Free Things to Do in San Francisco

This looks very cool! The Exploratorium is placing 20 exhibits along the northern waterfront in and around Fort Mason, starting on March 13, and continuing indefinitely.

Exhibits invite people to look at the Golden Gate Bridge through a telescope to observe how it moves in response to temperature changes, to taste water with different concentrations of salinity that correspond to different portions of the Bay (just a demonstration — the water isn’t actually from the Bay!), and to observe wind patterns by seeing the motion of arrows on 35-foot tall poles.

If the weather is as nice as it has been recently, this could be a wonderful way to spend an afternoon.

When:

Starting March 13, 2009

Where:

Fort Mason, entrance at Marina Boulevard and Buchanan Street

More information:

Directions to Fort Mason

Exploratorium press release, with photos

Article in the SF Chronicle

Photo of wind arrows exhibit (c) The Exploratorium

There are many things that are free in San Francisco on the first week of every month. Here’s the schedule for March, 2009:

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Free admission to the de Young Museum, Legion of Honor, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Museum of Modern Art, Cartoon Art Museum (pay what you wish), Museum of Craft and Folk Art, and the Conservatory of Flowers.

More information: Free first Tuesdays

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

The San Francisco Zoo (SF residents only), and the Exploratorium.

More information: Free first Wednesdays

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Bird-watching walk in Golden Gate Park botanical gardens.

More information: First Saturday bird watching walk.

Bank of America Free Museum weekend (B of A account or credit card required). Free admission to the de Young Museum, Legion of Honor, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, and the Museum of the African Diaspora.

More information: Bank of America free first weekend.

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Bank of America Free Museum weekend (continued)

Picture of the Museum of Modern Art (SF MoMA) by WolfmanSF, via Wikipedia, Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0 License.

This is huge. The Academy of Sciences, the Zoo, the Exploratorium, Zeum, and all the major art museums — the de Young, Legion of Honor, Asian Art, MOMA, CJM, MoAD, Yerba Buena, Cartoon Art — and Golden Gate Park attractions — the Conservatory, the Japanese Tea Garden, even the Carousel — plus the USS Pampitino (on Pier 45), tours of AT&T Park, and lots more things are all free for San Francisco familes.

There are three conditions:

1. Adults MUST be accompanied by at least one child 18 or younger, and
2. At least one adult in your group must be a resident of San Francisco, with proof (driver’s license, ID, utility bill, etc.), and
3. Children must be with adults, except for high school students with San Francisco school ID.

Logistics:

• The Academy of Sciences, which is always crowded anyway, is expecting especially big crowds on Sunday, and they are advising people to take public transit and to come early. They are also advising out-of-towners and members to come on a different day.
• MUNI, including the Culture Bus, will be free for kids who are with a fare-paying adult. Transfers will be good all day.
• Hours of the different attractions vary.

For more information, including a complete list of attractions, addresses, and hours:

• See the Family Appreciation Day website, or
• Look in the Friday, January 9 Examiner, or
• Pick up an event guide, on Sunday, at any of the attractions.

Two of the best things to do for kids — and for adults, too! — are free on the first Wednesday of every month.

San Francisco Zoo: Wednesday 10 to 5. Note: The free day is ONLY for San Francisco residents — bring proof with you (driver’s license, ID, or local bill). The Zoo is on Sloat Boulevard and 47th Avenue (near Ocean Beach) in the Sunset. The Muni Metro L Taraval goes right there. More info: Zoo website. Phone: (415) 753-7080

Exploratorium: Wednesday 10 to 5. Hundreds of interactive exhibits to play with. Lots of fun! Last year, out of the 600,000 people who visited the Exploratorium, 44,500 came on free first Wednesdays. Located in the Palace of Fine Arts in the Marina. More info: (1) visitors page, and (2) fact sheet. Phone: (415) 561-0360