids. Very interesting and kept me captivated for well over two hours. Find the gallery on the roof and the 'shadow' view of the bridge was amazing. Great place to visit if you are in San Fran. read more

Writing from a tourist's perspective I have to say that while there was a lot of interesting things to see and do, it was so packed that we didn't get a chance to do much of anything. I don't know what was worse, the kids cutting in front of my six-year-old son or the adults pushing him out of the way. You would think that adults young and old would have more manners than their children, but you would be wrong. The traffic you have to sit through is also no joke. We sat for over an hour on the same street just to get to the parking complex a couple miles down the road. In reading others' reviews I think that if I were a local or knew all of the ins and outs of public transportation, it may have been a little better, but everywhere was just so jam packed that it really took away from the experience. All in all, if there was a time to go when there were not so many people, it would probably be much more enjoyable. Is there a time when there aren't so many people? Doubt it. The location and Exploratorium itself screams tourist trap. read more

My husband and I had a blast here. Only thing we had an issue with was it closing at 5. I would have waited until another day if I knew it closed so soon after is buying a ticket. Yes it was our fault for not checking the time it closes but we only got through 3 of the sections and missed a large part of it. A bit expensive but you could spend a whole day in there exploring. Amazing Information and things to play with. Great for people of all ages! read more

This a great place to take your kids if your kids are over 5 or 6. My oldest is 5 and he was able to enjoy a fair amount of the exhibits but I feel like if he was a year or two older, he would be able to appreciate more of it. My middle son is 2.5 years old and I don't really feel like there was much he could understand. There's a couple stations with blocks for him to play with but that's hardly worth the cost of admission. This place is also very crowded. If you go on the weekend, be prepared to be pushed around by all the other kids wanting to see each exhibit. With younger kids, it was hard to let them get a good look at a lot of the exhibits because older kids would bump them out of the way or cut. Finally, bring your own food. They have their own cafeteria but it is over priced and the quality of the food isn't that good in my opinion. read more

Went here on a field trip with my class, and four other 4th/5th grade classes. The kids loved it! There was so much for them to see and do, and it was all really hands-on. The staff was really accommodating, and it was extremely easy to get a reservation for all five of our classes. They also offer a free program for Title 1 schools, which is great because it provides access to all students, no matter circumstances. The only reason, I didn't give it 5 stars is because the bus parking is difficult-but c'mon, it is San Francisco, ya know? read more

Exploratorium - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Science is amazing, playing with expensive toys is amazing. Combine both of these things and you have an entire day of fun ahead of you. If you enjoy learning or even experiencing new things that don't tend to happen in your day-to-day life the Exploratorium has got you covered. Tornadoes, the human body and so much more! There are 5 different areas and showing up around 2, I ended up spending most of three hours in the first area alone. This may vary if you are with a younger group but there are so many exhibits with so much to learn I can't imagine taking less time because i would miss so much. Another thing to note is that you will definitely want to go with another person. Many of the exhibits require a partner which I can imagine would be fun with a stranger but I didn't see many who were alone. Me and my group of friends participated in most of them together and it made it more enjoyable! The only thing I was disappointed in was that they close at 5:30 and then an hour later you can pay again to enter of you are 18+. I didn't really feel like paying another $15 dollars just for an extension of my time there, despite my enjoyment. That being said I will definitely revisit so I can experience everything else here! read more

We used to take our kids to the old building and it was a great fun. Now at a new building its even more fun and more things to do. The kids are older but we still have a lot of things to do every time we come here. And we find something new every time as well. I also like the nice cafeteria/restaurant that they have here, the food here is pretty tasty. We also like little structures and attractions outside of the building, those are fun. Our every visit here we end with a nice stroll along the water enjoying the nice view of the Bay and the city skyline. read more

I love science. I can't possibly imagine giving my beloved Exploratorium anything less than 5 stars. Please, everyone, bring your kids here. This was one of my most favorite places to visit when I was a child. Every kid should come here. Why? Because it shows that science and math are FUN! Everything here is hands on. Even if your little one is too little to understand, it's still fun to tinker around with the exhibits. We started taking my son to the original location before he even turned 2 and since he is so interested in science, we decided to bring him today for his 6th birthday. I wish all kids and adults alike would come visit this place to discover that science is awesome (especially to those people who think science is too hard to understand or that it isn't interesting). Now, I will say that the place was PACKED when we visited on a summer Wednesday afternoon, arriving around 12:30pm. Packed to the gills! We noticed that the place really cleared out quite a bit around 3:30ish. Next time, I will go in the later afternoon, maybe after lunch time. I had a bad experience with a server at the restaurant who wound up giving my pizzas to another family, but I got over it. The food is good, but expensive (no kids' meals). Overall, I'm happy with the new location, especially since the biology area is way more interesting and inviting now. Way to go, guys! My kids especially enjoyed watching the termites eat wood. :) We will be back! read more

The Exploratorium is a magical place! Though they moved out of the gorgeous Palace of Fine Arts, their new space allows more people to engage with the exhibits at once. There's kids everywhere of course, but this makes the exhibits more lively even if you're older. Being closer to the Bay at their new location, they have new areas that focus on creatures and the history of the ecosystem. They even have a neat timeline simulation of the seismic activity in San Francisco and the fish in the little aquarium are enthralling. The Exploratorium is a must visit for anyone at least once; its rich history (founded by Dr. Frank Oppenheimer), artists' created exhibits, and exploration in design and tinkering is unfounded. If you cannot stand the kids, go for their After Dark Thursday nights. With so much to see and learn here you're sure to have a memorable time; it even makes for a sweet date spot. read more

A must go for kids. Also great for adults too. If you live in the Bay Area. I would recommend the annual pass - it is worth it. You can easily spend 3-4 hours there . So much to do & experience. read more

Where to begin on the magic that is science. This place is so much fun and completely impossible to do all in one day. The restaurant is equally amazing with lots of yummy organic food options that are reasonably priced. The best part though - the customer service. Everyone clearly enjoys working there. My nephew lost his coat at the center and we went back to check the lost and found. They did not have it but they called the next day and shipped it to my sister (who lives in New York). Thank you for making our family experience so positive. I'll be back! read more

The Exploratorium is awesome. They have a bunch of cool experiments- like "space water", where the water flies off of the pipette upwards, a ball that you can hear people through if you are sitting on he same color, a sample of all the little organisms in one drop of water, and an echo tunnel outside. It was a very cool experience. I would definitely come back here. We stayed here for 4 hours and didn't want to leave when it closed at 5. read more

Really love this place! Everything is fascinating, since science is my favorite subject. At first I thought it was for kids, but turns out, it's great for all ages (especially students like me). It's also large and took 2+ hours to walk half of it. Most of the stations were fun and hands on. They also have exhibits outdoors, so make sure to check those out too. There's also two levels to explore. I'd come back and finish the rest of the exhibits when I'm in the area. read more

Came here for the first time yesterday for a company event. What a fun place. My kid adored it. Fun for everyone. Love all the interactive exhibits. Can't wait to come again when there are a few fewer people. !! read more

What an amazing place. I wish I had places like this next to me while growing up. You need at least 3 hrs to check everything out. I could only imagine how much kids will love this place. I, a 20something woman couldn't get enough of it. Love the experiments and the interactions. Probably the best way to introduce and teach science to kids. Hands on teaching is the best kind. The experiments are laid around the place perfectly, lots of spacing so you don't feel overcrowded by the experiments and so everything is clear. Go and unleash that curious little kid still stuck inside of you! read more

The new location at Pier 15 is fantastic. I have fond, yet vague, memories of going to the smaller location near the Palace of Fine Arts as a youngster, so some friends and I made the trek to the new location. Tons of interesting stuff, even as an adult! I do agree with another reviewer in that there were far too many unsupervised children running around. Of course I expected a lot of kids, after all it's primarily a kids attraction if you ask me, but adults need to look after their kids & not let them run loose in a VERY large and pretty confusing interactive museum. Then again, when working with some of the group experiments, some of the adults were just as bad :( I was worn out after a few hours and I KNOW there was so much more to see. My interest started to wane the more tired I became after walking there from Pier 1 and walking around the museum, so I'd go back to see the vast array of exhibits I'm sure I missed. If your child is at all inquisitive about science, I can't recommend this place enough. read more

This place is a curious child's paradise, but it can be enjoyed by all ages. So many things to touch, play with, tinker around with, explore, learn, everything. It was actually a little overwhelming. There was something to do or learn every two feet and they were randomly scattered all over the whole museum. I loved it, though, but I'm kind of a closet-science geek, even if I wasn't particularly good at it in school. Even if science isn't your thing, you'll most likely find at least a few exhibits that will blow your mind or leave you wondering and wanting to know more. The Exploratorium brings out the curiosity in all of us. Fair warning: go on a weekday morning or afternoon (it's even advised by the museum website) and avoid weekends if you can, unless you don't mind being surrounded by hundreds of kids and toddlers and their parents. Me and my friend went on a free admission day and it was packed with little ones. Still enjoyable, but I imagine your experience would be better if you had more standing/walking room. Have fun, to anyone that decides to go! read more

Exploratorium - "The Impossible Room" (I think it's called) - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This is one amazing place that everyone who visits San Francisco or lives in the Bay Area ought to visit. It is so much fun and filled with scientific learning experiences for kids and adults alike. Also, the experiments are very intelligent and exciting and not boring in any manner. They named it just aptly - Exploratorium - a place to explore! And all the stuff at this place makes the whole experience fun and enjoyable. read more

"TURN THE PAGE, WASH YOUR HANDS. TURN THE PAGE, WASH YOUR HANDS" - Filburt (Rocko's Modern Life) Museum is pretty big, and has a lot of interactive activities... thus, tons of dirty hands touching everything! Kids are pretty unsanitary, and unfortunately some adults are too - people picking their noses, unprotected coughs/sneezes, scratching of the butts/balls. Just, gross. If you can't wash your hands in between activities, bring some hand sanitizer. In fact, just drench your entire body in hand sanitizer ya filthy bastard. lol. jk. ;) My most memorable activity was the cow eye dissection presentation. The volunteers conducting the demonstration were high schoolers, and I was quite impressed. They were very good -- informative, engaging, and even offered hands on activities to the younger spectators. I wish I had the opportunity to play and learn, or even teach eyeballs when I was at that age. I learned about the anatomy of the eye when I was in my twenties, and dissection of (animal) body parts slowly followed. I am a current healthcare provider, so I enjoyed watching "future" healthcare providers taking charge of their future -- or so I thought. Those teenie boopers, aren't even interested in the health field! Upon further discussion, I learned that they (yes, both of them) want to go into engineering! Bastards! lol. jk. It's okay though. Everyone goes into the health care, eventually. It's better to figure it out early on, but oh well. It will happen, and they will just have to learn the hard way. ;) One thing I do want to note is the expensive entrance fee, and standard museum hours. If you plan to visit, plan accordingly. You don't want to pay a pretty penny, and not have enough time to thoroughly enjoy the museum. Considering the amount of activities provided, and the size of the place, you need at least +2 hours. Monday: Closed. Tuesday - Sunday 10-5pm. Adults: $29..... Locals: $22 Seniors, students, disabilities, youth (13-17): $24..... Locals: $19 Youth (4-12): $19..... Locals: $17 Every Thursday evening for $15 from 6pm-10pm, they offer a weekly "After Dark" presentation for adults. Now, if you pick your nose, have unprotected coughs/sneezes, scratch your butt/balls but with a cocktail in your hand, at least you have an excuse. jk. Certain Thursdays they offer After Dark: Pairings. I think that is just another name for specialized yet limited h'orderves to coincide with the event planned for the week. In my opinion, they should offer it weekly and make it a Happy Hour thing. Us nerds also like snacks too, you know. We just never had the opportunity to enjoy it safely, or simply enjoy it at all. At least now, we can experience it within the haven of The Exploratorium. lol. read more

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The Exploratorium is a great place to go if you want to feel like a kid again. There are so many interactive exhibits - this place is huge! Lots of cool stuff to see, though it does get crowded. Little kids were everywhere hogging up the cool experiments, but there's always a few exhibits open while you wait your turn. Since this place is so big, you'll probably have to make multiple trips to see everything. I was there for 4 hours and didn't get see half of the exhibits, not because there was a wait, but because there are hundreds of them. I had an awesome time and would definitely go again. :) read more

SO MUCH FUN!!!!!! Newly reopened on the 17th. I came here on a Saturday because a friend from out of town wanted to check it out. It was quite busy but I totally expected it. KIDS GALORE! There is so much to do there I felt like I never waited that long to play with anything. SCIENCE IS COOL KIDS! You get a discount nextdoor at Tcho Chocolate with your entrance ticket :) read more

Very impressed with my first visit - so much fun things to see and do. With little ones, hard to see everything so the yearly membership is a must if you live in the area. It's a great space and there is a lot of room between the exhibits to not feel cramped. The restaurant/cafe is also very nice with a great selection of goodies for the kids. read more

Go to the gift store and ask for Jamin. I wondered into the Exploratorium Gift Store, the goal find gifts for my 2 nephews that will make me the coolest aunt ever. Jamin to the rescue, I gave him the ages of the boys and he made several fun recommendations, book, toys, games etc... he was very knowledgeable, excited and made some great recommendations. Big thanks to Jamin. read more

Throwback to the 'Science Station' from my hometown. An excellent place for adults as well as children. We went there for the afternoon and had a great time. A huge array of science based displays that encourage learning and/or refreshing ourselves on basic scientific principles, etc. An inquisitive mind can get lost here for hours of entertainment and come out having learned something. read more

Today, 3-14, is "Pi Day" & a FREE day at the Exploratorium on Pier 15 in SF! Where would our sciences and fellow geeks be without this profoundly elegant math constant? Filled w/ thought provoking interactive displays, the Exploratorium will stimulate the intellect from child to grandparent! Cheers! read more

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My experience at the Exploratorium was extremely amazing - it gets you "2nd grade field trip"'excited. I got exhausted running around the place, pressing random buttons and testing out all the cool gadgets. I'm from SoCal so the closest thing we have to this is the Discovery science center by Main Place Mall and I used to think that was cool... But then I went to the exploratorium! Haha. Definitely a place you need to check out if you're around the area and have a couple hours to spare.. read more

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The Exploratorium is one of those places you visit in the Bay for the experience of a hands-on museum filled with cool science experiments ranging from physics to psychology. I would say that visiting is one of those you do maybe a few times a year unless you have kids who love science museums. I went for a special exhibit, which is the biggest driver for me to visit again. A lot of the exhibits do not change often, so if you visit too much, then it is pretty much the same. Overall, it appealed to the engineer in me and encourages kids (and adults alike) to know that science isn't for nerds, but cool for everybody! TIP: If you are a Bay Area resident, tell the person that the register so! Show your Driver's License and get a discount. TIP 2: Come on a Thursday night if you want to avoid kids and get a drink. You end up not waiting as long for the exhibits to play with and less children running around. read more

Hands down one of the best museums i have ever visited. I was excited to be there during a weekday while school was in session, however, once the school groups started showing up, it got pretty busy and crowded. But the whole museum is interactive and if you or your kid loves science this is a MUST visit. So glad we made it. so worth the money. we spent about 2.5 hours here, but you can seriously spend all day if you really wanted to! read more

It is fun fore the whole family and a great time killer and the maze is worth it and it has great star and a great view of the ocean

Cool little interactive science exhibits that explores the realms of psychology, science, math, and other subjects. Went to an after dark event which was adults only. Member at the ticket kiosk said it would take around 2.5 hours to see everything but we only saw two of the six areas in that amount of time. Very interactive exhibits, would be a great place for a date with great sight lines into the bay. The exploratorium is located close the the BART, and short walks away from union square and China town. Need Togo again just to see the rest. read more

Don't go here if you have a toddler it's too much advanced learning for there age and they make you put a mask on your child and you as well. It's just not worth going because the employees inside will hassle you about not wearing a mask while at the same time they try to interact with you. It's not worth the money especially when the person at ticket office tells you one thing and the employees inside the exploratorium tell you something else . The ticket lady said you have to wear a mask but if your kid is three or younger they don't need to. Then when we are inside and playing with one of the exhibit objects one of their employees starts to play at the exhibit with Us but then like a snake asks me if I have a mask for my child and I said no I don't need one for him. Then he tells on me by getting another employee to come ask me the same question so I said the lady at the ticket office said kids three and under don't need one. Let me tell you my experience was not as fun because of that whole sf mandatory mask policy bs. Just don't go there it's boring anyway for a toddler it may be fun but not worth $50 for one adult and one toddler. I'd rather take him somewhere he can have fun without a mask. Oh and btw we drove over two hours to go there . read more

If you get there early enough, you can park across the street on the street for $2/ hr. Otherwise the lot they recommend across the street is $5/ hr. The only down side to street parking is that you can only pay for 4 hours at a time. We were there from 10am - 5pm and didn't get to play with everything. The place is huge. It's a great place for kids. Although some parents just let the kids "go" and that can be annoying at times. I highly recommend it and if you're close I'd get the family membership. read more

I love it here! I feel like a kid again when I come in here. They have many of the same exhibits from the old location, and also a bunch of new exhibits. My kids loved it and had a blast running around exploring everything. The location is beautiful and is just a 15 min. walk from BART. I would really like to go to their After Dark hours on Thursday just so I can look around without the kiddos. I bought the year membership and will be putting it to good use this year. read more

avoid weekends and/or summer as it is packed with kids expanded, larger than their old location, lots of the same old exhibits but plenty of new ones as well that take advantage of their waterfront locale. a neat and educational place to spend a few hours read more

Crowded. Tons to do and see, even free stuff outside. It's definitely a good place for the Chirrens. Loads of learnifications goin' on down here. read more