San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau

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Amusing America
Pier 45

415-537-1105
Admission: Free

A collaboration of museums pays tribute to the art of American fun at Amusing America. This very different kind of museum traces the history of popular amusements such as the carousel, the ferris wheel and the roller coaster. Right next door you'll find San Francisco's beloved Musee Mecanique, a festival of vintage music and arcade machines from the turn of the century.

Asian Art Museum
200 Larkin Street

Information: 415-581-3500
Admission: $10 adults, $7 seniors, $6 ages 12-17 and college students with ID, $5 after 5pm on Thursday and children under 12 are free. Free admission the first Tuesday of every month.

The Asian Art Museum is one of the largest museums in the world devoted exclusively to Asian art with a collection comprising nearly 15,000 objects spanning 6,000 years of history. The museum reopened in March 2003 at its new, expanded facility at San Francisco’s Civic Center. Open Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm, Thursday until 9pm. Current and upcoming events and exhibits include:
Ongoing "In a New Light: The Asian Art Museum Collection." More than 2500 extraordinary works – all drawn from the museum’s renowned collection – are displayed in the museum’s new galleries. Together they constitute a comprehensive introduction to all of the major cultures of Asia.
Through January 22, 2006 "Shadows, Masks, and Music: Aspects of the Performing Arts in Asia" presents a collection of more than 50 colorful and unique instruments, masks, and other items that were used in Asian theatre, dance or musical performances.
Through September 11, 2005 One of the most celebrated centers of Buddhism, Tibet—with its spiritual wisdom, isolated locale, and glittering palaces—has long captivated the world. Don’t miss the rare chance to experience first hand the splendors of this legendary place in the stunning exhibition "Tibet: Treasures from the Roof of the World."
October 1–November 13, 2005 "Fang Zhaoling: A Life in Painting" exhibits this Hong Kong artist's refreshingly “naive” style and politically charged subjects such as war and peace, the Vietnamese “boat people,” and the environment.
October 6, 2005 At the Civic Center Arts Sampler by the Asian Art Museum & San Francisco Opera, you can 'dine' on some of the tastiest culture in Civic Center at an affordable price. The October 6 menu features entry to the museum after 5pm where you can see "Fang Zhaoling: A Life in Painting," then head to the War Memorial Opera House for a 7:30pm performance of Rossini's "The Italian Girl in Algiers." This special package also includes a CD sampler of highlights from SF Opera's 2005-06 season.
December 3, 2005–February 26, 2006 "Traditions Unbound: Groundbreaking Painters of Eighteenth-Century Kyoto" showcases fifty-eight of the most impressive paintings produced in Kyoto in the eighteenth century. Six are classified by Japan as Important Cultural Properties. They are selected from museums and private holdings in Japan as well as in the United States.
March 24–May 21, 2006 Featuring more than ninety artworks by fifty-four artists, "From the Fire: Contemporary Korean Ceramics" is the largest survey ever to come to North America of Korea's finest contemporary ceramics. The objects on view in this exhibit combine traditional techniques with new influences and innovative methods.
March 24–September 17, 2006 "The Elegant Gathering: The Yeh Family Collection" features 80 superb examples of Chinese painting and calligraphy dating as far back as the seventh century—all selected from the Yeh Family Collection, an extraordinary set of artworks assembled by three generations of a prominent Cantonese family and donated to the Museum in 2003.
April 7–July 16, 2006 Liu Xiaodong is one of China's leading and most passionate figurative painters. "Liu Xiaodong: The Three Gorges Project" spotlights the issue of environmental degradation in an industrializing China.

Bay Area Discovery Museum
557 McReynolds Road at Fort Baker
Sausalito

Information: 415-487-4398 (tape), 289-7266 for reservations
Admission: $8.50 for adults; $7:50 for children; Children under 1 and members are free

The Museum provides important educational services to many Bay Area young children in a creative setting where learning can be fun. It offers creative arts and natural sciences programs along with an elementary after school program which has been supported by some major community organizations. Tuesday-Friday 9am-4pm, Saturday-Sunday 10am-5pm. Closed Mondays. Upcoming exhibits include:
Ongoing The Discovery Museum's new and improved "Tot Spot" lets kids 5 and under explore animal habitats of the woodland, creek and meadow.
Ongoing There’s lots of adventures for every explorer at Lookout Cove. This exhibit features replicas of a Shipwreck, Golden Gate Bridge, Crow’s Nest, Sea Cave with Tide Pools and so much more. Grab your compass and let your imagination run wild!
Through August 2005 In "Waves of Summer," the Museum presents performances and activities featuring some of our region’s best-loved artists. Each Saturday offers a new reason to celebrate … so pack your sunscreen, hat and sippy cup and come on down! 11am-1pm Saturdays. Free with admission.
October 1-January 2006 Discover life with Papa, Mama, Brother and Sister Bear in wonderful, interactive and three-dimensional environments based on the classic Berenstain Bears storybook illustrations.

The California Academy of Sciences
875 Howard Street

Information: 415-750-7145 (tape)
Admission: $7 adults, $4.50 ages 12-17 and seniors (age 65 and over), $2 ages 4-11, age 3 and under free.

The California Academy of Sciences is currently closed to the public in Golden Gate Park and has reopened at 875 Howard Street. The Academy will return to Golden Gate Park in 2008. Spanning both exhibit floors will be a living coral reef that will house nearly 20,000 gallons of water and a variety of sealife. Open daily 10am-5pm. Ongoing and upcoming exhibits include:
Ongoing The Touch Tidepool, Sssssnake Alley, the African Penguin Colony and much more.
Ongoing In the Steinhart acquarium you can view poison dart frogs, box turtles, sea horses, and clown fish in jewel tanks. Get an up-close look at sturgeon, giant sea bass, alligator snapping turtles, gars, and moray eels.
Ongoing The Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Geology maintains four major collections: Recent invertebrates, fossils, diatoms, and minerals. The collections of the department are the most diverse within the Academy, containing approximately two and a half million specimens.
Ongoing The Naturalist Center provides additional activities for children, including educational activities that range from fossil excavations to owl pellet dissections.
Ongoing Ready to solve perplexing puzzles, optical oddities and experience mirror magic? "Think Tank" promises to challenge minds both young and old with brain games of all levels of difficulty.
Ongoing "Coral Reef Caretaking" is a new program where you can watch as an a biologist suits up and dives into the Academy's two-story Coral Reef tank to care for the reef's inhabitants. During this 20-minute dive, the biologist will clean the tank windows and feed the animals. A second biologist will be on hand to answer questions. Every Wednesday.
November 19, 2005-August 2006 In "Hotspot: California on the Edge," visitors can explore one of the world's 34 biodiversity hotspots, and home to nearly 7,000 species of plants and animals...California! Come marvel at the unique life that it supports, and learn what you can do to help keep this hotspot healthy.

Cantor Center for Visual Arts
328 Lomita Drive and Museum Way (off Palm Drive)
Stanford

Information: 650-723-4177, Group Tours 650-723-3469
Admission: Free

The Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University presents art in 24 galleries plus sculpture gardens, terraces, and courtyard. The Center's diverse collections span 4000 years and the world's cultures and number some 25,000 objects, including the largest collection of Rodin bronzes outside Paris. Nearly 100 contemporary sculptures sited outdoors throughout campus await your discovery.
Ongoing "The Life and Legacy of the Stanford Family" examines the interests and accomplishments of the Stanford family, including material relating to the Central Pacific Railroad, the Palo Alto Stock Farm, the founding of Stanford University, and the early days of the Stanford Museum.
August 10–November 27, 2005 David Gilhooly is a ceramic artist, printmaker and draftsman. "Food, Frogs, and Fido: Works on Paper by David Gilhooly" is a selection of 20 works by this prolific artist.
September 14-December 31, 2005 "Revolutionary Tides: The Art of the Political Poster, 1914–1989" explores the role of crowds in modern visual culture, centering on representations of political crowds in poster art from the Hoover Institution and The Wolfsonian-Florida International University.
October 12, 2005–February 26, 2006 "Fired at Davis: Figurative Ceramic Sculpture" is an exhibition of some 35 objects exploring Robert Arneson's contributions and legacy through an examination of his work and that of visiting artists and UC Davis students.
December 14, 2005–March 26, 2006 "Flaming Red Cloth: Color and Design in the Weavings of the Iban of Borneo" illustrates the skill of Borneo women in creating textiles that are considered efficacious and potent as ceremonial art forms."
February 1–May 7, 2006 "American ABC: Childhood in 19th-Century America" is one of the most comprehensive art exhibitions in recent decades to deal with American childhood. This exhibition features paintings by Winslow Homer, Thomas Eakins, George Catlin, Eastman Johnson, and other celebrated American artists.

The Cartoon Art Museum
655 Mission Street

Information: 415-227-8666 or 415-227-8669
Admission: $6 adults, $4 students and seniors, $2 children ages 6-12, under age 5 free.

One of only two museums in America dedicated to the preservation, education and exhibition of cartoon art in all forms. A visit to this unique museum offers a great opportunity to view rare, original cartoon art. Open daily 11am-5pm, closed Monday.
Through September 25, 2005 "Garfield: Meow and Then" features a wide array of original artwork dating back to the strip's first year of syndication, covering classic themes ranging from Garfield's voracious appetite for lasagna to his well-documented hatred of Mondays.
Through October 30, 2005 "Play Ball! Historic Baseball Cartoons from 1945-1965" features over 40 baseball cartoons from the Golden Age of sports cartooning, primarily from the pen of famed sports cartoonist Willard Mullin.
October 1, 2005-March 12, 2006 "Gross, Gruesome and Gothic" features over 50 original cartoons from a wide array of artists and comics, from spine-tinglers to rib-ticklers and everything in between. Highlights include: "The Vault of Horror," "Scared Silly," "Masters of the Macabre," and much more!

CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts
1111Eighth St. (at 16th and Wisconsin)

Information: 415-551-9210

Established in 1998 at California College of the Arts, the Wattis Institute serves as a forum for the presentation and discussion of leading-edge local, national, and international contemporary culture. Tues., Thurs. 11am-7pm; Weds., Fri., Sat. 11am-6pm; Closed Sun. and Mon. Current and upcoming exhibits include:
April 7–May 14, 2005 London-based artist Tariq Alvi makes collage-like installations that map the complexities of contemporary social, emotional, and psychological landscapes.
April 7–May 14, 2005 Articulating a complex and hallucinatory California gothic, Anthony Burdin’s video installations and drawings explore a kinship between fact and fantasy, between the conventions of pop music and marketing and the obsessive desires of fans.
April 7–May 14, 2005 In "Monuments for the U.S.A." over 50 international artists have been invited to devise proposals for a monument for the United States. Freed from contextual, budgetary, or practical constraints, the proposals reflect each artist’s ideas about the type of monument the people of the United States currently need or deserve.

Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center
2301 Hardies Lane
Santa Rosa

Information: 707-579-4452
Admission: Adults $8, Children 4-18 college students with I.D. and seniors $5, children under age 3 free

Dedicated to preserving the legacy of Peanuts creator, Charles M. Schulz, this museum offers exhibits of original art, entertaining programs and tours. Group tours and use of research library by appointment only. Open daily 12-5:30pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am-5:30pm, closed Tuesday. Upcoming events include:
Second Saturdays of each month Professional cartoonists from the Bay Area, like Bobby Podesta of Pixar studios, come to the museum to discuss cartooning. Education Room, 1-4pm.
April 23-September 25, 2005 "Top Dogs: Comic Canines Before and After Snoopy" is for anyone who loves dogs. This exhibition will feature approximately 50 cartoons including classics-Krazy Kat, Buster Brown, The Yellow Kid, Tippie, Blondie, Napoleon, Little Orphan Annie, Pogo-and current features-Mutts, Pickles, Luann, The Far Side, Dilbert, Red & Rover, Mother Goose & Grimm, Duncan, For Better or For Worse, Rhymes with Orange, and Marmaduke.
September 14, 2005-January 16, 2006 "Ode to Schroeder" is a new exhibition of 66 original Peanuts Strips explores the different personality traits of this musical prodigy. Schroeder's great love of Beethoven and his great indifference to Lucy are two of the major themes explored in this exhibition.
Through November 28 2005 "Peanuts in Comic Books" discusses and shows examples of the covers and interior pages of comic books that first merely reprinted Peanuts newspaper strips, and then delighted readers with never-before-seen adventures of Charlie Brown and the gang.
October 1, 2005-January 30, 2006 "Common Threads: Peanuts in Stitches" is a Peanuts-themed quilt exhibition featuring over twenty hand-made quilts by artists from Japan who have found inspiration in Charles Schulz's famous Peanuts strip."

The Conservatory of Flowers
JFK Drive, Golden Gate Park

Information: 415-666-7001
Admission: $5 general; $3 youth 12-17, seniors and students with ID; $1.50 children 5-11, children 4 and under FREE

The Conservatory of Flowers is a spectacular living museum of rare and beautiful tropical plants under glass. From Borneo to Bolivia, the 1,500 species of plants at the Conservatory represent unusual flora from more than 50 countries around the world. Upcoming exhibits include:
February 25-October 16, 2005 In "Nature’s Pharmacy: The Healing Power of Plants," the Conservatory takes visitors on a virtual journey to Africa, Asia, South and North America to learn about the many plants that find their way into our medicine cabinets.

Contemporary Jewish Museum San Francisco
121 Steuart Street (between Mission and Howard)

Information: 415-591-8800
Admission: $5 adults, $4 students and seniors

Since its founding in 1984, The Contemporary Jewish Museum, housed here at the Jewish Community Federation, has presented more then 80 exhibitions and hundreds of programs exploring the Jewish spirit and imagination. Current and upcoming exhibits include:
May 4–September 5, 2005 The Museum has invited more than 80 leading local and national artists and architects to creatively explore the meaning and form of the spice box (or besamim) in this year’s invitational exhibition "Scents of Purpose: Artists Interpret the Spice Box."
October 20, 2005-February 26, 2006 "Intersections: Reading the Space" is an exhibition that features the collaborative and individual work of three women artists from three continents, three cultural backgrounds and three religions. This is the only U.S. venue for this fascinating exhibit.

Cornerstone Festival of Gardens
23570 Highway 21
Sonoma

Information: 707-933-3010
Admission: Adults $9; Seniors $7.50; Students $6.50; Children (5-12) $4

The Cornerstone Festival of Gardens is an ever-changing series of walk-through gardens that showcase new and innovative designs from the world’s finest landscape architects and designers. These artists have the freedom to create everything from traditional gardens to modern, conceptual installations. Each designer is given a garden of approximately 1,800 square feet, a budget, safety considerations and boundless opportunity.

Coyote Point Museum for Environmental Education
1651 Coyote Point Drive
San Mateo

Information: 650-342-7755
Admission: $6 adults, $4 seniors and ages 13-17, $2 ages 3-12. Free the first Wednesday of every month

The Coyote Point Museum is a learning center that strives to inspire each of us to make a lifelong commitment to act responsibly in caring for the earth. They provide engaging, educational experiences for the diverse, multi-generational Bay Area community through wildlife, gardens, exhibitions, and programs that relate to the global environment. Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 12-5pm, Closed Monday. Current and upcoming exhibits include:
Ongoing In the Honeybee Exhibit visitors will be introduced to the world of bees as they walk-through an enlarged honeycomb. A hollowed out log houses a live beehive, with information on wild and commercial hives.
Through August 31, 2005 Be an engineer at Tech City! Invent, design, cerate and build at the Coyote Point Museum's new touring exhibit, "Tech City." This exhibit features 12 hands-on activity stations and exhibits that allow visitors to solve real-world problems that engineers face today.
Ongoing Always a family favorite, the frisky River Otters frolic and play during their daily feeding. Guests can observe our pair of otters in their habitat from BOTH above ground and through the underwater observation window. Daily at 12:15pm.

Exploratorium-Museum of Science, Art and Human Perception
3601 Lyon Street

Information: 415-397-5673, 561-0360 (tape)
Admission: $12 adults, $9.50 university students and seniors, $9.50 disabled and ages 13-17, $8.00 ages 4-12, under age 4 free. Tactile Dome $15, includes museum admission

Housed within the walls of San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts, the Exploratorium is a collage of hundreds of science, art, and human perception exhibits. This internationally acclaimed museum of science, art and human perception, features over 650 hands-on exhibits, as well as changing temporary exhibitions. Open Tuesday-Sunday 10am-5pm, year round. Closed on Mondays. Current exhibits include:
July 1, 2005-January 8, 2006 In the "Interactive Live Mouse Stem Cell" exhibit, the public can witness the transition from stem cells in their undifferentiated state and their progress towards a mass of pulsating, beating cardiac myoctyes, the cells that would form the heart. Fridays-Sundays 10am-5pm.
Through March 2006 The Exploratorium presents "Situation Abnormal: Performances You'll Never See on Broadway." This once-a-month series of offbeat live performances plays in the McBean Theater at 8pm. The series continues with "Dry Run" by Kristin Lucas, who uses video, installation, web and performance in a manner at the forefront of her generation.
Ongoing Discover the unseen world of the "Tactile Dome"—an interactive excursion through total darkness, where your sense of touch becomes your only guide! Reservations strongly recommended.
Ongoing The "Traits of Life" collection investigates the structure and nature of life through four different sections: The Stuff of Life, Life Needs Energy, Making More Life, and Change Over Time.
September 22, 2005-January 22, 2006 The Exploratorium presents "Light As An Artistic Medium 1930/2005," a dual installation that features one of the earliest and one of the most recent works that manipulate real optical objects to create spectacular light phenomena.
December 1, 2005 In celebration of the International Year of Physics, "World Wide Webcast: Beyond Einstein" is a twelve-hour webcast that will originate from such outstanding scientific locations around the world as The Science Museum of London, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Chicago), European Physical Society, the Tokyo Science Museum and mant others.
December 11, 17, 18, 24, 26-31, 2005 "Light Insight: Holidays at the Exploratorium" is a luminous December series of special events and exhibits that celebrate the wonders of light— how light tells us almost everything we know about nature, and that the study of nature tells us almost everything we need to know about light.
October 1, 2005 The San Francisco Opera will present the world premiere of "Doctor Atomic." This new opera is set in July 1945 in the New Mexico desert, and focuses on the tightly knit group of physicists who built and tested the first atomic bomb. After years of work, the physicists are now waiting through the quiet hours before the first test explosion-and confronting the moral crisis of its impending use.

Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society
657 Mission St., Suite 300

Information: 415-777-5455
Admission: Adults $4; Students and low income $2

For over 15 years, The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society has maintained one of the world’s largest collections of primary source material about gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender history. Their professionally staffed archives and reading room are open to the public free of charge 20 hours per week. They also sponsor exhibits and programs on an ongoing basis. Current and upcomiing exhibits include:
Ongoing Six main permanent galleries will provide an overview of many of the significant contributions historically made by lesbian gay, bisexual, and transgender people. These include: "Time and again: the world of sexual diversity"; "Pink triangles: Weimar Germany, the holocaust, and the postwar years"; "Aids: changing the fabric of GLBT life"; "American liberation movement: the battle for freedom"; "Modern lesbian and gay identities": 19th and 20th centuries"; "Brave new millennium: GLBT culture since 2000."
April 2-December 31, 2005 From early women’s softball leagues to today’s surfers, Bay Area LGBT athletics have spawned social change, challenging homophobia and creating healthy communities. "Sporting Life" tells that story for the first time, in an engaging and entertaining multimedia exhibit.
Ongoing Bringing together distinct and powerful visions of over a decade of lesbian celebrations in the San Francisco Bay Area, "Many Dykes, Two Photographers: San Francisco Dyke March Photographs by Jane Cleland and Cathy Cade" is now on exhibit. An opening reception will be held on Sunday, June 19, from 2-5 p.m.
September 29, 2005 Come celebrate 20 years of preserving GLBT history at "A Home for Our History," the gala party featuring a live appearance by disco legend Bonnie Pointer. In addition to the performance, guests will enjoy hors d'oeuvres, drinks, dancing and a silent auction. From 6-9pm at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission St.

Grabhorn Institute
1802 Hays St., The Presidio

Information: 415-561-2548

The Grabhorn Institute is a nonprofit organization formed in 2000 for the purpose of preserving and continuing the use of one of the last integrated typefoundry, letterpress printing, and bookbinding facilities, and operating it as a living museum and educational and cultural center.
Ongoing William Matthews, four continuous tone-color prints entitled "Four Views of Sidley Park" for Arcadia by Tom Stoppard.
Ongoing Bruce Conner, photogravures for The Ballad of Lemon and Crow by Glenn Todd.
Ongoing William T. Wiley, etchings for The Voices of Marrakesh by Elias Canetti, with photographs by Karl Bissinger.
Ongoing Robert Graham, twenty-four lithographs and a bronze bas-relief for Lie, Sit, Stand, Be Still by Michael McClure.
Ongoing John Baldessari, photo-collage lithographic prints for The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman by Laurence Sterne.

Hiller Aviation Museum
601 Sky Way Road

Information: 650-654-0200
Admission: Adults $8; seniors and students $5; children under 8 are free

The Hiller Aviation Institute is a non-profit organization bringing together historical, educational and technological resources to create programs which increase public understanding of science and aviation and inspire new opportunities. Before you leave, you’ll be transformed from visitor to explorer.
Ongoing Two large display areas (the Atrium and the Main Gallery) contain the majority of the exhibits. Vintage and futuristic aircraft, prototypes, photographic displays, and models are on display.

The Legion of Honor
Lincoln Park, 34th Avenue and Clement Street

Information: 415-750-3600
Admission: Admission is $8, $6 seniors 65 and older, $5 ages 12-17, under age 12 free. Free every Tuesday 9:30am-5pm.

Built to commemorate Californian soldiers who died in World War I, the Legion of Honor is a beautiful Beaux-arts building located in Lincoln Park. Overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Golden Gate Bridge and all of San Francisco, the Legion is most noted for its breathtaking setting. Among the many artists represented are El Greco, Rembrandt, Rubens, Monet and Picasso. The museum also boasts one of the world’s leading collections of Rodin sculptures. Multilingual tours available. Open Tuesday-Sunday 9:30am-5pm. Current exhibitions include:
May 14-October 30, 2005 Wearable art is clothing made by artists whose canvasses are textiles and garments they make themselves. "Artwear: Fashion and Anti-Fashion" will showcase the evolution of wearable art from it's hippie beginning to the present, including objects that are functional and those that are purely metaphoric.
Through October 23, 2005 As a masterful sculptor and draftsman, Manuel Neri’s hallmark has always been an emphasis on spontaneity, expression, and intuitive creativity, all of which are present in the books on view in the exhibition "Manuel Neri: Artists’ Books/The Collaborative Process."
October 19-November 9, 2005 "Elder Arts 2005" will feature approximately 100 works of art from two programs of Eldergivers, an organization that fosters positive connections between elders and the wider community.
March 4-June 4, 2006 "Searching for the 1906 Earthquake in present day San Francisco" is a re-creation of historic photographs of the 1906 earthquake and fire.

Masterpieces of 19th & 20th Century Traditional Chinese Painting
Urbis Artium Gallery, 49 Geary St. Suite 202

Information: 415-369-9404

This wonderful exhibition features paintings by almost 100 China’s renowned painters from the last 150 years which includes 12 of the most important masters, Wu Changshou, Qi Baishi, Xu Beihong, Zhang Daqian, Fu Baoshi, Li Keran, Huang Binhong, Pan Tianshou, Shi Lu, Gao Jianfu, Hu Hufan and Lu Yanshao. Also displayed are many rare pieces painted by members of the royal families from the Qing Dynasty.

The Mexican Museum
Fort Mason Center, Building D

Information: 415-202-9700
Admission: $2-$3; Free admission the first Wednesday of every month

The Mexican Museum contains one of the largest and broadest collections of Mexican and Latino art in the U.S. Gallery hours are Wednesday-Saturday 11am-5pm. Docent tours available everyday.
Through November 12, 2005 "Popular MásCaras: Masks of Mexico" is a popular exhibition of Mexican masks created from wood, clay, animal skin, cloth, and papier maché. Drawn from the Museum's extensive collection, this exhibition includes pre-conquest antecedents in stone, rare pieces from the 1940s and 50s, and examples of contemporary masks that continue this ancient tradition.
September 7-November 23, 2005 "Sueños Realizados: Photographs from the Galería de la Raza Collection" will feature a suite of 40 large gelatin prints donated by Galería de la Raza, including personal portraits taken of the Mission District's multicultural residents and documentation of the East Bay's Mexican cultural traditions.
October 28-November 6, 2005 The Mexican Museum, in conjunction with Travel Adventures Into Art, is offering a tour to Oaxaca, Mexico during the Day of the Dead celebrations. This tour will spend nine nights and ten days exploring the magical area of Oaxaca. Four-star accommodations are in a colonial-style hotel located two blocks from the town square.

The Museo ItaloAmericano

Fort Mason Center
Building C

Information: 415-673-2200
Admission: $3 adults, $2 seniors & students, members and 12 and under free

Presents unique exhibitions, Italian language classes, cultural events, lectures and members receive discounts. The gift shop stocks beautiful Italian merchandise. Current exhibit schedule includes:
Through July 4 "Remo Bramanti: American Perspectives." This premiere exhibition of over 33 paintings and works on paper by New York based, Italian-American artist Remo Bramanti (1923-1998), were created during the middle years of the 20th century, and record the artists journey from realism to Abstract Expressionism.
Through July 4 "Christopher Priore: New Adventures." Presenting the first West Coast exhibition of work by the New York-based artist, Christopher Priore. The paintings on vinyl and Plexiglass, drawings and sculptures explore the relative parallels between the microscopic and the cosmic, exploring the world of ambiguous scale.

Museum of Craft & Folk Art
51 Yerba Buena Lane

Information: 415-775-0991
Admission: $5; $4 for seniors; children under 18 are free

The new Museum of Craft and Folk Art in the vibrant Yerba Buena arts district features an elegantly designed museum space for exhibitions and public programs and high quality contemporary crafts available for purchase in the Museum's Gallery Store. Hours are Tuesdays through Fridays from 11am to 7 pm; Saturdays and Sundays, 10 am to 5pm. Current and upcoming exhibits include:
December 3, 2005-January 29, 2006 The museum celebrates the opening of its new downtown location with the exhibition "Folk Art for the Soul from Bay Area Collections," featuring seldom seen works from some of the Bay Area's finest private collections. Highlights include a pair of heavy wooden doors from Tibet; a jazzy improvisational quilt; a customized coffin from Ghana sporting an elephant head, and more.

Museum of the African Diaspora
Temporary address: 90 New Montgomery Street, Suite 420

Information: 415-358-7200

The historic Williams Building at the corner of Third and Mission streets will be the home of the new Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD), to be situated in a 20,000 square foot space facing Mission Street on the ground level of the St. Regis Hotel and Residences. Plans are underway for a host of exhibits showcasing African experiences in San Francisco, as well as around the globe. Media-based and traveling exhibits are also planned, along with collaborative efforts with other African museums.

National Steinbeck Center
One Main Street
Salinas

Information: 831-796-3833
Admission: $10.95 adults; $8.95 seniors over 62; students and military with ID; $7.95 Youth 13-17; $5.95 Children 6-12; children 5 and under are free

In the tradition of John Steinbeck, the National Steinbeck Center draws its inspiration from the diverse people and the land of the Salinas Valley. Through the exploration of Steinbeck's work and themes, the Center provides and supports educational experiences that inspire audiences to learn about human nature, literature, history, agriculture, and the arts. The National Steinbeck Center is open from 10am-5pm, 7 days a week and closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day, and Easter. The current exhibition schedule includes:
Through November 7 "From the Sierra to the Sea: The California Landscapes of Chiura Obata" exhibits this California artist's unique renditions of Central and Northern California. Obata's work shows a deep reverence for the land, whether it's the cliffs of Point Lobos or the drama of Yosemite. The exhibit includes sumi paintings, watercolors, woodblock prints and works on silk.

Oakland Museum of California
1000 Oak Street at 10th Street
Oakland

Information: 510-238-2200
Admission: $8 adults, $5 students with ID and seniors, free age 6 and under. Free second Sunday of each month.

This architectural gem by Kevin Roche houses major collections of California environment, history and art. Exhibitions focus on California art, ecology and culture. Public offerings include festivals, family programs, tours, symposia and lectures. W-Sa 10am-5pm, first F until 9pm, Su 12-5pm. First Friday each month until 9pm. Closed M-Tu. Current and upcoming exhibits/events include:
Ongoing Artwork from the museum’s collection, among them several recent acquisitions, presents varying artistic points of view and includes photography, ceramics, video, mixed-media sculptures, and paintings.
Ongoing The million plus photographs and 200,000 artifacts represent the passions of our curators and benefactors over the last 35 years. The History Gallery displays only about 5,000 of these objects, less than one percent of their collections.
Ongoing Explore the forces that have shaped California -- the environment, the Gold Rush, earthquakes, wartime, the computer chip, Hollywood, the automobile, social and political protest.
Through December 4, 2005 "Plant Portraits: California Legacy of A.R. Valentien" features approximately 80 works selected from the more than 1,000 watercolors Valentien completed.
July 23, 2005–October 16, 2006 "The Art of Vivika and Otto Heino is a salute to two masters of the technical and aesthetics of ceramics. Their 45-year collaboration produced clean, simple designs and distinctive glazes. 50 bottles, bowls, platters, and tiles on display.
September 17, 2005-January 22, 2006 Direct from Cooperstown! The first major exhibition to examine the relationship between the national pastime and American culture. Organized by the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, the blockbuster exhibition marks the first time many of the iconic objects have left their legendary home.

Octagon House - A Museum of Decorative Arts
2645 Gough St.

Information: 415-441-7512
Admission: Free

Yhe Octagon House, with a view of the Golden Gate from its cupola, was built only a few years after the Gold Rush. Visitors can view the collection of American furnishings includes a Baltimore sideboard and a Salem secretary-desk, both dating from the Federal period, portraits, samplers, silver, pewter, and ceramics. Be sure to stroll through The Octagon House’s delightful, award-winning garden. Open every second Sunday and every second and fourth Thursday of the month.

100 Artists See God at the Jewish Museum San Francisco
121 Steuart Street

415-591-8800
Admission: $5 adults, $4 students and seniors

Artists from John Waters to Leonard Nimoy to William Wegman offer their personal visions of God and spirituality in the show 100 Artists See God. Open Sunday-Thursday, Noon-6pm.

San Francisco Airport Museum
Departures/Ticketing level of the International Terminal

Information: 650-821-5123
Admission: free

San Franciso is the only airport in the U.S. to feature an accredited museum on the terminal premises. The SFO Museum opened in 2000 with the opening of the new International Terminal. The interior is a very close facsimile of the 1937-54 terminal. Current and upcoming exhibits include:
Through September, 2005 The occupation of the female flight attendant and its organizational history is examined from the perspectives of practical career issues and a created public image through airline uniforms, training materials, employment documents, and photographs.
Through January 7, 2006 "Marbles from the Classical World" brings 32 examples of sculpture from the height of the Roman empire to SFO's International terminal. This exhibit is structured to provide insight into the style, families, mythology and fashion of imperial Rome.
Through February 5, 2006 "Fossils from the Ancient World" is an exhibit that focuses on how fossils are collected, the process of constructing models of ancient plants and animals based on evidence found in fossils, and the information that fossils impart. Located in Terminal 3.
November 4-5, 2005 Celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the China Clipper with a two-day event commemorating the world's first regularly scheduled trans-oceanic air service. Among the scheduled events are museum exhibitions, lectures, discussion panels, a literature fair, and a film series. Ticket are $4; an all lecture/discussion panel pass is $25.

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
151 Third Street

Information: 415-357-4000
Admission: Adults $12.50, $8 seniors (age 62 and over), $7 students with ID, age 12 and under free with an adult. First Tuesday of each month free; Thursday 6-8:45pm half-price.

Located in a spectacular skylit building, the Museum of Modern Art offers the West Coast’s most comprehensive collection of modern and contemporary art, shopping at the Museum Store and dining at Caffé Museo. Museum hours are 11am-6pm, Th until 9pm; closed W and major holidays. Current and upcoming exhibits include:
Through October 10, 2005 Heiress Sarah Winchester and her Winchester Mystery House — the bizarre gothic mansion she built to defend herself from the ghosts of those killed by the rifles that made her family famous — are the inspiration for "Jeremy Blake: Winchester." This visually opulent works offer an empathetic experience of Winchester's madness.
Through October 16, 2005 Richard Tuttle is often described as a maverick. Using a wide variety of materials — from paint to wire to plywood — he creates delicate works that defy categorization. The exhibition "The Art of Richard Tuttle" is the most comprehensive presentation of his work ever assembled, with some 300 paintings, sculptures, and works on paper covering a 40-year career.
Through November 27, 2005 The Design Series provides exposure for talented artists and designers who have not yet had a solo museum exhibition. "2x4/design series 3" is a fascinating exhibit of works by the Manhattan-based graphic design firm 2x4.
Through November 27, 2005 Los Angeles-based Edgar Arceneaux's "New Work" is fueled by his fascination with language and his interest in establishing unexpected connections — between words, objects, places, and people. This installation incorporates a variety of media — from drawing to sculpture to film — and artistic processes, furthering Arceneaux's ongoing exploration of the ways in which we come to know and experience the world.

San Francisco Performing Arts Library & Museum
401 Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor

Information: 415-255-4800
Admission: Varies by event, some are free or discounted to SFPALM members. Space is limited and reservations are recommended.

SFPALM collects and makes accessible materials about the performing arts, with a special emphasis on documenting and preserving the San Francisco Bay Area's rich and diverse performing arts heritage from the Gold Rush to the present. Its unique Collection contains more than two million items including books, photographs, programs, newspaper clippings, audio and video tapes, original artwork and artifacts and is open to the public without charge. SFPALM also houses the archives of many local performing arts organizations, such as the San Francisco Ballet, Opera, and Symphony, as well as the Stern Grove Festival, the Ethnic Dance Festival, Pickle Family Circus, and The Lamplighters. Admission is free to the public. Current performance schedule includes:
September 23-December 31 "Madame Butterfly at 100: From Puccini to Miss Saigon" traces the Madame Butterfly story through its myriad theatrical incarnations throughout the century.
October 28-November 20 Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Expression Theatre performs David Mamet's "Oleanna" about a student and her professor involved in a perpetual power struggle. 8pm. Make reservations through Expression Theatre at 415-248-9371. $15.

San Jose Museum of Art
110 South Market Street
San Jose

Information: 408-271-6840
408--294-2787 (tape)
Admission: Free

The San Jose Museum of Art is a contemporary art center whose acclaimed exhibitions have ranged across modern masterworks to the newest frontiers of art. It is the largest visual arts education provider in Santa Clara County with exhibitions of 20th century painting, sculpture, installations, works on paper, photography, video and mixed media. Open Tuesday-Sunday 11am-5pm, Friday 11am-10pm and closed Monday. Docent tours available everyday at 12:30pm and 2:30pm, additional docent tours available on Friday at 6:30pm. Current and upcoming exhibits include:
Through September 11, 2005 "Caja de visiones/Box of Visions: Manuel Álvarez Bravo" is an exhibition of approximately 50 black-and-white photographs celebrating the work of 20th century master photographer Manuel Álvarez Bravo.
Through September 11, 2005 "Vital Signs" is Jaqueline Thurston's photographic series featuring abstract scenes from hospitals and doctors’ offices.
September 1, 2005-July 9, 2006 From Stephen De Staebler’s towering, hand-built clay column to Peter VandenBerge’s comical, anthropomorphic carrot couple, the works in "Tales from the Kiln: Contemporary Ceramics" offer a variety of tantalizing tales straight from the kiln.
Through October 30, 2005 "Brides of Frankenstein" is an exhibition that showcases experimental work by a new generation of female artists working with video, installation, robotics, the Internet, and other digital and traditional media, to animate synthetic creatures with virtual life.
Through July 9, 2006 "Inside Out: Selections from the Permanent Collection," is an exhibition which continues the ongoing celebration of their 35th anniversary. This exhibit will give viewers an idea of what the Museum values in the visual arts today and why.

Seymour Pioneer Museum at the Society of California Pioneers
300 Fourth Street

Information: 415-957-1849
Admission: $3; students and seniors $1.

The Society of California Pioneers is the state's oldest historical organization and was founded in 1850 by pre-Gold Rush pioneers. Dedicated to the preservation, promotion and enjoyment of California heritage, the Society's archives include an outstanding collection of 19th and early 20th century artwork, artifacts, photographs and manuscipts. Open Wednesday-Friday 10am-4pm, first and third Saturday of every month 10am-4pm.
Ongoing The Society's painting collection consists of both landscapes and portraits. Yosemite Valley and the Sierra Nevada are well represented by major early California artists including Thomas Hill, William Keith, Theodore Wores, Charles D. Robinson and Ransom G. Holdredge.
September 14, 2005-March 17, 2006 The exhibit "Treasures of the Society of California Pioneers" features over 10,000 books, maps, journals, newspapers and autobiographical materials related to the early history of California.

SF African-American Historical & Cultural Society
Fort Mason
Building C

415-441-0640
Admission: $1-2, children under 12 free

"Journey to Sivad" is painter Keina Davis' selection of works fusing African-American culture with traditional African themes in what she calls a style of "urban folklore."

SS Jeremiah O'Brien
Pier 45, Fisherman's Wharf

Information: 415-544-0100
Admission: Adults $8; Seniors $5; Children under 6 free

This vessel is one of two fully-restored operating survivors of 2,710 World War II Liberty Ships. It is the only ship that participated in the Normandy invasions that returned fifty years later to take part in the 50th anniversary of D-Day. Now berthed at Pier 45, Fishermans Wharf, this World War II Liberty Ship is open to the Public seven days a week from 10am to 4pm. Call for upcoming cruise dates.

The Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose
180 Woz Way
San Jose

Information: 408-298-5437
Admission: $7; seniors $6; Infants free

Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose is where you can expect to test, crank, listen, prod and tinker. One of the largest museums of its kind in the nation, CDM’s 150 interactive exhibits lead visitors to explore, understand and enjoy the world in which they live. Current and upcoming exhibits include:
Opening April 23 The "Wonder Cabinet" is a 3,000 square foot exhibit where you’ll find the Woodland Puppet Forest, Giant Dragon, Sand Science Laboratory, Crawl-Through Tunnel, Child-Sized Kaleidoscope, and more!
Ongoing With "Boing" you will gain an understanding of the spring, its contributions in science, design and technology.
Ongoing In the "Kid’s Garden" you can find out how common fruits, herbs and vegetables grow, greet the goldfish in the fish pond, or just take a break in the shade of the honeysuckle arbor.

The Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose
180 Woz Way
San Jose

Information: 408-298-5437
Admission: $7; seniors $6; Infants free

The San Francisco Museum of Craft & Design
550 Sutter Street (between Mason and Powell)

Information: 415-773-0303
Admission: $5 adults; $3 students, educators, and seniors. </