Home » Archive by Category

Art & Museums

Tuesday, December 24

SF’s Epic “Photosynthesis” Light Show (Conservatory of Flowers)
Tuesday, December 24 – 5:00 pm - Ends at 11:59 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free to watch from outside the building.
| San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers
SF's Epic "Photosynthesis" Light Show (Conservatory of Flowers)

Light up the season with Photosynthesis, This beautiful light art installation was developed in partnership with the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department and was designed by Lumigeek with music by Tim Digulla. The installation uses special projectors to transform the all-white glasshouse into a ...

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

Japanese Tea Garden’s Free Admission Hour (Golden Gate Park)
Japanese Tea Garden's Free Admission Hour (Golden Gate Park)

The Japanese Tea Garden provides visitors from around the world with an opportunity to experience the natural beauty, tranquility, and harmony of a Japanese-style garden in the heart of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. Originally created as a “Japanese Village” exhibit for the 1894 California ...Every Wednesday

Free Admission Day at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA)
Wednesday, December 25 – 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 ...Every Wednesday

SF’s Epic “Photosynthesis” Light Show (Conservatory of Flowers)
Wednesday, December 25 – 5:00 pm - Ends at 11:59 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free to watch from outside the building.
| San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers
SF's Epic "Photosynthesis" Light Show (Conservatory of Flowers)

Light up the season with Photosynthesis, This beautiful light art installation was developed in partnership with the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department and was designed by Lumigeek with music by Tim Digulla. The installation uses special projectors to transform the all-white glasshouse into a ...

Friday, December 27

Japanese Tea Garden’s Free Admission Hour (Golden Gate Park)
Japanese Tea Garden's Free Admission Hour (Golden Gate Park)

The Japanese Tea Garden provides visitors from around the world with an opportunity to experience the natural beauty, tranquility, and harmony of a Japanese-style garden in the heart of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. Originally created as a “Japanese Village” exhibit for the 1894 California ...Every Friday

Saturday, December 28

Free “Legion of Honor” Museum Day for Bay Area Residents (Every Saturday)
Free "Legion of Honor" Museum Day for Bay Area Residents (Every Saturday)

 the Legion of Honor offers free general admission to the permanent galleries to Bay Area residents. Advanced tickets are required, and capacity is limited due to COVID-19 precautions. Please note that admission to any special exhibits is not included nor discounted and will require ...Every Saturday

Free de Young Museum Day for Bay Area Residents (Every Saturday)
Free de Young Museum Day for Bay Area Residents (Every Saturday)

, the de Young offers free general admission to the permanent galleries to Bay Area residents. Please note that admission to any special exhibits is not included nor discounted and will require the full admission price. Saturdays feature engaging art experiences for the entire family, ...Every Saturday

Sunday, December 29

“Celebratory Bubbles, Not Eye Troubles” 21+ Safety Demo at the Museum of the Eye (SF)
Sunday, December 29 – 2:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*RSVP required
| Truhlsen-Marmor Museum of the Eye
"Celebratory Bubbles, Not Eye Troubles" 21+ Safety Demo at the Museum of the Eye (SF)
Here’s a not-so-fun-fact about New Year’s Eve: champagne corks can fly at 50 mph. People could lose their vision, even their eyeballs, if they aren’t popping champagne correctly. The Truhlsen-Marmor Museum of the Eye is hosting a free, how-to event to teach the public how to ...

Monday, December 30

Japanese Tea Garden’s Free Admission Hour (Golden Gate Park)
Japanese Tea Garden's Free Admission Hour (Golden Gate Park)

The Japanese Tea Garden provides visitors from around the world with an opportunity to experience the natural beauty, tranquility, and harmony of a Japanese-style garden in the heart of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. Originally created as a “Japanese Village” exhibit for the 1894 California ...Every Monday

Tuesday, December 31

NYE “IlluminOdyssey” Dazzling Winter Lights
Tuesday, December 31 – 10:00 am - Ends at 3:00 pm | Cost: $27.95*
*$27.95 Adults; $23.95 Children, Students & Seniors
| CuriOdyssey
NYE "IlluminOdyssey" Dazzling Winter Lights

IlluminOdyssey is back! Catch the light November 16, 2024–January 26, 2025. Inspired by the science of light, IlluminOdyssey is an immersive, interactive installation that will mesmerize kids and adults of all ages*. CuriOdyssey’s four-level Redwood Hall will transform into a glowing forest of science—light your ...

SF’s NYE “Photosynthesis” Light Show (Conservatory of Flowers)
Tuesday, December 31 – 5:00 pm - Ends at 11:59 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free to watch from outside the building.
| San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers
SF's NYE "Photosynthesis" Light Show (Conservatory of Flowers)

Light up the season with Photosynthesis, This beautiful light art installation was developed in partnership with the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department and was designed by Lumigeek with music by Tim Digulla. The installation uses special projectors to transform the all-white glasshouse into a ...

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

Japanese Tea Garden’s Free Admission Hour (Golden Gate Park)
Japanese Tea Garden's Free Admission Hour (Golden Gate Park)

The Japanese Tea Garden provides visitors from around the world with an opportunity to experience the natural beauty, tranquility, and harmony of a Japanese-style garden in the heart of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. Originally created as a “Japanese Village” exhibit for the 1894 California ...Every Wednesday

Free Admission Day at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA)
Wednesday, January 1 – 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 ...Every Wednesday

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

New Year’s Day Collaborative Huge Art at SF’s Ocean Beach (2024)
Wednesday, January 1 – 2:00 pm - Ends at 5:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*donations welcome, not required
| Ocean Beach (Balboa)
New Year's Day Collaborative Huge Art at SF's Ocean Beach (2024)
Join me in creating a massive artwork on the beach. Let’s set the tone for the New Year by creative beauty together.  Check out the kind of artwork I make and what you can be a part of making as well.
SF’s “Photosynthesis” Light Show (Conservatory of Flowers)
Wednesday, January 1 – 5:00 pm - Ends at 11:59 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free to watch from outside the building.
| San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers
SF's "Photosynthesis" Light Show (Conservatory of Flowers)

Light up the season with Photosynthesis, This beautiful light art installation was developed in partnership with the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department and was designed by Lumigeek with music by Tim Digulla. The installation uses special projectors to transform the all-white glasshouse into a ...

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 (2025)
SFMOMA's "Free First Thursdays" Free Museum Day for Locals (2025)

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

Friday, January 3

Japanese Tea Garden’s Free Admission Hour (Golden Gate Park)
Japanese Tea Garden's Free Admission Hour (Golden Gate Park)

The Japanese Tea Garden provides visitors from around the world with an opportunity to experience the natural beauty, tranquility, and harmony of a Japanese-style garden in the heart of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. Originally created as a “Japanese Village” exhibit for the 1894 California ...Every Friday

History Museum: Free First Fridays (Redwood City)
Friday, January 3 – All Day | Cost: FREE | San Mateo County History Museum
History Museum: Free First Fridays (Redwood City)

Enjoy free admission from 10 am to 4 pm, every first Friday of the month, at the San Mateo History Museum. Explore the museum housed in the 1910 County Courthouse; listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it features a stained glass dome and mosaic tile floor. The History Museum is ...Monthly

North Beach First Fridays Art Crawl (SF)
Friday, January 3 – 5:00 pm - Ends at 9:00 pm | Cost: FREE | North Beach
North Beach First Fridays Art Crawl (SF)

On the first Friday of every month, over a dozen North Beach galleries, museums, bars, and restaurants stay open late for a self-guided First Fridays Art Crawl with special events to showcase the ever-growing collections of art and entertainment that diversify North Beach. First Fridays Art Crawl ...Monthly

“Oakland First Fridays” Street Festival
Friday, January 3 – 5:00 pm - Ends at 9:00 pm | Cost: FREE | Telegraph & 27th
"Oakland First Fridays" Street Festival

Oakland First Fridays is an immersive art and community experience on the first Friday of each month from 5-9 pm for five huge blocks on Telegraph Avenue from West Grand to 27th Street. Photography from @skyhighoakland via Oakland First Fridays Oakland’s KONO district (Koreatown/Northgate) springs ...Monthly

South First Fridays Art Walk (San Jose)
Friday, January 3 – 5:00 pm - Ends at 9:00 pm | Cost: FREE | SoFA District (San Jose)
South First Fridays Art Walk (San Jose)

Join an eclectic evening of arts and culture in downtown San Jose’s SoFA district (and beyond) every first Friday of the month. Please note that South First Fridays is typically canceled in July and January due to the holidays. South First Fridays hours depend on ...Monthly

“Oakland Art Murmur” 2024 (First Fridays Art Walk)
Friday, January 3 – 6:00 pm - Ends at 9:00 pm | Cost: FREE | Broadway/Telegraph
"Oakland Art Murmur" 2024 (First Fridays Art Walk)

Over 30 Oakland Art Murmur affiliate venues have coordinated openings on the first Friday of every month. Oakland Art Murmur presents a free monthly evening art walk, known as the ‘Art Murmur.” 2024 Update: Art Murmur is still on! Despite Oakland First Fridays being on ...Monthly

Saturday, January 4

Free “Legion of Honor” Museum Day for Bay Area Residents (Every Saturday)
Free "Legion of Honor" Museum Day for Bay Area Residents (Every Saturday)

 the Legion of Honor offers free general admission to the permanent galleries to Bay Area residents. Advanced tickets are required, and capacity is limited due to COVID-19 precautions. Please note that admission to any special exhibits is not included nor discounted and will require ...Every Saturday

Free de Young Museum Day for Bay Area Residents (Every Saturday)
Free de Young Museum Day for Bay Area Residents (Every Saturday)

, the de Young offers free general admission to the permanent galleries to Bay Area residents. Please note that admission to any special exhibits is not included nor discounted and will require the full admission price. Saturdays feature engaging art experiences for the entire family, ...Every Saturday

Bank of America’s “Museums On Us” Free Museum Weekend (2024)
Bank of America's "Museums On Us" Free Museum Weekend (2024)

Holders of Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, or U. S. Trust cardholders (credit cards and debit cards) get free admission to eight Bay Area museums, two Sacramento museums and to more than 225 cultural institutions nationwide, for the first full weekend each month including the de ...Monthly

Sunday, January 5

Bank of America’s “Museums On Us” Free Museum Weekend (2025)
Bank of America's "Museums On Us" Free Museum Weekend (2025)

Holders of Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, or U. S. Trust cardholders (credit cards and debit cards) get free admission to eight Bay Area museums, two Sacramento museums and to more than 225 cultural institutions nationwide, for the first full weekend each month including the de ...Monthly