San Francisco expands Museums for All program with five new destinations

London Breed, Mayor | Official website of City of San Francisco

By San Francisco Sun

May 24, 2024

San Francisco, CA – Mayor London N. Breed, Treasurer José Cisneros, and the San Francisco Human Services Agency celebrated the fifth anniversary of San Francisco’s Museums for All program today. Launched in May 2019, this initiative started with over 15 museums and cultural institutions providing free or significantly reduced admission to San Francisco residents receiving public benefits.

As of now, the program has expanded to include 28 participating museum partners. With the school season ending, Museums for All is gearing up for another active summer with five new destinations: The Walt Disney Family Museum, the Aquarium of the Bay, the American Bookbinders Museum, the Tenderloin Museum, and the Guardians of the City First Responders Museum. In fiscal year 2022-23 alone, nearly 165,000 low-income San Francisco residents visited participating museums at no cost or at highly discounted rates.

SF Museums for All allows San Francisco residents with CalFresh or Medi-Cal cards issued by SFHSA to obtain up to four free or $3 tickets per visit to any participating museum. Cardholders can access these benefits by presenting their benefits card and proof of San Francisco residency upon their visit.

“San Francisco is home to some of the most renowned museums and cultural institutions in the world and we want to ensure entrance is low barrier so that our residents, including youth and families, have the same opportunities to enjoy the benefits of arts and education,” said Mayor London Breed. “Last year, nearly 165,000 people participated in San Francisco’s Museums for All program... I want to thank each of the participating museums for their commitment in making these experiences available to all City residents.”

The program was created through collaboration between SFHSA and the Treasurer’s Financial Justice Project, which aims to reform fines and fees that disproportionately affect low-income residents. The Financial Justice Project released an impact report on SF Museums for All in 2023.

San Francisco's program builds on a national initiative aimed at offering free or discounted admission fees to individuals and families receiving public benefits. This initiative has broadened visitor bases and increased access to museums across underserved communities.

“Museums for All opens up a wealth of cultural institutions to San Francisco residents who would otherwise be priced out of attendance,” said Treasurer José Cisneros. “San Francisco has an incredible array of institutions... we are so excited to see so many low-income families benefit from this program.”

Nearly one in four San Franciscans receive these benefits and can visit museums free of charge through this initiative. Tickets typically range from $20-$150 for a family of four, posing a financial barrier that SF Museums for All seeks to eliminate. SFHSA promotes this program among qualifying households through community organizations serving children, older adults, and people with disabilities.

“All San Franciscans should be able to enjoy... rich cultural and artistic life experiences regardless of their income level,” said Trent Rhorer, Executive Director of SFHSA. “We are coming together... inviting all households that receive public benefits to visit our world-class museums this summer.”

To participate:

- Bring an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) or Medi-Cal card

- Provide proof of San Francisco residency such as a driver’s license or student ID

Participating institutions include:

- American Bookbinders Museum

- Aquarium of the Bay (starting June 1)

- Asian Art Museum

- Cable Car Museum

- California Academy of Sciences ($3 admission)

- Cartoon Art Museum

- Children’s Creativity Museum

- Chinese Culture Center