SFMOMA: a practical visitor guide

More SFMOMA guides

• SFMOMA in 2 hoursA 2-hour route through SFMOMA: Fisher Collection, Matisse, Kahlo, Pollock, Warhol and architecture, with timings, the best order and tips to avoid crowds.
• Hours, tickets & free entrySFMOMA opening hours, ticket prices, free days, who gets in free and the best time to visit without crowds. Checked in 2026.
• Must-see artworksThe 10 key works at SFMOMA with where to find them and why they matter: Matisse, Kahlo, Pollock, Rothko, Warhol, Richter and more.
• SFMOMA with kidsHow to visit SFMOMA with kids: a 75-minute route, looking games, free entry for ages 18 and under, strollers and the quietest times to go.

Why SFMOMA is a must

SFMOMA is one of the great modern and contemporary art museums in the United States. Its collection runs from Matisse, Klee and Frida Kahlo to Pollock and Rothko, Warhol's pop and photography, design and new media. The Fisher Collection, with major holdings of Ellsworth Kelly, Gerhard Richter, Alexander Calder and Agnes Martin, is its recent jewel. The building, expanded by Snøhetta in 2016, is a work of architecture in its own right.

How to plan your visit

• Buy a timed ticket online to skip the ticket-desk line.
• Remember the museum is closed on Wednesdays and opens later on Thursdays (noon) but stays open until 8pm.
• The museum notes a new installation affecting the Atrium and Floors 3, 4 and 5: check the day's floor plan, because galleries rotate.
• About 45,000 sq ft of public space is free to see (lobby, terraces, murals), handy if you're short on time.
• Use the AnyArt app to hear the story behind any work you see instead of renting an audio guide.

Combine it with Yerba Buena

The museum sits in SoMa, across from Yerba Buena Gardens, a few minutes' walk from the Contemporary Jewish Museum and the Museum of the African Diaspora. San Francisco CityPASS and Go City offer discounts. For an art day, pair the museum in the morning with a stroll through the gardens and lunch nearby.