San Francisco Museum Exhibits
Top Traveling & Temporary Shows for 2018 & 2019
Discover a full calendar of current and upcoming San Francisco museum exhibits. My schedule offers a monthly look at the top upcoming shows at popular museums such as the de Young, the SF Museum of Modern Art, and the Asian Art Museum.
The calendar includes traveling and temporary exhibits with the dates they will be open to the public. For many of the art exhibits, you will need to buy a ticket in addition to the general admission tickets. You can pick these up when you arrive or in advance online.
Click the links below to jump ahead to the month you plan to visit.
January 2019 | February 2019 | March 2019 | April 2019 | May 2019
Disclaimer: I recieve a small commission from some of the links on this page.
December 2018
Current calendar of San Francisco museum exhibits for December 2018.
Asian Art Museum
Haroon Mirza, Painting Is My Everything: Art from India's Mithila Region: 9/7 - 12/9
>> Find tips to visit this museum
California Historical Society
California Boomtowns: Photographs of San Francisco and Los Angeles -- 10/13 - 3/10
>> More about visiting this museum
Contemporary Jewish Museum
What We Hold: Youth Voices on Roots and What Matters Most -- 3/25/18-3/25/19
In That Case: Havruta in Contemporary Art, Oxossi Ayofemi and Risa Wechsler -- 7/26/18-7/30/19
Lew the Jew and His Circle: Origins of American Tattoo -- 7/26 - 6/9
Veiled Meanings: Fashioning Jewish Dress, from the Collection of The Israel Museum, Jerusalem -- 8/30/18 - 1/6/19
>> More about visiting the Contemporary Jewish Museum
de Young Museum of Fine Art
Fans of the Eighteenth Century -- 3/31/18 - 4/28/19
First Impressions: Prints from the Anderson Collection -- 6/2 - 12/8
Ranu Mukherjee: A Bright Stage -- 7/14 - 1/20
Contemporary Muslim Fashion -- 9/22 - 1/6
Gauguin: A Spiritual Journey -- 11/17 - 4/7
Specters of Disruption -- 8/15 - 4/30
Steve Kahn: The Hollywood Suites -- 9/29 - 3/31
Native Artists of Western North America -- Through 12/31
Ordinary Objects/Wild Things -- 12/15 - 6/23
>> More about visiting the de Young
Legion of Honor
The Future of the Past: Mummies and Medicine -- 5/14/16 - 4/7/19
East Meets West: Jewels of the Maharajas from the Al Thani Collection -- 11/3 - 2/24
Islam and the Classical Heritage -- 8/25 - 1/27
>> More about visiting the Legion of Honor
Museum of Modern Art (SF MOMA)
New Work: Etel Adnan -- 9/1 - 1/6
Louise Bourgeios: Spiders -- 10/7 - 7/14
Louis Stettner: Traveling Light -- 10/27 - 5/27
Alexander Calder -- 10/21/2017 - 1/13/2019
Johannes Brus: New to the Collection -- 10/27 - 5/27
Art & China After 1989: Theater of the World -- 11/10 - 2/24
Brassai -- 11/17 - 2/18
Vija Celmins: To Fix the Image in Memory -- 12/15 - 3/31
Wayne Thiebaud -- 9/29 - 3/10
The Sea Ranch -- 12/22 - 4/28
>> Tips for visiting the SF MOMA
Walt Disney
Walt Disney's Nine Old Men, The Masters of Animation -- 5/17 - 1/7
>> More on visiting the Disney Museum
>> Top things to do every December in SF
>> Best events this month in SF
Hop On Hop Off Bus: One of the best ways to explore the city and these San Francisco museum exhibits is with the Hop On Hop Off Bus. It will take you directly from attraction to attraction with ease. Learn more about the 2-day tour here.
January 2019
California Historical Society
California Boomtowns: Photographs of San Francisco and Los Angeles -- 10/13 - 3/10
Contemporary Jewish Museum
What We Hold: Youth Voices on Roots and What Matters Most -- 3/25/18-3/25/19
In That Case: Havruta in Contemporary Art, Oxossi Ayofemi and Risa Wechsler -- 7/26/18-7/30/19
Lew the Jew and His Circle: Origins of American Tattoo -- 7/26 - 6/9
Veiled Meanings: Fashioning Jewish Dress, from the Collection of The Israel Museum, Jerusalem -- 8/30/18 - 1/6/19
de Young Museum of Fine Art
Fans of the Eighteenth Century -- 3/31/18 - 4/28/19
Ranu Mukherjee: A Bright Stage -- 7/14 - 1/20
Specters of Disruption -- 8/15 - 4/30
Contemporary Muslim Fashion -- 9/22 - 1/6
Steve Kahn: The Hollywood Suites -- 9/29 - 3/31
Gauguin: A Spiritual Journey -- 11/17 - 4/7
Ordinary Objects/Wild Things -- 12/15 - 6/23
Legion of Honor
The Future of the Past: Mummies and Medicine -- 5/14/16 - 4/7/19
East Meets West: Jewels of the Maharajas from the Al Thani Collection -- 11/3 - 2/24
Islam and the Classical Heritage -- 8/25 - 1/27
Museum of Modern Art (SF MOMA)
New Work: Etel Adnan -- 9/1 - 1/6
Louise Bourgeios: Spiders -- 10/7 - 7/14
Louis Stettner: Traveling Light -- 10/27 - 5/27
Alexander Calder -- 10/21/2017 - 1/13/2019
Johannes Brus: New to the Collection -- 10/27 - 5/27
Wayne Thiebaud -- 9/29 - 3/10
Art & China After 1989: Theater of the World -- 11/10 - 2/24
Brassai -- 11/17 - 2/18
Vija Celmins: To Fix the Image in Memory -- 12/15 - 3/31
Walt Disney
Walt Disney's Nine Old Men, The Masters of Animation -- 5/17 - 1/7
>> Additional events in January
>> More things to do this January
February 2019
Asian Art Museum
Kimono Refashioned -- 2/8 - 5/5
California Historical Society
California Boomtowns: Photographs of San Francisco and Los Angeles -- 10/13 - 3/10
Contemporary Jewish Museum
What We Hold: Youth Voices on Roots and What Matters Most -- 3/25/18-3/25/19
In That Case: Havruta in Contemporary Art, Oxossi Ayofemi and Risa Wechsler -- 7/26/18-7/30/19
Lew the Jew and His Circle: Origins of American Tattoo -- 7/26 - 6/9
Show Me As I Want to Be Seen -- 2/7 - 7/7
de Young Museum of Fine Art
Fans of the Eighteenth Century -- 3/31/18 - 4/28/19
Gauguin: A Spiritual Journey -- 11/17 - 4/7
Specters of Disruption -- 8/15 - 4/30
Steve Kahn: The Hollywood Suites -- 9/29 - 3/31
Ordinary Objects/Wild Things -- 12/15 - 6/23
Monet: The Late Years -- 2/16 - 5/27
Legion of Honor
The Future of the Past: Mummies and Medicine -- 5/14/16 - 4/7/19
East Meets West: Jewels of the Maharajas from the Al Thani Collection -- 11/3 - 2/24
Museum of Modern Art (SF MOMA)
Louis Stettner: Traveling Light -- 10/27 - 5/27
Wayne Thiebaud -- 9/29 - 3/10
Louise Bourgeios: Spiders -- 10/7 - 7/14
Johannes Brus: New to the Collection -- 10/27 - 5/27
Art & China After 1989: Theater of the World -- 11/10 - 2/24
Brassai -- 11/17 - 2/18
The Sea Ranch -- 12/22 - 4/28
Vija Celmins: To Fix the Image in Memory -- 12/15 - 3/31
>> Additional things to do in February
March 2019
Asian Art Museum
Kimono Refashioned -- 2/8 - 5/5
California Historical Society
California Boomtowns: Photographs of San Francisco and Los Angeles -- 10/13 - 3/10
Contemporary Jewish Museum
What We Hold: Youth Voices on Roots and What Matters Most -- 3/25/18-3/25/19
In That Case: Havruta in Contemporary Art, Oxossi Ayofemi and Risa Wechsler -- 7/26/18-7/30/19
Lew the Jew and His Circle: Origins of American Tattoo -- 7/26 - 6/9
Show Me As I Want to Be Seen -- 2/7 - 7/7
de Young Museum of Fine Art
Fans of the Eighteenth Century -- 3/31/18 - 4/28/19
Gauguin: A Spiritual Journey -- 11/17 - 4/7
Specters of Disruption -- 8/15 - 4/30
Steve Kahn: The Hollywood Suites -- 9/29 - 3/31
Ordinary Objects/Wild Things -- 12/15 - 6/23
Monet: The Late Years -- 2/16 - 5/27
Legion of Honor
The Future of the Past: Mummies and Medicine -- 5/14/16 - 4/7/19
Museum of Modern Art (SF MOMA)
Wayne Thiebaud -- 9/29 - 3/10
Louise Bourgeios: Spiders -- 10/7 - 7/14
Louis Stettner: Traveling Light -- 10/27 - 5/27
Johannes Brus: New to the Collection -- 10/27 - 5/27
Vija Celmins: To Fix the Image in Memory -- 12/15 - 3/31
snap+share: transmitting photographs from mail art to social networks -- 3/30 - 8/4
>> Other things to do this month
April 2019
Asian Art Museum
Kimono Refashioned -- 2/8 - 5/5
Contemporary Jewish Museum
In That Case: Havruta in Contemporary Art, Oxossi Ayofemi and Risa Wechsler -- 7/26/18-7/30/19
Lew the Jew and His Circle: Origins of American Tattoo -- 7/26 - 6/9
Show Me As I Want to Be Seen -- 2/7 - 7/7
de Young Museum of Fine Art
Fans of the Eighteenth Century -- 3/31/18 - 4/28/19
Specters of Disruption -- 8/15 - 4/30
Gauguin: A Spiritual Journey -- 11/17 - 4/7
Ordinary Objects/Wild Things -- 12/15 - 6/23
Monet: The Late Years -- 2/16 - 5/27
Legion of Honor
The Future of the Past: Mummies and Medicine -- 5/14/16 - 4/7/19
The Early Celebrity of Peter Paul Rubens -- 4/6 - 9/8
Museum of Modern Art (SF MOMA)
Louis Stettner: Traveling Light -- 10/27 - 5/27
The Sea Ranch -- 12/22 - 4/28
Louise Bourgeios: Spiders -- 10/7 - 7/14
Johannes Brus: New to the Collection -- 10/27 - 5/27
snap+share: transmitting photographs from mail art to social networks -- 3/30 - 8/4
Suzanne Lacy: We Are Here -- 4/20 - 8/4
>> More April events around SF
>> Additional fun things to do this month
May 2019
Asian Art Museum
Kimono Refashioned -- 2/8 - 5/5
Contemporary Jewish Museum
In That Case: Havruta in Contemporary Art, Oxossi Ayofemi and Risa Wechsler -- 7/26/18-7/30/19
Lew the Jew and His Circle: Origins of American Tattoo -- 7/26 - 6/9
Show Me As I Want to Be Seen -- 2/7 - 7/7
de Young Museum of Fine Art
Ordinary Objects/Wild Things -- 12/15 - 6/23
Monet: The Late Years -- 2/16 - 5/27
Legion of Honor
The Early Celebrity of Peter Paul Rubens -- 4/6 - 9/8
Museum of Modern Art (SF MOMA)
Louis Stettner: Traveling Light -- 10/27 - 5/27
Johannes Brus: New to the Collection -- 10/27 - 5/27
Louise Bourgeios: Spiders -- 10/7 - 7/14
snap+share: transmitting photographs from mail art to social networks -- 3/30 - 8/4
Suzanne Lacy: We Are Here -- 4/20 - 8/4
>> More fun things to do all around town this month
June 2019
Contemporary Jewish Museum
In That Case: Havruta in Contemporary Art, Oxossi Ayofemi and Risa Wechsler -- 7/26/18-7/30/19
Lew the Jew and His Circle: Origins of American Tattoo -- 7/26 - 6/9
Show Me As I Want to Be Seen -- 2/7 - 7/7
Daria Martin -- 6/27 - 2/19
de Young Museum of Fine Art
Ordinary Objects/Wild Things -- 12/15 - 6/23
Legion of Honor
The Early Celebrity of Peter Paul Rubens -- 4/6 - 9/8
Museum of Modern Art (SF MOMA)
Louise Bourgeios: Spiders -- 10/7 - 7/14
snap+share: transmitting photographs from mail art to social networks -- 3/30 - 8/4
Suzanne Lacy: We Are Here -- 4/20 - 8/4
>> SF events calendar for June
>> More things to do in SF in June
July 2019
Contemporary Jewish Museum
In That Case: Havruta in Contemporary Art, Oxossi Ayofemi and Risa Wechsler -- 7/26/18-7/30/19
Show Me As I Want to Be Seen -- 2/7 - 7/7
Daria Martin -- 6/27 - 2/19
Annabeth Rosen: Fired, Broken, Gathered, Heaped -- 7/25 - 1/19
Legion of Honor
The Early Celebrity of Peter Paul Rubens -- 4/6 - 9/8
Museum of Modern Art (SF MOMA)
Louise Bourgeios: Spiders -- 10/7 - 7/14
snap+share: transmitting photographs from mail art to social networks -- 3/30 - 8/4
Suzanne Lacy: We Are Here -- 4/20 - 8/4
>> More SF activities this month
August 2019
Contemporary Jewish Museum
Daria Martin -- 6/27 - 2/19
Annabeth Rosen: Fired, Broken, Gathered, Heaped -- 7/25 - 1/19
Legion of Honor
The Early Celebrity of Peter Paul Rubens -- 4/6 - 9/8
Museum of Modern Art (SF MOMA)
snap+share: transmitting photographs from mail art to social networks -- 3/30 - 8/4
Suzanne Lacy: We Are Here -- 4/20 - 8/4
>> More events this month in SF
>> Additional fun things to do in August
September 2019
Contemporary Jewish Museum
Daria Martin -- 6/27 - 2/19
Annabeth Rosen: Fired, Broken, Gathered, Heaped -- 7/25 - 1/19
Legion of Honor
The Early Celebrity of Peter Paul Rubens -- 4/6 - 9/8
>> Additional things to do this month in SF
More About These Museums
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Art Museum |
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Flowers |
Jewish Museum |
Arts Museum |
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Honor |
Modern Art |
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Hi there! I'm Jill and I love writing about San Francisco travel as much as I love exploring my amazing city. Thanks for stopping by and please contact me if you have any questions before your trip.
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