• Where Curiosity Takes You

    Step inside a tornado, turn upside down in a curved mirror, walk on a fog bridge, and explore more than 650 hands-on exhibits.

    Visit us

  • SEE FOR YOURSELF.
    THURSDAYS AFTER DARK.

    6:00–10:00 p.m. every Thursday night at the Exploratorium. Adults Only (18+)

    Learn more

  • Inquiry-based learning is at the core of the Exploratorium. We invite people to ask questions, question answers, and discover for themselves how the world works.

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  • Explore our cool, teacher-tested, low-cost activities for the classroom and the curious.

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  • Inflatable: Expanding Works of Art
    Gigantic, fantastic, air-filled creations that expand our vision of art.
    Opens Saturday, May 26, 2018.

    Learn more

Experience the Exploratorium at Pier 15

Plan Your Visit

Pier 15
(Embarcadero @ Green St.)
San Francisco, CA 94111
Directions & Parking

Today's hours are 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

REGULAR HOURS
Tuesday–Sunday: 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Thursday Evening (Ages 18+): 6:00–10:00 p.m.
Monday: closed except select Monday holidays

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What's Going On?


Apr
20
Tactile Dome: Special Evening Hours

Friday, April 20, 2018 • 6:15 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

The museum closes at 5:00 p.m. today, but the after-hours interactive fun continues in our Tactile Dome. Take an interactive journey through total darkness during these special evening hours. 

Apr
21
Explorables: Handmade Science

Saturday, April 21, 2018 • 1:00–4:00 p.m.

Join us for four activities that play with motion: Tops, Benham's Disks, Rotocopters, and Paper Planes.

Apr
21
Tactile Dome: Special Evening Hours

Saturday, April 21, 2018 • 6:15 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

The museum closes at 5:00 p.m. today, but the after-hours interactive fun continues in our Tactile Dome. Take an interactive journey through total darkness during these special evening hours. 

Apr
22
Full-Spectrum Science with Ron Hipschman: Mirrors

Sunday, April 22, 2018 • 1:00 and 3:00 p.m.

Why do you see yourself in reverse when you look at yourself in a mirror? Why are you not upside down? Exploratorium scientist Ron Hipschman reveals the physics behind different types of mirrors and reflects on fascinating aspects of their construction and applications.

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More to Explore

The Exploratorium isn't just a museum; it's an ongoing exploration of science, art and human perception—a vast collection of online experiences that feed your curiosity.

Featured Video

Paul Clipson: Exploratorium Cinema Artist-in-Residence.

Filmmaker Paul Clipson describes his artistic process as an Artist-in-Residence.

more videos
Science Snacks

Low-cost, teacher-tested activities for the classroom and the curious.

What Is the
Wired Pier?

A collection of sensors around the Exploratorium campus is measuring and recording conditions in the environment—the weather, Bay water quality, pollution, and more.

Curious? There’s an App for That

If you haven’t yet downloaded our free apps, then you’re in for a surprise—actually, loads of them. 

Science of Cooking

Explore the science behind food and cooking with recipes, activities, and Webcasts.

Explore our online collection