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Free Museum Admission Days in San Francisco 2023 & 2024
by Jill Loeffler •
Updated: November 29, 2023
Many San Francisco museums offer free admission to their facilities at least once a month. During these days, you gain access to each museum's permanent exhibits. Most of the monthly free admission days are on the first Sunday, Tuesday, or Wednesday of the month.
While some museums offer a free day every month, a handful of them offer free days just four to five times a year. These include the California Academy of Sciences (whose free days are on hold for now) and the Exploratorium.
Disclaimer: I receive a small commission from some of the links on this page.
Here is the general pattern of free days for each SF museum, in alphabetical order. You can also scroll down for a list of dates for each museum by month.
- Asian Art Museum: First Sunday of every month (sponsored by Target)
- Conservatory of Flowers: First Tuesday of every month
- Contemporary Jewish Museum: First Friday of every month
- de Young: First Tuesday of every month and first Saturday for locals in the 9 Bay Area counties
- Exploratorium: Four to five times a year
- GLBT: First Wednesday of the month (sponsored by the Bob Ross Foundation)
- Japanese Tea Garden: Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for those that arrive between 9 am and 10 am.
- Legion of Honor: First Tuesday of every month and first Saturday for locals in the 9 Bay Area counties
- Museum of African Diaspora: Free on the second Saturday of every month.
- SF Museum of Modern Art: Free the first Thursday of the month from 1 pm to 8 pm for locals in the 9 Bay Area Counties
- SF Botanical Gardens: Second Tuesday of every month, as well as Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, & New Year's Day. They also offer free admission for anyone arriving daily at the Main Gate between 7:30 am and 9 am.
Month by Month Calendar of Free Days
To make it easier for you, I've also created a month by month calendar for all of the museums mentioned above. Either scroll down or click on these links to jump ahead to a specific month.
Daily & Weekly Free Admissions
- Japanese Tea Garden: They offer free admission for anyone that enters between 9 am and 10 am on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings.
- Botanical Garden: It's free for anyone that enters through the Main Gate between 7:30 am and 9 am daily.
December 2023
Friday, December 1
- Contemporary Jewish Museum
Saturday, December 2
- de Young and Legion of Honor, all Bay Area residents (with ID)
Sunday, December 3
- SF Asian Art Museum
Tuesday, December 5
- Conservatory of Flowers
- de Young Museum
- Legion of Honor
Wednesday, December 6
- GLBT Museum
Thursday, December 7
- SF Museum of Modern Art, 1 pm to 8 pm for all Bay Area residents with an ID
Saturday, December 9
- Museum of African Diaspora
Sunday, December 10
- SF Museum of Modern Art, Free Community Day, grab your free tickets online in advance
Tuesday, December 12
- Botanical Garden
Monday, December 25 (Christmas Day)
- Botanical Garden
>> More fun things to do in December
>> More free ideas for December
Tickets to Top SF Museums
Can't make it during these free museum admission days in San Francisco? You can pick up your tickets in advance to enjoy these museums during your stay.
January 2024
Monday, January 1 (New Year's Day)
- SF Botanical Garden
Tuesday, January 2
- Conservatory of Flowers
- de Young Museum
- Legion of Honor
Wednesday, January 3
- GLBT Museum
Thursday, January 4
- SF Museum of Modern Art, 1 pm to 8 pm for all Bay Area residents with an ID
Friday, January 5
- Contemporary Jewish Museum
Saturday, January 6
- de Young and Legion of Honor, all Bay Area residents (with ID)
Sunday, January 7
- SF Asian Art Museum
Tuesday, January 9
- Botanical Garden
Saturday, January 13
- Museum of African Diaspora
>> More fun things to do in January
>> More free ideas for January
February 2024
Thursday, February 1
- SF Museum of Modern Art, 1 pm to 8 pm for all Bay Area residents with an ID
Friday, February 2
- Contemporary Jewish Museum
Sunday, February 4
- SF Asian Art Museum
Tuesday, February 6
- Conservatory of Flowers
- de Young Museum
- Legion of Honor
Wednesday, February 7
- GLBT Museum
Saturday, February 10
- Museum of African Diaspora
Tuesday, February 13
- Botanical Garden
March 2024
Friday, March 1
- Contemporary Jewish Museum
Sunday, March 3
- SF Asian Art Museum
Tuesday, March 5
- Conservatory of Flowers
- de Young Museum
- Legion of Honor
Wednesday, March 6
- GLBT Museum
Thursday, March 7
- SF Museum of Modern Art, 1 pm to 8 pm for all Bay Area residents with an ID
Saturday, March 9
- Museum of African Diaspora
Tuesday, March 12
- Botanical Garden
April 2024
Tuesday, April 2
- Conservatory of Flowers
- de Young Museum
- Legion of Honor
Wednesday, April 3
- GLBT Museum
Thursday, April 4
- SF Museum of Modern Art, 1 pm to 8 pm for all Bay Area residents with an ID
Friday, April 5
- Contemporary Jewish Museum
Sunday, April 7
- SF Asian Art Museum
Tuesday, April 9
- Botanical Garden
Saturday, April 13
- Museum of African Diaspora
More Free Things to Do in San Francisco
In addition to these free museum admission days, here are a few other free things to check out during your stay in San Francisco.
Lombard Street: Have you heard about San Francisco's famous crooked street? It's called Lombard Street and it's a fun place to check out during your visit. You can either walk or drive down this famous street with eight hairpin turns. For those walking, you will find a set of stairs on both sides where you can watch others as they try to maneuver around each turn. Learn more here.
Painted Ladies of Alamo Square: Another fun thing to do in San Francisco is to check out the famous Painted Ladies of Alamo Square. You will find them next to Alamo Square Park. They are six identical historic Victorians with a wonderful view of downtown SF behind them. Learn more about visiting here.
Street Art: One of the cool things about SF is that you will find street art all around town. My guide offers you details on where to find the best pieces and which neighborhoods have the largest concentration. Learn more here.
Comments? Questions? Suggestions?
I would love for you to join me in my private Facebook group!
It's a great place to interact with me and others who know the area well.
You can ask questions, get advice for your upcoming stay, and then share your photos and advice with others when you return home. It's a great community and the fastest way to get answers to those nagging questions about your visit!