Masks and vaccinations are recommended. Plan your visit
After Dark
Worlds Open Up
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: Risk
Thursday, October 6, 2022 • 6:00–10:00 p.m.
Explore the science of risk with experiments and demonstrations designed to make your heart beat faster.
After Dark: Conversations About Landscape
Thursday, October 13, 2022 • 6:00–10:00 p.m.
The Exploratorium is your playground after dark! Tonight, dive into the issues that shape contemporary landscapes with writer and activist Gregg Castro, Presidio Trust Chief Park Officer Michael Boland, and Edward (Redbird) Willie of the Cultural Conservancy.
After Dark: Revealing Landscapes
Thursday, October 20, 2022 • 6:00–10:00 p.m.
Layers of history lie beneath our feet, and complex systems are at work across the planet—all without most people taking notice. Tonight, look and listen to the landscape to discover its stories.
After Dark: Death and Life
Thursday, October 27, 2022 • 6:00–10:00 p.m.
Cultures around the globe honor the changing seasons by recognizing death and its role in the cycle of life. Tonight, consider the seasonal transition through astronomy, agriculture, and thanatology—the study of death.
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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