Free (and Almost Free) Museum Days in San Francisco

San Francisco’s museums aren’t cheap, but with a little planning you can see most of them for free. Here’s every recurring free day and discount we could verify as of fall 2026, organized so you can plan a month of outings.

Monthly free days

de Young Museum

General admission is free for everyone on the first Tuesday of the month, and every Saturday for residents of the nine Bay Area counties (bring ID). Visitors 17 and under are always free to the permanent collection. Special exhibitions cost extra.

50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr, Golden Gate Park · Free & reduced admission

Legion of Honor

Same policy as the de Young: free first Tuesdays for everyone, free Saturdays for Bay Area residents, and always free for 17 and under. The Lincoln Park setting and Golden Gate views are a bonus.

100 34th Ave · famsf.org

Asian Art Museum

Free for everyone on the first Sunday of every month, and free for kids 12 and under every day. Special exhibitions are discounted on free Sundays.

200 Larkin St · Upcoming free Sundays: Oct 4, Nov 1, Dec 6, 2026 · asianart.org

Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD)

Free for everyone on the second Saturday of each month, and always free for kids under 12. MoAD is closed through September 29, 2026 for a new installation.

685 Mission St · moadsf.org

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

The galleries are free for everyone every Wednesday, open until 8pm, and always free for visitors 17 and under.

701 Mission St · ybca.org

Museum of Craft and Design

A small, delightful design museum in Dogpatch that’s free on the first Thursday of each month and always free for kids 12 and under.

2569 Third St · sfmcd.org

Always free

Randall Museum

Live animals, a model railroad and hands-on science, with no admission fee ever.

199 Museum Way · Tue–Sat 10am–5pm · randallmuseum.org

Cable Car Museum

Watch the giant wheels that pull the city’s cable cars from the viewing gallery. Free, and now closed Mondays.

1201 Mason St · cablecarmuseum.org · More in Nob Hill

Musée Mécanique

Free to walk in; you only pay to play the antique coin-operated machines.

Pier 45, Fisherman’s Wharf · museemecaniquesf.com

Free for kids & teens

SFMOMA

Visitors 18 and under are always free (reserve a ticket). SFMOMA also holds occasional Free Family Days; the next is October 25, 2026. Its Free First Thursdays have been paused since early 2026.

151 Third St · sfmoma.org/free-days

Discounts & passes

SF Public Library Discover & Go

SF library cardholders can reserve free passes to places like Cal Academy, the Exploratorium, SFMOMA, the de Young and the Asian Art Museum. Book up to three months ahead; weekend passes go fast.

sfpl.org/discover-and-go

Bank of America Museums on Us

Bank of America, Merrill and U.S. Trust cardholders get one free general admission on the first full weekend of each month at participating museums, including the de Young and Legion of Honor.

Upcoming weekends: Oct 3–4, Nov 7–8, Dec 5–6, 2026 (dates can shift) · Details

California Academy of Sciences

There’s no longer a regular free day, but kids 2 and under are always free, EBT cardholders pay $5, and you get $3 off for arriving by foot, bike or transit.

calacademy.org

Exploratorium

The one public free day is a pay-what-you-wish Community Day on Mother’s Day. Year-round, $3 tickets are available with EBT or Medi-Cal, and kids 3 and under are free.

exploratorium.edu

The Walt Disney Family Museum

No public free day, but kids 5 and under are always free, and families on public benefits get in free through SF Museums for All.

waltdisney.org

Free events coming up

Policies were checked in September 2026 and can change. Always confirm on the museum’s site before you go.