Masks and vaccinations are recommended. Plan your visit
After Dark
Unlimit Yourself
Every Thursday Night • 6:00–10:00 p.m.
Adults Only (18+)
Note: After Dark is always free for After Dark members and donors. Just bring your membership card and ID. The Tactile Dome is currently closed.
Meet us at Pier 15. No kids allowed—but you can still act like one. Unplug and play with 600+ interactive exhibits exploring science, art, and perception. Encounter the unexpected with programming that invites you into the worlds of the thinkers and creators changing our communities. Get inquisitive, grab a drink, and let the DJ set the vibe. With 75,000 square feet of conversation starters, you'll never run out of things to talk about.
Members Seek the Unexpected After Dark.
Unlimited access to 50+ After Dark evenings a year—for less than the cost of three tickets.
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Upcoming Events
After Dark: ¡Plantásticas!
Opening Night | Noche de apertura
Thursday, March 23, 2023 • 6:00–10:00 p.m.
Dive deeper into the many roles plants play in our world. Aprende más sobre las diversas funciones que desempeñan las plantas en nuestro mundo.
After Dark: Trans Day of Visibility
Thursday, March 30, 2023 • 6:00–10:00 p.m.
Celebrate this international day of awareness at After Dark! Learn from transgender individuals in STEAM fields, celebrate the diversity of human expression, and explore the cultural and scientific context for transgender experiences.
After Dark: Vitality
Thursday, April 6, 2023 • 6:00–10:00 p.m.
Spring is in swing and new life is popping up everywhere. Tonight, be inspired by flora in our ¡Plantásticas! exhibition and enjoy a life-giving cabaret of art and science with the Gold Beams Social Club.
After Dark: Drawing Sound
Thursday, April 13, 2023 • 6:00–10:00 p.m.
The Exploratorium is your playground after dark! Tonight, immerse yourself in Drawing Sound, a performance by Fred Frith and Heike Liss that explores the nature of improvisation.
The Great Animal Orchestra
Saturday, June 10–Sunday, October 15, 2023
Traveling from rainforests and deserts to Arctic tundra and coral reefs, hear the howls, croaks, hums, trills, clicks, growls, and cries of animals in the wild, and see this rich symphony of sound made visible through real-time streaming spectrograms.
Learn More
Tinkering at Home
Tinkering is an active, hands-on approach to learning about the world. Try this collection of prompts using everyday materials.
Remember when something wonderful happened… and it was science?
Today, the Exploratorium needs your help. Sustain the wonder for future generations.
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