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SF Asian Art Museum: Hours, Parking, Free Days & Tips to Visit
by Jill Loeffler •
Updated: January 15, 2023
The SF Asian Art Museum is a personal favorite of mine. Inside this interesting San Francisco museum, you will get an up-close look at more than 2,000 artifacts (from their collection of more than 18,000 pieces) created over the span of 6,000 years.
It also attracts a number of amazing traveling exhibits every year, so make sure to check these out too during your visit.
Highlights for the SF Art Museum
- The museum is open with limited capacity.
- They are open 5 days a week from Friday - Monday at 10 am to 5 pm with Thursdays from 1 pm to 8 pm. They are closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
- Admission ranges from $14 to $20 per person. Thursday nights are half price. The first Sunday of every month is free.
- You will find it in the Civic Center District at 200 Larkin Street.
- Most people spend about 2 to 3 hours here during their visit.
- Must book timed tickets in advance to ensure entry. A few timed tickets will be available at the door each day but are not guaranteed.
Everything You Need to Know About the SF Asian Art Museum
How much is admission? Do the special exhibits cost extra?
When do they have free days? Are there any other discount options?
What are the hours for the SF Asian Art Museum? What days are you closed? What are your holiday hours?
What exhibits will I see inside? What is a schedule of their special exhibits?
When is the best time to visit? How long should I plan for my visit?
Is there a place to eat inside the museum? What are the hours?
Where is the best place to park nearby? How can I get here on public transit? What is the best BART stop for the museum?
What are the best hotels nearby?
Is there a coat check?
Is the museum ADA accessible?
What is the history of the SF Asian Art Museum?
Disclaimer: I receive a small commission from some of the links on this page.
SF Asian Art Museum Visiting Tips: Hours, Tickets, & Tours
Admission Prices
- Adults: $20
- Seniors (65 & older): $17
- College Students (with ID), & Youths (13-17): $14
- Free: Ages 12 and under, active duty military, essential workers, members, and SFUSD students
- The First Sunday of each month is free
- Most special exhibits cost about $10 extra per person
You will need an additional ticket to see some of their temporary exhibits. You can pick up these tickets at the door when you arrive, so you can learn more about the exhibits before buying the tickets. Visit this page for a calendar of all upcoming exhibits at the SF Asian Art Museum.
Free Admission Days to the SF Asian Art Museum
The SF Asian Art Museum is one of several San Francisco museums that offers free admission days once a month. Their free days are supported by Target and are the first Sunday of each month.
Free admission on these days include access to their permanent collection. There is still a charge to see some of their temporary exhibits.
>> Find a full calendar of free days at SF museums
Discount Passes that Include the SF Asian Art Museum
You can also save money on admission through one of SF's discount passes. These passes include admission to numerous museums and attractions around San Francisco. You can often save 40 to 50% vs. the cost of purchasing the tickets individually.
This is the best San Francisco discount passes that includes admission to the SF Asian Art Museum.
Go City: The Go City is a discount pass. It's a popular option. You have the choice to select the pass that is right for you based on the number of days you plan to use it. You can buy a 1, 2, 3-or 5-day pass. In additional to admission to the SF Asian Art Museum, you can also visit the California Academy of Sciences, the Aquarium of the Bay, or the SF Museum of Modern Art.
>> Learn more and pick up your pass today
Regular & Holiday Hours
Here are their current hours of operations.
- Thursday from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Friday - Monday from 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
- Closed on Tuesday and Wednesday
What are the holiday hours? The SF Asian Art Museum is open all holidays except January 1, Thanksgiving Day, and December 25.
Daily Guided & Multi-Media Tours
The SF Asian Art Museum also offers several free guided tours every day. These change frequently, so request a copy of their schedule for that day when you arrive.
You can also do a self-guided multimedia tour. The audio tour offers highlights of the exhibits in several languages. You can either download their app on your phone or borrow an iPod Touch for free at the front desk. These tours are offered in English, French, Spanish, Korean, Mandarin or Cantonese.
Enhance Your Visit with the Exhibit Videos
You will also notice several video players throughout the museum. Pick up the headsets and hit play to learn even more about the region, a specific country, or the artifacts in a specific room.
Photo Policy
Many of the traveling exhibits do not allow photography. However, you are allowed to take photos in most of the rest of the museum (except where noted). Make sure you turn off your flash and leave your tripod at home.
SF Asian Art Museum Exhibits
You will find a large permanent collection as well as one to two amazing temporary SF Asian Art Museum exhibits. The floor space is well laid out and I have no doubt you will fall in love with their collection (like me!)
First Floor of the Museum
I recommend that you start your visit on the first floor of the SF Asian Art Museum. This is where they house the majority of the traveling exhibits.
After you enter, head to your left. You should see signs that direct you to the door where the special exhibit is located.
Many of these exhibits do not allow photography, so make sure you ask before taking any pictures in this area.
After you view the exhibit or exhibits in this area, head to the other side of the gift shop. Here is where you'll find the escalator. Take it to the very top.
Third Floor of this SF Museum
The best flow for your museum visit is by heading up to the third or top floor. Once you exit the escalator, head into the door on the right.
The first exhibit you will view is the South Asia Exhibit. This is where you will see several works of art from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Here is a photo from one of the six rooms that showcases this exhibit.
The South Asia exhibit at the San Francisco Asian Art Museum.After you finish in these rooms, you'll see a small room off to the left featuring artifacts from Iran and the surrounding countries. This exhibit is called The Persian World and West Asia.
The next set of rooms is dedicated to Southeast Asia. The four rooms of this gallery include items from Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Burma, Laos, Malaysia and the Philippines.
Here is just a sample of what you will see here.
You will then enter a small exhibit on The Himalayas and the Tibetan Buddhist World. From there, you'll enter the largest exhibit which includes hundreds of pieces from China.
The first room you enter is one of my favorites. It includes several small, yet intricate statues carved out of jade. It's officially known as the Chinese Jade Gallery.
There are three more rooms on the third floor showcasing larger statues from China.
Once you finish in the room shown above - continue down the hall and you will find a set of stairs. Take these stairs down to the second level. This is where you will find three additional rooms featuring more ancient artifacts from China.
Second Floor of the SF Asian Art Museum
The second to last room in the China exhibit is another one of my favorites. It shows you the intricacies of the written Chinese language.
After you finish the exhibit on China, you will see three rooms with art from Korea. Some of the first pieces date back to 1392.
The next, and final, area is dedicated to art from Japan. Here you will see pieces depicting early Japanese life as well as porcelain, prints and tea related art.
Once you complete this exhibit, head out the doors and take the escalator back to the first floor.
Fun Fact: Which exhibit houses the oldest works of art? The China exhibit showcases pieces that are from around 221 BC.
Special Exhibits
The SF Asian Art Museum has amazing traveling and special exhibits. They bring in exhibits from around the world and I highly recommend adding them to your ticket. You can either purchase the tickets in advance or when you arrive. I usually wait until I arrive and then add on the extra ticket if it's something I really want to see.
>> Visit this page to see a list of all upcoming special exhibits here
When is the Best Time to Visit?
The best time to visit the SF Asian Art Museum is during the week. I like to arrive first thing when they open, which is usually when they aren't very busy. It's nice to walk through the museum with few others around. However, this museum is quite large and there is usually plenty of space for everyone to spread out yet still admire all of their interesting pieces.
How Long Should I Plan for My Visit?
I absolutely love taking my time when I visit the SF Asian Art Museum. On average, I would allow for at least 2 to 2.5 hours to see all of the exhibits. Add on another 30 minutes to an hour if you plan to visit some of their temporary exhibits on the first floor.
Cafe Inside the SF Asian Art Museum
Yes, the SF Asian Art Museum does have a café. It's called Sunday at the Museum.
The café is open Friday - Monday from 11 am to 4 pm and on Thursday from 1 pm to 7 pm.
Parking Near the SF Asian Art Museum
If you plan to drive, you will find plenty of parking near the SF Asian Art Museum. Here are a few options within a couple of blocks. All prices mentioned can change at any time, so make sure to check with them when you pull in for that day's rates.
Civic Center Garage: This parking lot is under the Civic Center Plaza and right across the street from the SF Asian Art Museum. It's at 355 McAllister Street.
UC Hastings College of Law Garage: Just a block up the street is another public parking lot. It's at 376 Larkin Street.
Fox Plaza: If both of those are full, my third choice is the lot in Fox Plaza at 1390 Market Street. It's my third choice because it's about 3 blocks away and you must enter off Market, which is a busy street.
Tips to Get to the SF Asian Art Museum
From Union Square: The easiest way to get from Union Square to the SF Asian Art Museum is by taking a light rail Muni train or one of the street cars.
- Light Rail: Pick up the light rail train at the Powell Street station at Powell and Market Streets. Take any of the outbound trains to the Civic Center stop. Once you reach street level, look for Hyde Street. Take this one block north to Fulton Street where you will take a left. Walk one block to Larkin Street and the museum is on your right.
- F Streetcar: The F Streetcar rides above ground along Market Street. Hop off at the Larkin Street stop. Head north two blocks to the museum.
From Fisherman's Wharf: The easiest way to get from Fisherman's Wharf is by taking the F Streetcar or the 47 Caltrain Bus.
- F Streetcar: You can pick up the F Streetcar at the corner of Jones and Beach Streets in Fisherman's Wharf. You will then follow the same instructions as those above for visitors coming from Union Square.
- 47 Bus: This will take about the same amount of time as the F Street Car. Hop on this bus on North Point Street and take it all the way to the McAllister Street stop. Head across the street toward City Hall and continue for two blocks down McAllister Street until you see the museum.
BART to the SF Asian Art Museum: If you plan to take BART to the SF Asian Art Museum, take it to the Civic Center stop. This will get you within a couple of blocks of the museum and you can easily walk from any exit.
Caltrain to the SF Asian Art Museum: If you plan to take Caltrain to the SF Asian Art Museum, you will need to transfer to a local Muni bus. Pick up the 47 heading towards Fisherman's Wharf (ask the driver to confirm you are heading toward the Civic Center district). Take it to the Van Ness and McAllister stop. From here, head east three blocks to the museum. The bus trip takes about 20 to 25 minutes.
Local Secret: While you in the neighborhood, I also recommend a quick stop over at SF's City Hall. It's right across the plaza from the Asian Art Museum. It's free to enter and take a look around. You will not be disappointed. Find out more about this little-known SF attraction.
Hotels Near the SF Asian Art Museum
You will find dozens of hotels near the SF Asian Art Museum. Here are just a few of my top picks.
Hotel Whitcomb: 3.5 star historic hotel, 3 block away, right on Market which allows easy access all around SF, read recent guest reviews
BEI Hotel San Francisco: Right next to the Hotel Whitcomb is the Holiday Inn Civic Center. Only 4 blocks away from the SF Asian Art Museum, 3.5-star hotel on 8th between Mission and Market. Find recent reviews and book here
Inn at the Opera: To the west of the Civic Center district is the Inn at the Opera. 3.5-hotel with easy access to all of the top restaurants in the Hayes Valley district. Read reviews from guests and book
Check out these pages for additional suggestions nearby.
Civic Center | Union Square | South of Market
Coat Check
The SF Asian Art Museum does have a coat check. It's currently closed due to COVID-19 regulations.
ADA Accessibility
The SF Asian Art Museum is accessible and strives to welcome everyone to see their exhibits. Here are a few more details.
Wheelchair Access
There are both pick up and drop off locations for those in wheelchairs as well as accessible parking spots right outside the museum. All entrances are accessible to those in wheelchairs. The floors inside are flat and easy to navigate. There are also elevators to help you get from floor to floor.
If you don't want to bring along your own wheelchair, they have a few manual wheelchairs available on a first come, first served basis. You can ask for them when you check in.
More Information on ADA Accessibility
Guide & Service Dogs: Trained guide and service dogs are welcome.
Assistance Tickets: Admission is free to anyone assisting a patron with special needs.
Large Print Labels: Many of the special exhibits feature large print labels. You can also download the information cards online to review before you arrive.
ASL Interpreters: They are available upon request. Please contact the museum at least two weeks before your visit, so they can set this up for you before you arrive.
Mobile Guides: For blind and low-vision visitors, you can borrow the museum's iPods which contain self-guided audio tours for free. They are sanitized between uses and are in multiple languages.
Brief History
What is the history of the SF Asian Art Museum? After a generous donation of artifacts from Chicago businessman Avery Brundage in 1959, a new wing was added to the de Young Museum to showcase his donated pieces.
Brundage continued to collect and offered the city of San Francisco an additional donation of pieces in 1969. However, he wanted SF to build a separate museum just to display these pieces. It was built in Golden Gate Park.
Upon Brundage's death in 1975, he donated the rest of his collection to the SF Asian Art Museum. His total donation was around 7,700 pieces over the years.
As the museum continued to grow, they needed a larger space to show their collection. They moved to their current location in March 2003.
Comments? Questions? Suggestions?
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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!