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Free Events

San Francisco… land of the free. Here’s just the free stuff in SF and the Bay Area. Keep your wallet in your pocket and enjoy!

Tuesday, December 3

SF’s “Conservatory of Flowers” Free First Tuesdays (Golden Gate Park)
Tuesday, December 3 – 10:00 am - Ends at 4:30 pm | Cost: FREE | Conservatory of Flowers
SF's "Conservatory of Flowers" Free First Tuesdays (Golden Gate Park)

Whether you’re a native San Franciscan, a visitor from the other side of the world, or a budding botanist, the Conservatory of Flowers, located in Golden Gate Park, offers an intimate, up-close experience with nearly 2,000 species of rare, exotic, and endangered plants from more ...Monthly

SF’s Cartoon Art Museum’s “Pay What You Wish” Day (First Tuesdays)
Tuesday, December 3 – 11:00 am - Ends at 5:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Pay What You Wish Day
| Cartoon Art Museum
SF's Cartoon Art Museum's "Pay What You Wish" Day (First Tuesdays)

Founded in 1984, the Cartoon Art Museum has something for everyone—from comic strips, comic books and anime to political cartoons, graphic novels and underground comix. People of all ages can view original cartoon art at exhibitions and screenings, produce their own comics and animation at ...Monthly

Wednesday, December 4

SF’s GLBT History Museum: Free First Wednesday
SF's GLBT History Museum: Free First Wednesday

Located in SF’s Castro District, the GLBT Historical Society Museum is the first full-scale, stand-alone museum of its kind in the United States. The museum celebrates 100 years of the city’s vast queer past through dynamic exhibitions and programming. Normally admission is $10, but on ...Monthly

Thursday, December 5

Free First Thursdays at Berkeley Art Museum
Thursday, December 5 – 11:00 am - Ends at 7:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free admission to galleries. Film programs are excluded. No advanced tickets required, but subject to capacity limits
| Berkeley Art Museum / Pacific Film Archive
Free First Thursdays at Berkeley Art Museum

The UC Berkeley Art Museum is the visual arts center of the University of California, Berkeley. Through art and film programs, collections, and research resources, the University aspires to be locally connected and globally relevant, engaging audiences from the campus, community, and beyond. Normally $14, the ...Monthly

SFMOMA’s “Free First Thursdays” Free Museum Day for Locals (2023)
SFMOMA's "Free First Thursdays" Free Museum Day for Locals (2023)

All residents of the nine Bay Area counties are invited to spend a day at the museum on us! From 1–8 p.m. on the first Thursday of every month, Bay Area residents can enjoy SFMOMA’s galleries filled with lively and inspiring art and related events ...Monthly

Friday, December 6

Contemporary Jewish Museum Free Admission Day (First Fridays)
Friday, December 6 – 11:00 am - Ends at 5:00 pm | Cost: FREE | Contemporary Jewish Museum
Contemporary Jewish Museum Free Admission Day (First Fridays)

The Contemporary Jewish Museum engages audiences of all  backgrounds through dynamic exhibitions and programs that explore contemporary perspectives on Jewish culture, history, art, and ideas. And the architecture of the Museum itself is a work of art. Embracing a range of artistic disciplines and media, ...Monthly

Saturday, December 7

“MAPP” SF’s Free Art, Poetry & Concert Crawl in The Mission
Saturday, December 7 – 6:00 pm - Ends at 11:59 pm | Cost: FREE | The Mission District
"MAPP" SF's Free Art, Poetry & Concert Crawl in The Mission

The Mission Arts Performance Project (MAPP) sprawls across more than a dozen venues as well as public spaces, secret gardens, street corners, BART stations, cafes, bars, taquerias, and homes all over La Mission typically starting in the afternoon and going until late. The event features ...

Sunday, December 8

Free Admission Day at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA)
Sunday, December 8 – 11:00 am - Ends at 5:00 pm | Cost: FREE | Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
Free Admission Day at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA)

Opened to the public in 1993, YBCA was founded as the cultural anchor of San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Gardens neighborhood. Our work spans the realms of contemporary art, performance, film, civic engagement, and public life. Centering artists as essential to social and cultural movement, YBCA ...Monthly

Tuesday, December 10

San Francisco Botanical Garden’s Free Day (2nd Tuesdays)
San Francisco Botanical Garden's Free Day (2nd Tuesdays)

The San Francisco Botanical Garden is one of the most diverse gardens in the world. A unique urban oasis, the garden is a living museum within Golden Gate Park, offering 55 acres of both landscaped gardens and open spaces, and showcasing over 9,000 different kinds ...Monthly

Thursday, December 12

Geminids Meteor Shower 2024 (How to Watch in San Francisco)
Thursday, December 12 – 10:00 pm - Ends at 6:00 am | Cost: FREE | San Francisco Bay Area
Geminids Meteor Shower 2024 (How to Watch in San Francisco)

The cosmos’ annual gift to sky watchers, the Geminids Meteor shower, which is visible from November 19 to December 24, will peak on December 12-13, 2024. During peak activity and perfect weather conditions, which are rare, the Geminids produce approximately 100-150 meteors per hour for ...

Saturday, December 14

MoAD: Museum of the African Diaspora Free Museum Day (SF)
Saturday, December 14 – 11:00 am - Ends at 6:00 pm | Cost: FREE | Museum of the African Diaspora
MoAD: Museum of the African Diaspora Free Museum Day (SF)

Join us every Second Saturday for Thrive @ MoAD Community Day with free admission to all our exhibitions. Across the globe, museums are increasingly being recognized as having an important role to play in promoting personal and social well-being in partnership with the healthcare industry. ...Monthly

Saturday, December 21

“Ursid” Last Meteor Shower of 2024: Peaks on Winter Solstice
Saturday, December 21 – 9:59 pm - Ends at 6:00 am | Cost: FREE | All Over San Francisco
"Ursid" Last Meteor Shower of 2024: Peaks on Winter Solstice
The annual Ursid meteor shower always peaks near the time of the December winter solstice. The low-key Ursid meteor shower is expected to be active around December 13 to 24, 2024. It typically peaks around the December solstice. In 2024, expect peak viewing to be in ...

Wednesday, December 25

Free Admission Day for Christmas at San Francisco Botanical Garden (2024)
Wednesday, December 25 – 7:30 am - Ends at 4:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free on the 2nd Tuesday of the month, on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year's Day, and daily from 7:30-9 am
| San Francisco Botanical Garden
Free Admission Day for Christmas at San Francisco Botanical Garden (2024)

The San Francisco Botanical Garden is one of the most diverse gardens in the world. A unique urban oasis, the garden is a living museum within Golden Gate Park, offering 55 acres of both landscaped gardens and open spaces, and showcasing over 9,000 different kinds ...Monthly

Wednesday, January 1

Free Admission Day at SF Botanical Garden for New Year’s Day 2025
Wednesday, January 1 – 7:30 am - Ends at 4:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free on the 2nd Tuesday of the month, on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year's Day, and daily from 7:30-9 am
| San Francisco Botanical Garden
Free Admission Day at SF Botanical Garden for New Year's Day 2025

The San Francisco Botanical Garden is one of the most diverse gardens in the world. A unique urban oasis, the garden is a living museum within Golden Gate Park, offering 55 acres of both landscaped gardens and open spaces, and showcasing over 9,000 different kinds ...Monthly

SF’s GLBT History Museum: Free First Wednesday
SF's GLBT History Museum: Free First Wednesday

Located in SF’s Castro District, the GLBT Historical Society Museum is the first full-scale, stand-alone museum of its kind in the United States. The museum celebrates 100 years of the city’s vast queer past through dynamic exhibitions and programming. Normally admission is $10, but on ...Monthly

Thursday, January 2

Free First Thursdays at Berkeley Art Museum
Thursday, January 2 – 11:00 am - Ends at 7:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free admission to galleries. Film programs are excluded. No advanced tickets required, but subject to capacity limits
| Berkeley Art Museum / Pacific Film Archive
Free First Thursdays at Berkeley Art Museum

The UC Berkeley Art Museum is the visual arts center of the University of California, Berkeley. Through art and film programs, collections, and research resources, the University aspires to be locally connected and globally relevant, engaging audiences from the campus, community, and beyond. Normally $14, the ...Monthly

SFMOMA’s “Free First Thursdays” Free Museum Day for Locals (2023)
SFMOMA's "Free First Thursdays" Free Museum Day for Locals (2023)

All residents of the nine Bay Area counties are invited to spend a day at the museum on us! From 1–8 p.m. on the first Thursday of every month, Bay Area residents can enjoy SFMOMA’s galleries filled with lively and inspiring art and related events ...Monthly

Friday, January 3

Contemporary Jewish Museum Free Admission Day (First Fridays)
Friday, January 3 – 11:00 am - Ends at 5:00 pm | Cost: FREE | Contemporary Jewish Museum
Contemporary Jewish Museum Free Admission Day (First Fridays)

The Contemporary Jewish Museum engages audiences of all  backgrounds through dynamic exhibitions and programs that explore contemporary perspectives on Jewish culture, history, art, and ideas. And the architecture of the Museum itself is a work of art. Embracing a range of artistic disciplines and media, ...Monthly

Sunday, January 5

Asian Art Museum: Free Admission Day (Every First Sunday)
Sunday, January 5 – 10:00 am - Ends at 5:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Special exhibitions may require separate admission surcharge
| Asian Art Museum
Asian Art Museum: Free Admission Day (Every First Sunday)

Through the power of art, the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco brings the diverse cultures of Asia to life. Located in the heart of San Francisco, the museum is home to one of the world’s finest collections of Asian art, boasting more than 18,000 ...Monthly

Tuesday, January 7

“Legion of Honor” Museum Free Day (First Tuesdays)
"Legion of Honor" Museum Free Day (First Tuesdays)

The Legion of Honor displays a collection of 4,000 years of ancient and European art in an exquisite Beaux-Arts building in an unforgettable setting overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge. Normally general admission is $20 for adults, but on the first Tuesday of each month admission ...Monthly