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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!

Wednesday, January 28

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

Thursday, January 29

Hecklers Welcome: SF’s First Stand-Up Comedy Show That Invites Heckling
Thursday, January 29 – 7:00 pm - Ends at 10:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free with RSVP
| The Function
Hecklers Welcome: SF's First Stand-Up Comedy Show That Invites Heckling

Welcome to Hecklers Welcome!, San Francisco’s only stand-up show where you get to talk back. This is not your average comedy night—this is a full-blown verbal brawl, where comics come ready to spar and the audience gets a license to heckle. Got jokes? Bring ’em. Got beef? Air ...Every Thursday

Friday, January 30

San Francisco Critical Mass (Last Friday of the Month)
Friday, January 30 – 6:00 pm - Ends at 9:00 pm | Cost: FREE | Embarcadero Plaza
San Francisco Critical Mass (Last Friday of the Month)

Critical Mass is a mass bicycle ride that takes place on the last Friday of each month in San Francisco. Meet and 6pm, ride at 6:30 pm from Embarcadero Plaza (foot of Market Street) and in cities around the world. Everyone is invited. No one is ...Monthly

Sunday, February 1

SF’s “Mozart to Mendelssohn” Free Full Orchestra Concerts (2025/26)
Sunday, February 1 – 3:00 pm - Ends at 5:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*RSVP - donations are accepted
| Herbst Theatre
SF’s “Mozart to Mendelssohn” Free Full Orchestra Concerts (2025/26)

The San Francisco Civic Music Association presents “Mozart to Mendelssohn” concerts! (M2M) is the Association’s second full orchestra, and was formed in 2014 to accommodate the growing number of musicians who wanted the experience of per forming large orchestral works. The group typically per forms ...

“Castro Art Mart” Mini Block Party on Noe St. (Every First Sunday)
Sunday, February 1 – 11:00 am - Ends at 5:00 pm | Cost: FREE | Market & Noe
"Castro Art Mart" Mini Block Party on Noe St. (Every First Sunday)

The Castro Art Mart Features LGBTQ Artists, Live Music, and Drag Performances every 1st Sunday of the month on Noe St and Market St (Next to the Lookout Bar), 11-5pm. Come enjoy this Free, Family & Friendly event hosted by Castro Merchants, while supporting local artists, ...Monthly

Oakland Museum of California’s Free First Sundays (OMCA)
Sunday, February 1 – 11:00 am - Ends at 5:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free admission; 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. First Sundays at OMCA Every first Sunday of the month, General Admission to OMCA’s Galleries of California ...Monthly

SF’s Free “Sundays at the Beach” Chair Yoga Day (Great Highway)
Sunday, February 1 – 2:00 pm | Cost: FREE | The Great Highway
SF's Free "Sundays at the Beach" Chair Yoga Day (Great Highway)

Welcome to Sundays at the Beach! With help from @avenuegreenlight and our friends across the neighborhood, we’re excited to bring free community events to Great Highway Park every weekend for the next year. 1st Sunday: Chair Yoga, 2pm @ Irving 2nd Sunday: Live Music, 1-3 ...Monthly

Mozart to Mendelssohn : Eroica & Finlandia
Sunday, February 1 – 3:00 pm - Ends at 5:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*RSVP - donations are accepted
| Herbst Theatre
Mozart to Mendelssohn : Eroica & Finlandia
The San Francisco Civic Music Association presents Mozart to Mendelssohn: Eroica & Finlandia Program Harald Sæverud: The Ballad of Revolt Jean Sibelius: Finlandia  Ludwig vanBeethoven: Symphony No. 3 “Eroica”   Music Director & Conductor: John Kendall Bailey Admission is FREE and registration/RSVPs are appreciated. Seating is limited and available on a first-come, ...

Tuesday, February 3

“Legion of Honor” Museum Free Day (First Tuesdays)
Tuesday, February 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, February 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

SF’s Conservatory of Flowers Free First Tuesdays (Golden Gate Park)
Tuesday, February 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, February 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

SF’s Free Arcade Game Night at The Detour (First Tuesdays)
Tuesday, February 3 – 4:00 pm - Ends at 11:59 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free unlimited play wristband with any purchase from bar
| The Detour SF
SF's Free Arcade Game Night at The Detour (First Tuesdays)

Paid rent in SF? Hella Broke? Then first Tuesdays are the night for you.  The Detour hosts “Free Play Tuesday” with all arcade games on free play with purchase from the bar. Come enjoy all the video game glory from today and yesteryear while enjoying ...Monthly

Wednesday, February 4

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

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

Drink & Draw Art Event & Raffle | The Knockout
Wednesday, February 4 – 6:30 pm - Ends at 9:00 pm | Cost: FREE | The Knockout
Drink & Draw Art Event & Raffle | The Knockout

At Drink and Draw, artsy bar patrons draw to a theme and submit their artwork into a raffle for cocktails and other prizes at The Knockout in the Mission District. The artwork gets scanned online for all to admire. Drink and Draw happens every first Wednesday of the ...Monthly

Thursday, February 5

Free First Thursdays at SF’s Museum of Craft and Design
Thursday, February 5 – 10:00 am - Ends at 5:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free Admission every First Thursday
| Museum of Craft and Design
Free First Thursdays at SF's Museum of Craft and Design

There’s no better time to visit the Museum of Craft and Design than on their Free First Thursdays. Committed to making art, craft, and design accessible to everyone the Museum of Craft and Design is Free on the First Thursday of every month. .  Museum of Craft and ...Monthly

Free First Thursdays at Berkeley Art Museum
Thursday, February 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 $18, the ...Monthly

SFMOMA’s “Free First Thursdays” Free Museum Day for Locals
Thursday, February 5 – 12:00 pm - Ends at 8:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Residents of the nine Bay Area counties are invited to spend a day at the museum on us
| SFMOMA
SFMOMA's "Free First Thursdays" Free Museum Day for Locals

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, February 6

History Museum: Free First Fridays (Redwood City)
Friday, February 6 – 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