In San Francisco, the arts are open—and art is everywhere. Visit our museums and arts organizations, enjoy public art outdoors, and let San Francisco inspire you.
Art Is Everywhere
From the moment you arrive in San Francisco, you’ll be immersed in art. Watch the video below to see how you can find inspiration in every corner of San Francisco.
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)
The home for modern and contemporary art in San Francisco, and the first of its kind on the west coast, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art showcases boundary-breaking works in painting, sculpture, and photography. Explore all seven stories of the building, which is itself a piece of architectural wonder. Book your tickets ahead of time.
Hotels Near SFMOMA:
The Westin St. Francis San Francisco, San Francisco Marriott Marquis, The St. Regis San Francisco, W San Francisco, The Palace Hotel.
SFO Museum
All around San Francisco International Airport—from baggage claims to terminals to parking garages—you’ll find incredible art fashioned by local creators. You can also visit the SFO Museum. Yes, our airport is one of the few in the world with its own accredited museum, with exhibitions focusing on the history of aviation as well as local lore.
The Bayview Opera House
A historic site, the Bayview Opera House was constructed in 1888. It’s San Francisco’s oldest theater, and one of the few large buildings to have survived the 1906 earthquake and fire. A performance venue and community center, the Bayview Opera House is an anchor for one of the city’s most diverse neighborhoods.
Murals by Mark Harris
Local San Francisco artist and educator Mark Harris combines his activism and art to engage audiences on contemporary issues facing our communities today. His use of color, form, symbols and pattern enlivens all the canvases he creates to both delight and challenge the viewer.
The Museum of Craft & Design
Located in one of San Francisco’s craftiest neighborhoods, the Museum of Craft & Design is dedicated to the way we make art in our world. Showcasing works done with the most traditional of tools as well as those on the cutting edge (no pun intended), the Museum of Craft & Design is sure to inspire your own creativity.
Hotels Near the Museum of Craft & Design: The Clancy, The Palace Hotel, Le Meridien.
Light Art at the LUMA Hotel
Renowned for his creation “Day for Night” atop the Salesforce Tower, Jim Campbell’s most recent illuminated artwork in San Francisco hangs three stories high inside the newly opened LUMA Hotel on Third and Channel streets in Mission Bay, in between Oracle Park and the Chase Center. The new sculpture by the local artist falls in beautiful cascading swirls of light, illuminating the sidewalk through floor to ceiling windows.
“Cupid’s Span” at Rincon Park
Along the Embarcadero, with the Bay Bridge standing tall in the background, you’ll find this massive sculpture created by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen. It seems appropriate for Cupid to have lost his bow and arrow in San Francisco. After all, everyone leaves their hearts here…
The Exploratorium
Described as a mad scientist’s penny arcade, a scientific funhouse, and an experimental laboratory all rolled into one, the Exploratorium is regarded as the world’s foremost interactive science museum. With more than 650 hands-on exhibits that ignite curiosity and transform the way people learn, visitors of all ages can play, observe, and discover. Get your tickets now.
Hotels Near the Exploratorium: San Francisco Marriott Fisherman’s Wharf, The Clancy, Hotel Boheme, Hyatt Regency San Francisco.
