NOTE: On December 6, San Francisco (and a few surrounding counties) will once again be on a stay-at-home order. This will last indefinitely. Click here for more information.
Head over to the Fort Mason Center to visit the Museo Italo Americano, San Francisco's Italian American Museum. This small, but impressive free attraction celebrates Italian culture and heritage.
This is the only museum in the US dedicated exclusively to Italian and Italian American art and culture.
The Italian neighborhood of North Beach was this museum's original home. It was established in 1978.
After spending time above Caffe Malvina and then in the historic Casa Fugazi building, the Museo Italo Americano moved to Building C in the Fort Mason Center.
This Italian American Museum in San Francisco is home to a small permanent collection. They also host several traveling exhibits each year as well. You can also take Italian language courses, see a film, attend a lecture or a special event. In addition, they also offer guided tours of Italy.
Admission to this SF museum is FREE. Their hours are 12pm - 4pm, Tuesday through Sunday. Mondays by appointment only.
Discover additional free museums in SF.
You will find a large assortment of paintings, sculptures, photographs and works on paper in their permanent collection. One of their most famous works is by Emilio Tadini. He completed this piece, acrylic on canvas, in 1982.
One of their other famous pieces is by John Grillo. He completed this watercolor on paper in 1948.
The Museo Italo Americano also has a number of beautiful sculptures. This one from Benny Bufano is a bronze sculpture entitled "Elephant".
Some of the other popular artists with works on display here include:
In addition to their permanent collection, the Museo Italo Americano also hosts several traveling exhibits throughout the year. Some of their past exhibits include Venini Glass & Design, Futurism & Fascism and Ghirardelli: Portrait of a Family, 1849 - 1999.
During my last visit, I got the chance to see their exhibit entitled "Contemporaneity: Signs of Modern Times". It displayed works from several artists including Maurizio Piccirillo, Ivano Emilio Zanetti and Paride Bianco.
The Museo Italo Americano is not just an Italian American museum, but an important cultural center for the Italian community. One of their missions is to promote educational programs that help preserve the Italian American culture for future generations.
That means you can also:
The museum is in Building C in the Fort Mason Center. You will find it on the first floor, to your right when you enter the building.
From Fisherman's Wharf
From Union Square
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Hi there! I'm Jill Loeffler and welcome to my site. I've been exploring San Francisco for almost two decades and I can't wait to help you find the best things to do here! Thanks for stopping by and please contact me if you have any questions before your trip.