Cartoon Art Museum
Cartoon and comic art museum at 781 Beach Street in Fisherman’s Wharf. Collection of about 7,000 original pieces; rotating exhibitions. $10 adults, free first Tuesdays.
Attraction Category: Art
Institute of Illegal Images
Mark McCloud’s private collection of LSD blotter art, housed in his Mission District home. Generally considered the largest collection of its kind. Visits by appointment only.
Letterform Archive
A hands-on typography and design archive in Dogpatch with over 100,000 items, from medieval manuscripts to punk zines. Staff pull pieces for you to examine. Free visits by appointment.
Asian Art Museum
A comprehensive Asian art collection spanning 6,000 years across every major Asian culture. Housed in the former San Francisco Main Library, a 1917 Beaux-Arts building in Civic Center.
de Young Museum
American art from the 17th century to today, plus international textiles and major traveling exhibitions. The Hamon Observation Tower is free to enter.
SFMOMA
The West Coast’s largest modern art museum spans seven floors of painting, sculpture, photography, and architecture. Free first-floor gallery, no ticket needed.
Gray Area Foundation for the Arts
Nonprofit art and technology center in the historic Grand Theater at 2665 Mission Street, with immersive exhibitions and creative coding workshops. Free to $20.
Fort Mason Center
A 13-acre arts campus in former Army warehouses on the northern waterfront. Theaters, galleries, food events, and views across to the Golden Gate Bridge.