SFMOMA

What you need to know

Seven floors of modern and contemporary art, from Frida Kahlo to Andy Warhol to artists most visitors have never heard of. SFMOMA reopened in 2016 after a $305 million expansion that tripled the gallery space and made it the largest modern art museum on the West Coast. The building itself is worth seeing even if you never look at a painting.

What to Expect

The permanent collection spans photography, painting, sculpture, architecture, and media arts. The photography holdings are particularly strong. The top floor features a living wall of plants and a sculpture terrace with city views that most visitors miss because they run out of energy before they get there.

Special exhibitions rotate throughout the year and tend to draw crowds. Check what’s showing before you go. Some temporary shows require separate timed tickets.

You cannot see everything in one visit. Pick two or three floors and actually look at the work instead of rushing through all seven. The ground floor cafe and the museum store are both better than they need to be.

Visiting

151 Third Street, SoMa. Open Friday through Tuesday, 10am to 5pm. Closed Wednesday and Thursday. Thursday evening hours (until 9pm) run during some exhibitions.

General admission is $25. Members and kids under 18 get in free. First Thursdays are free for Bay Area residents with proof of address.

Go on a weekday morning for smaller crowds. Weekend afternoons pack the lower floors but the upper galleries stay manageable. Rainy days are predictably busy.

Getting There

BART and Muni Metro to Montgomery Street station, then a five minute walk south on Third. The 30 and 45 bus lines stop nearby. Street parking in SoMa is expensive and frustrating. The museum validates at the 175 Third Street garage but it fills up on weekends.

📍 Location: This activity is in SoMa. Explore the neighborhood →