Visit a Museum for Free in January

The Oakland Museum of California offers free general admission on the first Sunday of the month.

Did you know you can visit most of the Bay Area's major museums and cultural attractions for free every month? Just about all museums have one day a month set aside as a free day. They all aren't on the same day, too, so if you plan it right you can take in several museum outings without having to pay a thing.

Note that many museums charge for admission to special exhibitions which is not included in the free general admission offered on free days. Advance reservations may also be required and holidays may affect open hours. Check with each museum for details before you go. Also, groups are generally not admitted on free days; check with museums for their free day group policy.

Every Saturday—January 3, 10, 17 & 24

For general admission for all San Francisco Bay Area residents (must show proof of residency like a valid photo ID or utility bill)

• de Young Museum
• Legion of Honor

Bank of America Museums on Us—January 3 & 4

Bank of America or Merrill Lynch credit or debit card holders get free general admission on the first full weekend of every month. Present your card and a photo ID for admission (one free general admission per cardholder). Get full details here. Participating museums include:

• de Young Museum
• Legion of Honor
• Oakland Museum of California
• Sonoma Valley Museum of Art

First Sunday of the Month—January 4

• Asian Art Museum
• Oakland Museum of California

First Tuesday of the Month—January 6

• Conservatory of Flowers
• de Young Museum
• Legion of Honor

Every Wednesday—January 7, 14, 21 & 28

• Sonoma Valley Museum of Art
• Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

First Thursday of the Month—January 8

• Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive
• SFMOMA (San Francisco Bay Area residents, 4–8 pm)

Second Sunday of the Month—January 11

• Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

Second Tuesday of the Month—January 13

• San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum

If you can't make it to the museum on any of these free days, don't worry—the Marin County Free Library offers Discover & Go museum passes for patrons to check out. These passes provide free or discounted admission at many San Francisco Bay Area museums, including the Asian Art Museum, the Lawrence Hall of Science, the California Academy of Sciences, Exploratorium, the Charles M. Schulz Museum, Children's Fairyland, Pacific Coast Air Museum, the California State Railroad Museum, and more. You can even log in with your library card number and print a pass online! You can also check out passes to the Bay Area Discovery Museum at your local Library. Visit their website for more information.