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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, November 5

SF’s Cartoon Art Museum’s “Pay What You Wish” Day (First Tuesdays)
Tuesday, November 5 – 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, November 6

Bay Area Discovery Museum: Free Admission Day (Sausalito)
Wednesday, November 6 – 10:00 am - Ends at 4:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Admission is free to Bay Area residents. Must show proof of residency (photo ID or piece of mail) in one of the nine Bay Area counties.
| Bay Area Discovery Museum (Fort Baker)
Bay Area Discovery Museum: Free Admission Day (Sausalito)

The Bay Area Discovery Museum is a one-of-a-kind indoor and outdoor children’s museum at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge. The Museum is the only children’s museum in the U.S. to be located in a national park and is known for its emphasis on creativity through ...

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, November 7

Free First Thursdays at Berkeley Art Museum
Thursday, November 7 – 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 noon–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

Saturday, November 9

MoAD: Museum of the African Diaspora Free Museum Day (SF)
Saturday, November 9 – 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

Sunday, November 10

Free Admission Day at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA)
Sunday, November 10 – 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

Monday, November 11

Free National Parks Day: Muir Woods + Yosemite for Veterans Day 2024
Free National Parks Day: Muir Woods + Yosemite for Veterans Day 2024

Sometimes you’ve just got to get away from it all and clear your head with the peace and serenity of a national park. On certain “fee-free” days throughout the year, enjoy free entry to all national parks and monuments including Muir Woods and Yosemite National Park, and free ...

2024 North Taurids Meteor Shower Peaks
Monday, November 11 – 10:00 pm - Ends at 5:00 am | Cost: FREE | San Francisco Bay Area
2024 North Taurids Meteor Shower Peaks

Every year from September to November, the Earth passes through a broad stream of debris left by Comet Encke. The dust associated with the comet hits the Earth’s atmosphere at 65,000 mph and burns up, creating the Taurid meteor shower. Most years the shower is ...

Tuesday, November 12

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

Friday, November 15

The Last “Supermoon” of 2024 Over San Francisco
Friday, November 15 – 4:41 pm - Ends at 6:43 am | Cost: FREE | San Francisco Bay Area
The Last "Supermoon" of 2024 Over San Francisco
The final supermoon of the year will be on November 15, 2024. November’s full moon is considered the “Beaver Moon” which reflects the time when beavers are busy building their winter dams. The best time to view the supermoon is when it’s at the horizon so ...
SF’s Friday Night Market “Bhangra & Beats” (2024)
Friday, November 15 – 5:00 pm - Ends at 10:00 pm | Cost: FREE | Battery and Clay
SF's Friday Night Market "Bhangra & Beats" (2024)

A bi-monthly night market & block party is back to Downtown San Francisco in the spring and summer of 2024 with up to 15,000 expected to attend! Enjoy 3 city blocks of Downtown full of music, dancing, delicious street food cuisine, cocktails and shopping from ...

2024 Leonids Meteor Shower
Friday, November 15 – 10:00 pm - Ends at 6:00 am | Cost: FREE | San Francisco Bay Area
2024 Leonids Meteor Shower
In 2024, the Leonids will be active from November 3 to December 2, 2024. This year, the peak is expected to fall before dawn on November 16, 2024. The Leonids, which peak during mid-November each year, are considered to be a major shower though meteor rates ...

Saturday, November 16

Win Tix: Josh Wolf: “Bring Your Kid to Work” Tour at Palace of Fine Arts (SF)
Saturday, November 16 – 7:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*WIN
| Palace of Fine Arts
RESCHEDULED: The scheduled date for this show has been changed from Feb. 24th to Saturday, Nov. 16th, 2024. Josh Wolf is a comedian, actor and NY Times Bestselling author best known for his work as a round table guest and writer on E!’s “Chelsea Lately” and ...

Friday, November 22

2024 City Center’s 50 Ft. Tree Lighting Celebration (San Ramon)
Friday, November 22 – 6:00 pm - Ends at 7:00 pm | Cost: FREE | Bishop Ranch 1
2024 City Center's 50 Ft. Tree Lighting Celebration (San Ramon)
Get ready to kick off the holiday season with our enchanting Holiday Tree Lighting and Santa Arrival on Friday, November 22, at 6 pm! Enjoy heartwarming performances by the talented Monte Vista band, singers, and dancers. Witness the magic as Santa makes his grand entrance. And ...

Thursday, November 28

Free Admission to SF’s Botanical Garden on Thanksgiving (2024)
Thursday, November 28 – 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 to SF's Botanical Garden on Thanksgiving (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

Sunday, December 1

Asian Art Museum: Free Admission Day (Every First Sunday)
Sunday, December 1 – 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

Oakland Museum of California’s Free First Sundays (OMCA)
Sunday, December 1 – 11:00 am - Ends at 5:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Additional $6 fee for access to special exhibitions
| OMCA (Oakland Museum of California)
Oakland Museum of California's Free First Sundays (OMCA)

The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) brings together collections of art, history, and natural science under one roof to tell the extraordinary stories of California and its people. Sunday Hours – 11am to 5pm – Please check website as hours may change seasonally Free – ...Monthly

Tuesday, December 3

“Legion of Honor” Museum Free Day (First Tuesdays)
Tuesday, December 3 – 9:30 am - Ends at 5:15 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free admission to general galleries; special exhibition fees still apply. Advanced timed tickets required.
| Legion of Honor
"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

de Young Museum Free Day (First Tuesdays)
Tuesday, December 3 – 9:30 am - Ends at 5:15 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free admission to general galleries; special exhibition fees still apply. Timed tickets required
| de Young Museum
de Young Museum Free Day (First Tuesdays)

Located in beautiful Golden Gate Park, the de Young Museum is a landmark art museum founded in 1895. Your visit includes a whirlwind trip around the world as the museum’s collections feature priceless treasures and works of arts from the 17th through the 20th centuries ...Monthly