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Exploratorium
Rating Details »
Neighborhood: Marina/Cow Hollow
3601 Lyon St
(at Jefferson St)
San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 561-0356
3601 Lyon St
(at Jefferson St)
San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 561-0356
Heat Up & Chill Out After Dark
Join us on December 3rd for cocktails on ice, sizzling tunes, and stunning displays and explorations of fire, ice, heat, and cold.
Announced 1 week ago- Hours:
Tue-Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
388 reviews for Exploratorium
If I could give this place 10 stars for the Tactile dome alone, I would.
The Exploritorum is a very hands-on exploration of the different senses. You don't just learn from reading, you learn from doing. It was kind of overwhelming as to where to start, but we just made our way through the place. Lots of kids so you might not get your full alone time with an exhibit.
However, as mentioned in the beginning... the TACTILE dome is where it's at. You do need to make reservations to visit it (the website recommends calling ahead, which was good since when we got there, every time slot for the day was filled). It's an extra $3 but well worth it. The best way I can describe it is a maze for your sense of touch, but not your sense of sight. You enter into a maze (fear not, there's only one path) in complete darkness. Throughout the path there's many different textures and items to touch, ranging from soft fabric to tennis rackets to chains and so on. It was an amazing experience to take sight away and just feel your way through something. They allow you to go through the dome as many times as you want in the reserved time.. we went through 3 times and had a blast.
Came here for the After Dark series in November. Haven't been here since elementary school and I've always wanted to come back. The experiments and things you play with there are older, but the items on the 2nd floor seemed newer than the first floor. Had a good presentation by a scientist outside under the dome.
I may go back to see other presentations through the After Dark series, but may not need to go back to see the displays.
We happened to walk by the Exploratorium during the weekend it was FREE to get in - what a treat! I would definitely pay to get inside and finish exploring this amazing place.
If you like learning random facts, playing with bubbles, looking at visual illusions, and just plain PLAYING, you should check this place out. Especially if you have kids. But even if you don't, my (20 and 30 something) friends and I had a ton of fun on our own.
Plus they have good food at their food court! No crappy fast food here - they have NIMAN RANCH hot dogs, sandwiches, and also pizza and salads. YUM!
This is a great place. Let me start this way... there are some 5 star things in here; but, there needs to be some improvement.
For toddlers, around 3 years old, it is not the best place... they can play with some things... but it is geared at an older crowd.
For adults... it is $14 to get in, and there is really no time to "explore" anything because as soon as you try to really observe something, there are 5 tweens waiting or putting there hands all over it; and, this was a Wednesday. So, as an adult, you step aside or move to the next thing and do not get to really take it in.
Also, there is a lack of staff there to help or explain things. I feel it would be much more educational if there were trained staff there helping with the installations.
There was a Daniel Rozen video sculpture that knocked my socks off. In fact, there were lots of things that were great. This is why I will visit it again.
Great place to hang out. We spent three hours there and it wasn't enough time to visit all the exhibits. It was very educational and fun. But the place needs a bit of renovation. Make sure you use your AAA discount.
My friend and I just went to the Exploratorium After Dark (their equivalent to the Academy of Science's Nightlife event), and it seriously just pwned the Nightlife like no other.
Basically, they open the Exploratorium up from 6-10 PM, and there are talks and live music and drinks. Here's how it totally one-upped Nightlife and the Academy of Sciences:
-It's FREE for members and a guest (Nightlife still costs members $8), so definitely take advantage of it if you have a membership.
-Drinks are cheaper than at the Academy of Sciences.
-NO CROWDS. You can actually walk around freely, swing your arms around and not have to fight through inebriated yuppies to get to the exhibits.
-Hands on experiments. Like my previous review said, a lot of the stuff will be kind of boring and "duh" for people over like, 10. But there IS a lot of cool stuff for adults. Some of the experiments really made us go, "WOW THAT'S COOL!"
-Tons of free parking!
I love this, and I'm so glad they're doing this! I'll be back every month, because it takes more than 2 hours to get through all the exhibits, and we still have a lot more to see.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/2/2009
I don't dole out many 5-stars, and this is more like 4.5 stars but oh well.
This is the type of place… Read more »
Everyone should visit the Exploratorium at least twice, yeah? Once, for during elementary school. It is during those formulative years when the learning seeds of math and science are planted. So, this place is a fun environment for kids to explore how nature works, and to encourage them to be curious and learn more...perhaps then to pursue the sciences as an education. The huge hangar-like building houses all sorts of scientific projects and displays for everyone to enjoy tinkering/playing/solving and to marvel. Some displays reveal how complicated nature is - whereas others show how simple some phenomenons actually are. There is something for everyone; good for tourists and them youngsters; or even as a place to pass the time.
The second time to visit is as adults. We can go back and reminisce when our current career path really began and its inspiration (coolish); to test how much we learnt or remembered in school (woot), or to rue what could have been (lol). Some of the displays are still there decades later, but some are new - and there is at least something to admire, no matter how too-cool-for-you we think we are.
Founded by Frank Oppenheimer "40 years ago in a cavernous half-ruined building left over from the city's 1915 Panama Pacific Exposition," whose experiments have been used by pretty much every science museum in the U.S. He is also the brother of Robert Oppenheimer, the "father" of A-bomb. Relatively plenty of parking around the area. Takes maybe two hours to see everything. Easy to get to from 101 or 19th Avenue, off of Lombard Street near the Golden Gate Bridge, next to the Palace of Fine Arts so it's easy to spot (next to the large dome) even if one somehow gets lost - no excuses. :D
Reference:
Perlman, David. (August 30, 2009) A Brilliant Mind, An Open Heart (Biography). The San Francisco Chronicle and SFGate. com, Books, p. F6.
Milestones: the 200th review...and 300th "Cool" vote's review! :D
The Exploratorium molded who I am today- my love of all things science and physics related, every blue ribbon I ever won at a science fair... I owe it all to this museum. My mom took me here when I was about 3- and I can honestly say, as a child, some of my very first few memories in life are those of having my precocious toddler mind blown to bits in this place. Shadow boxes. Plate tectonics. Recursive Systems.... Electricity/Tesla Coils... Perceptual paradox...Fluid mechanics...Kinetic energy! Euphoric! sensory! overload!
I recently went back with (dragged) some friends I was visiting in Aptos. "Really? The Exploratorium? Why?" They asked on the way.... "You'll see"
And we did. I loved it all just as much at 31 as I did when I was 3..
Everyone else has pretty much covered the rest in the 368 reviews before mine so I will close with:
Thank you Exploratorium. 5 stars for you. Please don't ever change. There's no me without you.
Free on the first Wednesday of the month!!!
4 stars because it was free and fun. Had I paid it would have been 3 stars because it is expensive and not amazing.
I've been trying to go to the Exploratorium since the first Wednesday in July. No one could go with me then, no one could come in August either, and I realllly didn't want to go by myself. I don't usually have problems doing things alone, but the Exploratorium solo felt a little pedophiley. Fortunately, I scrounged up two fellow vagabonds to come with me on the first Wednesday in September.
Since it was a free admission day, chaos was to be expected. These are the parents who don't want to pay (I don't blame them), but these also seem to be the parents who don't feel like teaching their kids how to share or not run and scream wildly in public places. It was impossible to get a chance at some exhibits, so we observed many from afar. There are a lot of disgraceful things I will do, but fighting off a 5 year old for a chance at the black magnetic sand isn't one of them.
Had I paid for the Exploratorium, I would have read and studied every exhibit in detail, and probably would have taken notes. But since it was free, we leisurely strolled through instead, stopping only at the ones that looked fun and provided good photo-ops. So we skipped over many magnetic and electric things, a lot of the vision testing booths, and most of the sound section.
The favorites were anything involving smoke, bubbles, and mirrors. There is a station where you can create smokey mushroom clouds and another that makes a tornado. There are multiple bubble stations. I really wanted to play, but they were all being hogged. I don't blame the kids, if I got myself on the bubble station, I'd never get off either. And of course any opportunity to stare at ourselves in crazy mirrors or distorted tv screens is always much enjoyed...we are just as self-absorbed as everyone else.
And oddly enough, our absolute favorite exhibit was a giant chair. I can't even count how many pictures we took posing on this giant wooden dining chair. It's like the kid who gets an amazingly over the top toy and only wants to play in the box.
So I got my Exploratorium fill. I don't think I would come back unless I had a kid in tow, and I have yet to meet anyone who is willing to leave their children with me.
The only reason we attended this weekend was due to the free admission. As a kid, it was pretty amazing. As an adult...not so much, especially with the THRONGS of people.
Let me say upfront, there are some ESPECIALLY RUDE people. These are people who maintain their stereotypes...and they wonder why they are looked down at? These people & their kids! cut in line and didn't even notice that there were others waiting politely in a non-invasive manner.
If I were to attend on a normal day (paying admission fee and all) I can imagine, my experience may have been better.
Despite the crowd, we were able to get parking in their lot. At the entrance today there was a bubble exhibit. There was the moderator who made some amazing bubble formations! Of course, kids splashing and making a mess ... those I tried to stay away from.
There were a couple exhibits that still wowed me. But a large portion of the time, there were SO many people that I would watch them do the experiment and then move on after reading the explanation.
I was disappointed the Tactile Dome was closed. I was slightly looking forward to it.
We were able to walk the exhibit in about 2 hours, browse the store and the surrounding areas. This place is a very popular place for wedding shoots as I counted 4 couples in a span of 30 mins while walking around. But thankfully, the weather was nice which made the walk nice.
Would only come here again if the admission was free.
Today was one of the best days I've had in SF...the sun was out...I had wonderful company, and we felt like some of the oldest kids there :P There were hardly any crowds, and I got to make bubbles, shadow figures, beat on some xylophones, wear silly headphones that have deer ears on them, buy a sperm cell stuffed animal (?) for my sister, make gears, look at myself in funny mirrors, and smell the pizza from a kid's birthday party.
What a wonderful establishment, and any place that makes me feel youthful and lets me be a kid- is great in my book!
HA! We did these sculptures in that way - the jetter thing like it was there from Coanda! http://www.youtube.com...
So much fun! Kids, geeks, and English teachers can all enjoy the built-on-site exhibits and learn how the world works.
The cafe food is awful, however. Pack your own picnic. Ham Sandwich sign says "stone ground mustard" ... We got French's Mustard on stale rye bread. Not freshly made, either. Too boot, food was overpriced.
There are not too many places these days where a mother and/or father, let alone any adult(s) can GO anywhere/somewhere and have a frightening dam good time. One faces the stares of other adults, the misery of your own kids thinking: "that is NOT my father/mother doing that", or worst, bumping into friends seeing you act like a kid and enjoying it!!
Today for the first-time ever, I went to the Exploratium and wish they were lower in admission fees so I can go every week!!!! I won't go into too many details BUT the fee is more than worth it if you go with a family! Many hands-on projects and activities to get any bored, uninterested kid (or 50-year old kid) into a huge smile and going a mile a minute!!
Being a photographer, of course I liked the Reflections, which is a huge curved mirror with its focal point being about two feet in front. As you approach it, you'll see everything in the background upside-down; normal for a mirror scene thought me. BUT then you see yourself... then TWO of yourself!! I won't spoil the surprise revelation but GO: you'll love it! So detailed and everything on that mirror is so sharp ~ wow!!! A lot of items that I really liked and spent a whole 2hrs+ there, snapping away and being a kid again.
PHOTOGRAPHICALLY SPEAKING: Don't take a tripod as there's too many people in awe and kids walking/running around (not paying attention) and they'll only trip over the tripod legs. Shoot at the highest ISO possible with your camera and try not to use flash unless you really have to. That flash will blind out the details and kill the natural light (wot light?). Otherwise, have a great time!! There was not one area of the Exploratium that I was not able to get an available light (NO flash) picture. If you can't park in front, then try at the Marina parking where there's NO meters nor day time limit.
Come on; it's time to be a kid again. You'll love this place!!!
been here several times, but experienced the inside for the first time during their 40th anniversary (free to enter) celebration. this place is quite amazing. if you are a techie or have kids that love hands-on gizmos, you could probably spend weeks in here.
the reason i've come here in the past is that the exterior is very beautiful. the architecture and pond with ducks is serene and relaxing.
If it weren't for those darned kids and that meddling dog, I would have been able to make bubbles and give this 5 stars.
Seriously though, this place does make you feel like a kid because everything is so fun and cool! I really wanted to play with the bubble maker, but alas, there was a line of kids having SO MUCH FUN. I'm just bitter I didn't get to play with the bubble maker.
There's also a "personal space" generator that makes lines around the floor around you so that you can determine your personal space with other people near you.
In addition to science toys, they also have a nice section of biological science and marine animals. I particularly enjoyed the visual / optical illusion portions of the Exploratorium.
If you don't actually go inside, the surrounding area around the Exploratorium is pretty boss too for just taking a breather so win-win!
I actually enjoy this place more then the CA Academy of Science. There is so much to learn, see, & touch. I heard its free every 3rd wed. Anyways I defin want to return later when I have kids.
I was concerned that my daughter, who is soon to turn 3, wouldn't be interested in The Exploratorium just yet. I thought she was too young.
Turns out I was dead wrong.
I think The Exploratorium became the coolest place in my kid's world today. Her senses went into overdrive the moment we walked in. From blowing bubbles to playing drums, every display grabbed her interest. We only got halfway through the place after three hours, so we're planning to go back in the next few weeks.
The cafe was also a winner. Since the munchkin doesn't care much for sandwiches, we shared a plate of penne pasta with marinara sauce. It was big n' tasty, just the perfect size for Daddy and Daughter to share. Prices are pretty much in line with the SF Zoo, and much cheaper (and better) than the Academy of Sciences. Many choose to bring their own food and sit at the cafe's tables, and the staff is cool with that. But I think that twelve bucks is pretty reasonable for lunch for two...
This place is a true San Francisco gem.
A fun day... 3 is a little young for a good part of the exhibits... a lot of the exhibits are also really old and are in desparate need of a revamp.
Before you approach the Exploratorium, you have to know what you're getting into. Otherwise, you're stuck in a museum bored out of your mind wondering why there are so many nerds/geeks running about from age 5-60.
This is a place for those who love science in all its forms. There's stuff for the physics nerd, biology nerd, engineering nerd, and that one nerd that just can't resist pushing every button and pulling every lever in the museum. It's great wandering about just to fiddle around with stuff. I would say this place is suited for groups and families with gobs of children.
For those who are not in the know, I would recommend bringing your student ID for a sweet discount. Even if it's been 10 years since you've been to college, as long as you look remotely similar to the fuzzy blur on that ID... they'll give you the discount.
We came here this afternoon with my relatives and had a great time. I'll make this short and sweet since there's already a ton of reviews.
*I found a coupon online (google exploratorium coupon)
*Parking is free
*Crowds weren't bad at all and for the most part all of the kids there were great about taking turns!
*We brought a small cooler with our lunches in it, paid our admission and entered, found a bench to sit at and nobody hassled us.
:)
Really cool place! I've been here like 3 times for private functions. Me and my guests have a lot fun "exploring" the exhibits. Its very hands-on, even for adults which I like.
This place is so much fun, even for kids.
I haven't been here since high school and my has it changed... for the better! This is actually one of the best interactive museums I've been to.
-------------------------------------
They have two new exhibits that were the most interesting:
1) the Life one that deals with biology and cells and plants and all that great stuff! They even had termites and decomposing rats and bugs in one of the showcase. Gross, yet iinexplicably captivating. And
2) The Daniel Rozin exhibit. For those of you who do not know who he is, let's just say you wish you were as clever as he is and a definite MUST SEE of the entire exhibit. It's sheer genius and I kinda wished I was him at the end or maybe in his inner circle so that I myself knew how he did it all.
It was a great way to kill a few hours and if you don't mind little kids (whom some do not have any manners and will come up to the exhibit you are trying to work out and take things/ push buttons/ scream/ push/ etc etc.), then you will be fine :)
5 stars if you're under 10. 1 star if you're over 30 looking for beer while managing a 10 year-old having a 5 star experience.
We have been coming here for over 10 years now and it gets better each time. It's good for kids and grown-ups. The Exploratorium is situated at the beautiful Palace of Fine Arts. When I lived in San Francisco, we would just take the bus here (I really miss those Muni's). Anyway, this place is huge. Go there early and give yourself at least 3 hours or more to experience everything.
I read an article recently stating that restaurateurs were complaining about how rude patrons suddenly seemed to be. Not that they had been overly polite before, just that in the last couple of years, boorish, obnoxious behavior had greatly increased.
Which brings me to the Exploratorium. My own son is a zany, hyper lad who has a lot of trouble with impulse control, sustained focus, and anything requiring long attention span. He looked like a very quiet, restrained, incredibly polite young man compared to pretty much everyone else there, which included a great many adults.
The Exploratorium itself gets 5 stars, but those line-jumping, turn-hogging, exhibit-destroying patrons are another matter entirely. I can understand and be patient when the little "beantsers"
are ravaging the place, but when they're 12, 16, 35, and 50 years old, I get a little less tolerant and start doggin' folks. I mean, saying things like, "Wow, THAT was rude!" right out loud, and giving stink-eye with impunity.
Still and all, the Exploratorium is magnificent. I have a dream that someday I could go with about 20 friends and have the place to ourselves. I could manifest my inner nerd to my heart's content, actually reading all of the information and carrying out the experiment/exhibit exactly the way the exhibitors intended it, cuz that's how I roll....
the cow's eye?
so awesome.
I forgot how fun this place was!!
The last time I came here I was a little, and I wasn't sure if I would have the same great time I did as a kid. I was wrong, I had an even BETTER time here than I had as a kid. Now that I'm older, I actually read the information for the exhibits/experiments instead of running up and randomly pushing buttoms and spinning objects.
We spent a little over 3 hours here, and didn't get to experience everything, but our brains were way overstimulated by the time we left. The only disappointment was the "shock" experiment. The sadomasicist in me was looking forward to shocking myself, and when I finally did it, I was like, "that's it?" As a kid, I remember a bigger jolt, so I was expecting the same.
I left exhausted, over-stimulated, satisfied, and in search of pain.
My friend and I came here for a Microbiology project! We actually had fun! I thought we're just gonna deal with our project and leave...but then, there were lotsa things to explore...
Life sciences such our project are located upstairs! You get to see how our cells work which can be compared to one celled organisms like the amoeba! There were microscope slides, computer screen and joystick to help navigate the way! Then, there are bacteria and decomposition exhibits. You could also play with the sound exhibits located in the same 2nd floor.
The first floor - I think about combination of physics, chemistry, and art! I really like the reflection exhibit and the broken mirror exhibit! Wow! I also like "am flying exhibit" and "am inverted exhibit." Playing with the magnetic sand was also fun! I was really happy - I feel like am a toddler again...
Also, their are bathrooms around and water fountains available. Parking is also free! And yeah, it only cost $11 for students! Pretty cool eh?
I would definitely recommend this place to anyone young or old...I am taking my family this week. It is really must place to visit if you're in San Francisco!
I'm not gonna lie, I had hella fun at the Exploratorium. Yes, I admitted it, and yes, I said hella.
Even after visiting the Exploratorium over the years for school and with science-oriented people, the Exploratorium was still a fresh experience or "learning adventure" as they call it that incited that sense of childlike curiosity in the world. It was especially a positive experience because I brought my little brother. I think it's amazing how they promote learning in art, psychology, and physics through disguising the lessons in the form of interactive games and puzzles.
It's nice to go on a free day if you're on a budget, but just be wary that if you go you're setting yourself up for walking into the most crowded scene you've ever been in in your life. Paying for the trip on a normal day might just be well worth the extra couple of bucks to ensure a good experience.
Give me gadgets and give me toys and I will be the happiest 21 year old you will ever meet! And damn this is what this place did! Wahoo!
The Exploratorium is amazing! Sure, I had to fight kids to get to each little station, but it was so worth it. It was like being a kid again! I love pressing buttons and I love that EVERY single exhibit is hands-on. It's just as much a playground for adults as it is for kids!
My partner in crime "accidentally" grabbed my ass while trying to "find the rope ladder" in the Tactile Dome. Sure man, whatever.
The Tactile Dome is the place to grope and be groped (people and/or the cool stuff around you in the dark), or to experience something akin to an acid trip (and the closest I ever want to come, thanks). I guess combined that makes it a good date idea? I don't even smoke, but holy Moses, I need a cigarette just thinking about it...
I manage to come here on a fine Wednesday afternoon to check out the place because it's free the 1st Wednesday every month and the place was indeed packed! To most people they would find this very much a pain to deal with, but in my opinion I found it a great opportunity for all these kids (and adults) to come and learn about the various programs that the museum has to provide.
In this modern day and age, we are learning less and spending more time wasting away with digital media such as television and video games which don't serve much a purpose when you're asked about the way kinetics or electricity works. The problems is that most people just accept, "it works because it works", as for me, I love understanding the deep meaning behind everything because, as some may argue, it is because the advancement of science is how we are today, and there is no appreciation for that anymore it seems.
Do go check this place out! It is definitely worth the travels because they have various elements you can dabble with such as, sound, earth, air, and water exhibits to give you a deeper meaning and understanding on how this all operates.
Also there is the 'Reflections' exhibit going on right now which will give you a wonderful exploration of different ways you can look at yourself, (great photo-ops!) and do check out the huge reflector mirror, it really does make your mind amazed.
Exploratorium, a gem to behold!
Goodness, this place is fantastic! I don't why I just typed that. I don't really talk like that.
But seriously, this place is awesome. It kept me, my girlfriend and my friend occupied for close to three hours. It's like a huge playground, except you learn things from all the stuff you play with.
I had a lot of fun here. Maybe too much. I just wish I could've gone into that tactile dome, or whatever it's called.
This place is so frigggnn awesome. From the moment you walk in, you are instantly mesmerized with all the sounds and exhibits they have to offer.
Its one of those museums where you loose track of time and existence as you are constantly learning and enjoying their crazy creations. Literally, give yourself a few hours to stay here, anything less is ruining the experience bc your missing so much to see.
The Exploratorium is defently fun for all ages, yet every time I come here I feel a sense of my childhood coming back to me and that's what I love, that indescribable comfort of not a worry in the world.
My favorite exhibit is the shadow box, where you and your friends stand inside a room, a huge flash goes off, and your shadow is imprinted on the walls for a few seconds. Totally cool to goof around with!
A little disappointed, it wasn't as fun as I hoped it to be. Maybe I should try the academy of science.
It was a bit too kid-like for me, which says a lot because I am a kid at heart. I guess because nothing was too fun or mind-stimulating, and I was really tired.
Tactile Dome was scary and fun haha. But it stunk like feet, which didn't stop me from going twice anyways haha.
As for everything else, it got boring pretty quickly, I have more fun at museums and parks.
We've taken the kids to the Exploratorium twice this month, and still haven't seen more than half the exhibits. My 6 year old could happily spend a full day in just the front quarter of the museum; I have to practically drag him along to at least see a few new things before the end of the day. There must be literally many hundreds of exhibits here. Some winners from our most recent visit last week included:
- Pulley system (up front)
- Iron filings on the big magnets
- Sand shaping wheels
- Shadow room (always a winner)
- Toilet drinking fountain
- Xylophone room
The cafe is pretty decent but pricey, so we brought along our own lunch last time.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/10/2007
I remember thinking the Exploratorium was pretty cool when I was little, but it's become infinitely… Read more »
I've been here a few times, and it seems that every time I go I learn something new.
I suppose my aging mind tends to forget things... either way it's a really fun experience, especially if you've got a kid or a kid inside you waiting to have fun (I really hope you do).
It's all hands on learning about chemistry, physics, biology, and they have a relatively new psychology-esque section (which I feel wasn't up to par with their older things).
Parking's a bit tough around these parts, but it's worth the search because a whole day of activities, fun and learning is pretty awesome.
Their gift store has a bunch of neat stuff... but really it's stuff you can probably find elsewhere for cheaper. I bought my niece some 3D glasses/drawing kit and mailed it to her. The clerk accidentally charged me for a pen I didn't put on the counter, but that's fine because it's been my favorite pen for about a year now.
