Location

Rating: 29 Posted By: baileysf
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Most San Francisco residents know that many museums in the City by the Bay offer one free admission day every month, usually at the beginning of the month. Since I haven't found any post about this, I thought I would post. Tourists should find this list helpful too!

This list will be updated periodically to reflect the latest dates and details. Click on each site for hours. Free days, based on a check of museums' Web sites, are accurate as of 4/18/09.

BANK OF AMERICA MUSEUMS ON US 2009-2010 Free admission every first full weekend (Saturday and Sunday) of each month from May 2009 until September 2010 (more 2010 dates to come) at participating museums nationwide with your Bank of America card and photo ID. Check out the BofA program Web site here for details. For participating San Francisco museums, please see below.

SPECIAL ONE-TIME FREE MUSEUM DAYS

Added here on 12/30/09 - Monday, January 4, 2010 to Thursday, January 7, 2010, Hours 10am to 6pm: Aquarium of the Bay at Pier 39 - Wow! This just came in and has never happened before! Aquarium of the Bay hosts free days for San Francisco residents!

In celebration of its recent transition into a nonprofit nature center, Aquarium of the Bay is providing free admission to San Francisco residents (Normally, admission is $15.95 for adults and $8 for children/seniors and it does not have a monthly free day program). As the only Aquarium dedicated to showcasing the diverse aquatic life of the San Francisco Bay and its watershed, residents are encouraged to come out and meet their underwater neighbors.

San Francisco residents must present proof of residency: 1) Valid driver's license or ID card OR 2) Postmarked envelope, postcard or magazine label with name and date OR 3) Utility bill, bank statement, or letter from a government agency that includes your name and home address (not a P.O. Box).

Aquarium of the Bay hosted free days before for San Francisco families with kids during Family Appreciation Day and it did turn away folks when it got crowded. I recommend going early and don't get frustrated if you get turned away.

Enjoy and have fun!

Added here on 12/30/09 - Saturday, January 16, 2010 to Monday, January 18, 2010, Hours Vary - See 75th Anniversary Link: San Francisco Museum of Modern Art - SF MOMA - Don't miss SFMOMA's 75th Anniversary Celebration Weekend - Free admission along with many special programs.

Added here on 12/30/09 - Saturday, February 6, 2010, Hours 10am to 3pm: AT&T Park - Home of the San Francisco Giants - You are not getting the normally-you-have-to-pay ballpark tour, but the park is open for free on Saturday, February 6, during the KNBR/Giants Fan Fest. In previous years, during this event, the Giants opened its dugout, press boxes, field, etc. You could do a self-guided tour, even get to sit on the bench and get players' autographs! It's very cool! 2010 FanFest details on the KNBR Web site can be found, when available, here.

REGULARLY SCHEDULED FREE MUSEUM DAYS

Every Day
Cable Car Museum (always free)
Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory (always free) - Not a museum, but tourists should find this very interesting if they happen to be in Chinatown.
Musee Mechanique - Mechanical Museum (always free) - Used to be at Cliff House.
San Francisco Botanical Garden (always free)

Every Monday, Wednesday, Friday - 9am to 10am
Japanese Tea Garden - [unofficial Web site] thanks FatWallet member texascountrymama - no official Web site (if you know of one, please PM me)

Every Monday through Friday
Wells Fargo Museum (always free)

Every Tuesday in 2009 - Please confirm with the museum before going in January 2010
Museum of Craft and Folk Art

Every Tuesday through Saturday
Randall Museum (always free)

Every Tuesday through Sunday
Museo ItaloAmericano - Italian American Museum (always free)
San Francisco Museum of Craft+Design (always free, donation requested)
San Francisco Railway Museum (always free)

First Tuesday of Each Month - Next One: Tuesday, 1/5
Cartoon Art Museum
Conservatory of Flowers
de Young Museum - free admission does NOT include the King Tut exhibit. Discounted tickets with audio tour at Costco / Tue-Fri 1/5-2/26 3pm-Close - 50% Off Youth Admission Day-Of Tickets at Box Office when you present a PDF of Flat Anubis from this link / Friday Night Discounts (1/15-2/26)
Legion of Honor
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art - SF MOMA - also free on 1/16-1/18 during 75th Anniversary Celebration Weekend
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Galleries

First Wednesday of Each Month - Next One: Wednesday, 1/6
Exploratorium
San Francisco Zoo

Third Wednesday of Each Month - Next One: Wednesday, 1/20
California Academy of Sciences - Click here for the 2009 California Academy of Sciences Neighborhood Free Days Calendar for San Francisco residents.

Every Thursday through Sunday
San Francisco Fire Museum (always free)

First Thursday of Each Month - Next One: Thursday, 1/7
Chinese Historical Society of America

Every Friday
Federal Reserve Bank (always free) - 12noon

Every First Full Weekend - Saturday and Sunday of Each Month from May 2009 to September 2010 (More 2010 Dates to Come)* - Next One: 1/2 and 1/3
*with Bank of America card and photo ID only - check BofA's Museums on Us Web site for more details
Contemporary Jewish Museum - new for the 2009-2010 season - does not have a monthly free day outside of this program
de Young Museum - free admission does NOT include the King Tut exhibit. Discounted tickets with audio tour at Costco / Tue-Fri 1/5-2/26 3pm-Close - 50% Off Youth Admission Day-Of Tickets at Box Office when you present a PDF of Flat Anubis from this link / Friday Night Discounts (1/15-2/26)
Legion of Honor - new for the 2009-2010 season
Museum of the African Diaspora - does not have a monthly free day outside of this program

First Sunday of Each Month - Next One: Sunday, 1/3
Asian Art Museum

Please PM me any additions and inaccuracies.