The Exploratorium was founded in 1969 by physicist Frank Oppenheimer, who believed people learn science by playing with it rather than by reading labels. For decades it filled the hall behind the Palace of Fine Arts. In 2013 it moved to Pier 15 on the Embarcadero, with glass walls over the bay.
What is inside
The museum has hundreds of exhibits you are meant to touch, spin, listen to and climb into, grouped into galleries on light and seeing, sound, living things, the human mind, and the bay itself. Many were built in the museum's own workshop, which you can watch through the windows. Nothing is behind glass for long.
The outdoor area on the end of the pier looks at the bay, the weather and the tides, and some of it can be visited free.
The Tactile Dome
A pitch-dark maze you crawl, slide and climb through by touch alone. It needs a separate timed ticket, sells out, and is not for anyone uneasy in tight dark spaces.
After Dark
On Thursday evenings the museum opens for adults only, with drinks, talks and a very different crowd. It is one of the best evenings out in the city.
Practical notes
Allow at least three hours; most people underestimate it. There is a café on site. It is a ten-minute walk from the Ferry Building. For more family ideas, see San Francisco with kids.
Highlights
- The Fog Bridge: an outdoor walkway between piers that periodically disappears inside a cloud of artificial fog, by the artist Fujiko Nakaya.
- The Tinkering Studio, where visitors build machines, circuits and marble runs from everyday materials alongside the museum's educators.
- The optical illusions and the "Seeing" gallery, which show how easily the eye and brain are fooled.
- The Bay Observatory, a glass-walled gallery on the upper level with instruments tracking the bay's tides, water quality and weather, and views of the city.
- The Living Systems gallery, with microscopes, plankton and live specimens.
Who it suits
Children from about five years old upwards get the most out of it, along with curious adults. Toddlers enjoy parts of it but may tire quickly; there are quieter corners. Teenagers who think they are too old for science museums usually change their minds at the optical illusions or in the Tinkering Studio.
Planning your visit
- Time: three to four hours is typical. Families with older children can easily spend a full day.
- Tickets: buy online to skip the queue at the door. The Tactile Dome needs a separate reservation.
- Food: a café and a restaurant on site, or the Ferry Building ten minutes' walk away.
- Getting there: the F-line streetcar stops in front of Pier 15. It is a short walk from the Embarcadero BART and Muni station.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Exploratorium good for adults without children?
Yes, and the Thursday evening adults-only sessions are designed for them.
What is the best time to visit?
Weekday afternoons, after school groups leave. Weekends are busiest in the morning.
Is it accessible?
The museum is on one main level with elevators to the upper gallery, and many exhibits can be used from a wheelchair.