The Exploratorium is a museum of science, art, and human perception, founded in 1969 by physicist Frank Oppenheimer, brother of J. Robert Oppenheimer. It pioneered the hands-on, build-it-yourself exhibit, a model now copied by science museums worldwide. In 2013 it moved from the Palace of Fine Arts to Piers 15 and 17 on the Embarcadero.
The waterfront site added outdoor exhibits that use the bay itself, including instruments driven by tides, wind, and fog. Parts of the pier and the outdoor plaza are free to walk; the main galleries charge admission. On some Thursday evenings it opens for adults only.
Part of a self-guided walking tour
