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  • Curious Contraptions November 8–January 20, 2019

    Explore charming, handmade mechanical sculptures at Curious Contraptions.

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  • The Exploratorium's vision is a world where people think for themselves and can confidently ask questions, question answers, and understand the world around them.

    Our mission: more relevant than ever.

    About Us

  • Illuminated Fog Exhibit

    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

  • People at Exhibit

    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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  • Shadow Box exhibit

    Browse our growing online collection of hands-on exhibits. 

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

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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.

Museum Hours
Tuesday–Sunday (All Ages): 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Thursday Evenings (Ages 18+): 6:00–10:00 p.m.
Monday: Closed except select Monday holidays

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What's Going On?


Curious Contraptions: November 8–January 20, 2019
Curious Contraptions

November 8–January 20, 2019

Explore charming, often hilarious mechanical sculptures known as automata. These small, handmade machines bring whimsical dramas to life through low-tech mechanisms, inviting visitors to investigate how they work. 

Nov
16
Tactile Dome Evening Hours
Tactile Dome: Special Evening Hours

Friday, November 16, 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. 

Nov
17
Surgical Tools
Surgical Tools and Techniques

Saturday, November 17, 2018 • 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

Get the scoop on surgery from members of the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN), and perform surgery on a pumpkin—using real instruments to remove slippery gummi bears and worms!

Nov
17
Motion and Mechanisms Workshop
Motion and Mechanisms Workshop

Saturday, November 17, 2018 • Noon–4:00 p.m.

Use cams, cranks, and moving parts to investigate and build different types of contraptions made with everyday materials.

All events

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

Meet the Artist: Keith Newstead

Meet Keith Newstead, a featured artist at our Curious Contraptions exhibition.

more videos
Global Climate Change Explorer

Discover how researchers study climate change and examine the latest scientific data.

Shadow Box exhibit
Exploratorium Exhibit Collection

We’ve been making our own hands-on exhibits here at the Exploratorium since 1969. Now with over 650 exhibits currently on display in our museum, we’re working to create a browsable collection of these exhibits online.

Science Snacks
Science Snacks

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

Explore our online collection