Visiting San Francisco: The Exploratorium

I cannot say enough wonderful things about this place often referred to as a museum but really in a place to learn about science and scientific phenomenon in art, math, and music-- The Exploratorium in San Francisco. 

The Exploratorium is a public learning laboratory in San Francisco exploring the world through science, art, and human perception. Its mission is to create inquiry-based experiences that transform learning worldwide. It has been described by the New York Times as the most important science museum to have opened since the mid-20th century

​The Exploratorium used to be housed in the Palace of Fine Arts but is now at Piers 15 & 17.  This move allowed the museum to incorporate the bay into their exhibits.  We were fortunate enough to meet one of the exhibit designers.  He has been with the Exploratorium for 22 years and his excitement for the innovation at the museum is contagious.  There are exhibits that interest the scientific explorer in all of us.  One of my favorite exhibits was the math room.  There was a experiment that allowed you to drop a ball in a number and it would fall accurately and the square root.  If your dropped the ball at 25 it would hit a bar at 5, but 27 would land the ball just past 5.  Sorry - #mathgeeksidecut

My kids loved the enjoyed the monochromatic room.  Thanks to a light that made everything in the room a sepia tone, you could not distinguish the colors in the jelly bean jar, the flower jar, the map, or the art on the wall.  There were small pinpoint flashlights that hung from the ceiling that allowed you to see the true colors.  

Some visiting tips:

• Take public transportation.  The Exploratorium is located on Embarcadero, with easy access to public buses and trolleys.  Parking is hard to find.
• Plan to spend the entire day.  The Exploratorium is large and there is so much to see and do.  This is not a place to spend an hour or two.
• Eat in the Exploratorium museum cafe.  There have a fresh poke bowl bar, multiple fresh cooked hot entrees and they even have beer and wine.  Grab your food and sit in one of the many places that overlook the bay.   
• Get a ticket for the large spiral drawing board early.  My girls loved creating a piece together.
• Walk over to the Ferry Building after for oysters or ice cream.  The perfect end to a long day.
• This is not a children's museum.  There is no "toddler" area.  Kids love this museum but not designed just for kids.  

The cool picture above is of the toothpick rendering of the city of San Francisco.

Want to take a trip to San Francisco? Be sure to let our team know!

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