TourTruth score 7.3 out of 10
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San Francisco Exploratorium Admission
TourTruth score 6.0 out of 10
Average
180 reviews · Rated on 1 provider · How we score
- San Francisco
- Updated November 2, 2026
Explore more than 650 hands-on science and art exhibits across six galleries at San Francisco’s Exploratorium on the Embarcadero.
About this tour
Curiosity takes center stage at the Exploratorium, where more than 650 hands-on exhibits turn science, art, and human perception into a day of discovery. This San Francisco Exploratorium admission opens the door to six indoor and outdoor galleries, with room to experiment, observe, and follow questions wherever they lead.
Watch particle trails appear in the Cloud Chamber, play with light and shadow at Shadow Box, and encounter the shifting mist of Fujiko Nakaya’s Fog Bridge. At Gallery 2: Prototyping, look into the museum’s machine shop, where engineers test new ideas. The exhibits invite visitors of all ages to touch, test, and explore at their own pace.
The museum sits at Pier 15 along San Francisco’s Embarcadero, between Pier 39 and the Ferry Building, with public transportation nearby. Wheelchair and stroller access is available throughout exhibition spaces, dining areas, stores, and public restrooms. Food and drinks, hotel transfers, and the separate Tactile Dome experience are not included. Choose your daytime visit and make space for a little hands-on wonder at the San Francisco Exploratorium.
Highlights
- Experiment with more than 650 hands-on exhibits
- Watch particle trails form inside the Cloud Chamber
- Play with light and shadow at Shadow Box
- Walk through the mist of Fujiko Nakaya’s Fog Bridge
- Explore six indoor and outdoor galleries
What's included
Included
- Daytime admission to the Exploratorium
Not included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Food and drinks
- Tactile Dome experience
- After Dark Thursday evening admission; ages 18+ only
- Viator ticket purchases cannot be applied to an annual museum membership
Ratings on each provider
The ratings and review counts each booking site shows for this tour.
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View on ViatorViator
4.64 / 5 · 180 reviews
Important information
- Wheelchair and stroller accessible exhibition spaces, stores, dining areas, and public restrooms
- A limited number of wheelchairs and strollers are available to borrow free of charge at the Info Desk, first come, first served
- Certified assistance animals are welcome
- Tactile maps for blind and visually impaired visitors are available upon request
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- Coin-operated lockers are located past Ticketing and the Info Desk
- Complimentary museum maps are available in English, Spanish, French, Italian, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, German, Portuguese, Arabic, Japanese, Korean, and Filipino
- Children ages 3 and under enter free
- Public transportation is available nearby; parking is nearby
Frequently asked questions
Is the Exploratorium wheelchair accessible?
Yes. Exhibition spaces, stores, dining areas, and public restrooms are wheelchair accessible. A limited number of wheelchairs are available to borrow free at the Info Desk, first come, first served.
Are strollers allowed?
Yes. The museum is stroller accessible, and a limited number of strollers are available to borrow free at the Info Desk, first come, first served.
Can I bring a service animal?
Yes. Guide dogs and other certified assistance animals are welcome.
Are children ages 3 and under admitted free?
Yes. Children ages 3 and under receive free admission.
Is the Tactile Dome included?
No. The Tactile Dome experience is excluded from daytime admission.
How this score is calculated
This score is based on one provider. Viator rates it 4.64 from 180 reviews. We place that rating among all Viator ratings and weight it by its review count. If the tour is found on another provider later, both ratings are combined.
How the score works and rating distribution in San Francisco
- Each provider rating is turned into a percentile: the share of that provider's ratings it beats, weighted by review counts.
- Listings on different providers are combined in proportion to their review counts.
- Tours with few reviews are pulled toward the average until more reviews come in, so a handful of perfect reviews can't top the list.
- The result is shown from 0 to 10: this tour scores 6.0.
Provider rating distribution in San Francisco
How many tours in San Francisco have a provider rating at or below each value. The dashed line is this tour.
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- GetYourGuide
- Viator
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Price on provider site
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from $39.95
on Viator