Child exploring a fog exhibit at the Exploratorium in San Francisco.
Silhouette of a person reaching towards colorful light display at the Exploratorium.
Child exploring exhibit with adult at the Exploratorium, San Francisco.
Visitors enjoying colorful light exhibit at the Exploratorium, San Francisco.
Visitors enjoying interactive exhibits at the Exploratorium in San Francisco.
Visitors engaging with interactive exhibit at the Exploratorium, San Francisco.
Guests interacting at a science-themed bar in the Exploratorium, San Francisco.

Exploratorium Tickets, San Francisco

San Francisco
Museums
Google Verified Seller

Duration: 1 hour (approx.)

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The Exploratorium in San Francisco is a dynamic museum where science and art intersect through more than 600 interactive exhibits. Designed to spark curiosity, its six themed galleries explore topics like physics, human perception, and environmental science with hands-on learning experiences for all ages.

Explore over 650 hands-on exhibits, including tornado simulations and distorted mirrors that make science fun and engaging.

Navigate the pitch-black Tactile Dome, where your sense of touch guides you through an immersive experience.

Engage with installations like the Giant Bubble Maker, to create and manipulate massive soap bubbles, and the Shadow Box, where you can play with light and shadow.

Discover unique installations like the Wave Organ, which creates music from the bay’s waves, and explore color perception in the Color of Emotions exhibit.

Fun fact: The Rolling Through the Bay toothpick sculpture took over 37 years to complete and uses more than 100,000 toothpicks.

Entry to Exploratorium

Multilingual museum map

Access to the Tactile Dome experience

Child exploring a fog exhibit at the Exploratorium in San Francisco.

Child exploring a fog exhibit at the Exploratorium in San Francisco.

The Exploratorium offers an innovative collection of over 600 exhibits, with a quarter developed specifically for this location. You can explore 6 distinct galleries, each designed to engage with different scientific concepts, from human perception to life sciences. The exhibits cover a wide range of topics, including physics, the local environment, and human behavior. Many are interactive, allowing guests to engage in hands-on experiences that make science and art come alive.

Immersive galleries & hands-on learning

Each gallery provides a focused learning environment. Gallery 1 delves into human behavior and perception with exhibits like All Eyes on Me and the pitch-black Tactile Dome, while Gallery 2 encourages creativity and tinkering with stop-motion animation stations and the intricate Rolling Through the Bay sculpture. In Gallery 3, visitors explore the physics of light and sound through classic exhibits like Bright Black, while Gallery 4 highlights the life sciences with live biological displays, including the Bacteriopolis and a live chicken embryo exhibit.

Real-time observation & outdoor exploration

The experience extends beyond the museum's walls. Gallery 5’s outdoor exhibits allow visitors to interact with the natural environment, with installations like the Fog Bridge, which creates periodic bursts of fog. At the Bay Observatory in Gallery 6, you can witness exhibits like Sky Theater and Oculus Table. This blend of interactive exhibits, and scientific discovery, makes the Exploratorium a dynamic destination for all ages.

Silhouette of a person reaching towards colorful light display at the Exploratorium.

Silhouette of a person reaching towards colorful light display at the Exploratorium.

Child exploring exhibit with adult at the Exploratorium, San Francisco.

Child exploring exhibit with adult at the Exploratorium, San Francisco.

Visitors enjoying colorful light exhibit at the Exploratorium, San Francisco.

Visitors enjoying colorful light exhibit at the Exploratorium, San Francisco.

Accessibility

  • Your service animals and pets are welcome at the venue.

  • This experience is wheelchair accessible.

Visitors enjoying interactive exhibits at the Exploratorium in San Francisco.

Visitors enjoying interactive exhibits at the Exploratorium in San Francisco.

Visitors engaging with interactive exhibit at the Exploratorium, San Francisco.

Visitors engaging with interactive exhibit at the Exploratorium, San Francisco.

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Operating hours

Exploratorium Museum

Monday
Closed
Tuesday
10:00am - 5:00pm
Wednesday
10:00am - 5:00pm
Thursday
10:00am - 5:00pm
Friday
10:00am - 5:00pm
Saturday
10:00am - 5:00pm
Sunday
12:00pm - 5:00pm
  • Timings are displayed in the venue's time zone.

By proceeding with any booking via Staybook, you acknowledge and agree to adhere to all the .

FAQs

Your ticket includes entry to the museum, a multilingual map, and access to the Tactile Dome experience.
There are no additional costs included with your ticket—everything you need is covered in the admission price.
The Rolling Through the Bay toothpick sculpture took over 37 years to complete.
Yes, both service animals and pets are welcome at the Exploratorium.
The six distinct galleries cover subjects such as human perception, physics, life sciences, and local environmental studies.
You'll encounter exhibits like the Wave Organ, which uses bay waves to create music, and the Color of Emotions display.
Yes, you'll find over 650 hands-on exhibits like tornado simulations, distorted mirrors, and the Giant Bubble Maker.
The Exploratorium is fully wheelchair accessible for all visitors.
You don't need anything extra, as your ticket includes all necessary access and materials like the multilingual map.
The Tactile Dome is available for guests and is designed to be navigated using touch in a pitch-black environment.

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