Exploratorium Reviews

Great place for learning science and science applications in art

Only saw probably half of this place because it is huge - but I wasn't overly impressed with the space or the exhibits. Many seemed a little dated.

You will need all day for this museum. It is beautiful and very interesting.

There are many new things after re-modification, and it is recommended that each item be more hands-on. But English and natural sciences are very strong. It is best to visit students from Taiwan to the above level. Primary school students may be a little difficult.

My kids of all ages enjoy it every time! We can spend all day here with babies to teens
Super interactive

The attractions here are awesome. I had the misfortune to be visiting during a field trip day. Everything was full of kids. There were few things to try out without having a kid in your way. On a normal day it's probably really great though.

Thursday night is the adult only drinking night... So double the fun.

An endless amount of activities enriching the lives of children everywhere!

Terrific! I wish there were something similar in my hometown when I was growing up.

Nice, but pricey and some of the experiments that involve electricity aren't working, so they lose a few stars.

A bit too pricey for admission. The cafeteria was also expensive. The exhibits are interesting but if you have kids under 4 is prob not the place to go.

Super awesome and interactive science museum that's huge but so hard to walk through and see everything when it's busy. You need to have multiple days to see everything here.

I went here for a work event and am excited to get back. They have a ton of hands on exhibits for young and old to learn about science!

So much to do and so much fun! I only had time look at 1/3 of the things in the 2.5 hours I was there. Highly recommended.

Fascinating experiments to experience of all sorts, get to see how things work first hand.

Just remember to wash your hands after, as there are tens of thousands of kids also handling the experiments.

HUGE and well organized so even when super busy you can still get to everything. Well done and designed!

Informative and fun, the place is perfect for both children and adults. In addition, the exploratorium is located along pier 15 at The Embarcadero, which can be convenient. I think this museum will turn out all types of profiles whether you are a fan of science or padutout.

It is better not to be too eager for a first visit (3 hours minimum) to make the most of the place and have the opportunity to see many things.

Always great fun for all ages! I've come here with friends, family, and the most difficult crowd of them all...middle schoolers. My students dropped all their teenage angst at the door and genuinely enjoyed themselves, minimal cell phone usage and more conversation with one another because they were so engaged with the various kinesthetic stations and they learned so much! Always a favorite! Just wish their year memberships were more affordable, especially for teachers.

Took my son on a spur of moment trip. We loved it. We cannot wait to come back for more

I love this place. Thursday nights they have "Exploratorium after dark" and you can enjoy it with fellow adults.

I spent 3 hours here and probably only saw half of the exhibits--extremely interactive, informative, and enjoyable.

Excellent hands on exhibits for children of all ages.

It's a great museum its one of those museums that you can touch everything

I haven't been here and years, it was a lot of fun! It was clean and not too overly crowded.

Very interesting, fun, and educational hands on activities for all ages.

We spent over five hours here and closed the place down. The teenage boys were traveling at 15 ft/hour. There are so many cool things here you can't see them all in one visit.

Amazing. Crazy good interactive science displays for all ages (seriously, there were adults queuing with teens and toddlers to play with everything). It's hard to call out highlights with so much going on but my kids favorites were probably the room with walls covered in reconfigurable shoots/ramps/tubes for making marble runs and the room with photo-sensitive walls with a flashbulb that goes off to make shadow pictures of everyone. I went to the Exploratorium as a kid at it's old location; there's a bit more polish now but it hasn't lost its spark at all. FYI - There's also an after-hours adults only admission time ~6-10pm that sounds like a great idea for a night out. Go. Now. It's awesome.

Science Museum
The site is very large, and several scientific principle devices divided by type from entrance to exit stimulate curiosity and inspire resilience regardless of age or sex. It is too expensive to enter without a discount, so if you are a traveler, buy an SF pass in advance to make a profit.
The way children manipulate scientific devices is very cute, but all devices are very well managed, so it is excellent in terms of maintenance.

Took a visit and was not disappointed. There is a whole lot to do and you can easily spend a whole day here. We only got to spend a few hours because they do close relatively early so start your day here if you have more stops in mind. The moon is very ominous when you see it floating in the distance and does not disappoint up close. They also have Dissection shows and I caught the cow eye. It was very informative

So much to see and is a bit overwhelming. Take it easy and just enjoy.

This is one of the most amazing museums I have ever been in. I'm an engineer and it was just as much fun for me as for my five year old. I thought it rivaled some of the great museums like the German technology museum in Munich. It's very different from many high caliber museums but just as good.

Busy, but not crowded... Still plenty of space to enjoy the hands on exhibits and experiments. Will come back!

Place is much larger than expected. Definitely got my money's worth!

This place is huge. Way too much to do in an afternoon.

Great place, you can operate many simple machines and learn the theoretical foundation that explains the operation. On weekdays there are many boys who go to school, better go on the weekend.

Interesting experiments, shadow photos and science facts.

Funny place!!!!
You need to come

Very fun, recommended for anyone, has many different exhibits covering many different subjects.

So many fun exhibits and I originally wasn't happy when it moved to Embarcadero, but having visited I can say the place is spectacular. Even the walk along the Embarcadero to the Exploratorium is worth while.

Highly recommend for people with children! Lots of activities for science-minded people to explore.

Amazing place with great hands on science for the whole family. I m particularly impressed at the upkeep of exhibits!

I LOVE this place. Can never get tired of going here. Been here TWICE and still haven't explored everything yet. Perfect for ALL ages. So nice to let the little ones explore. It can get a little packed but there's so much to do that there's always something open and or available to use. Wheelchair accessible. My brother in law wheelchair is almost like a gurnee and he fit through just fine and was able to participate with some things as well. Can't wait to go back again.

Absolutely fascinating place chuck full of cool experiments for all ages. Takes at least 4-5 hour to see it all if not more and it never ceases to amaze.

Science lover's can spend the whole day here.
Fantastic and well organized

Late night at the exploratorium is great! Alcohol plus science equals fun!

It was so great, like a miracle, I felt like in childhood!

Do not enter the museum, it is very expensive for 29.95 dollars per person, besides that it is not understood that the museum / attraction / experience is going, but the souvenir shop is wonderful, it would go back to the store without hesitation, it took us 1 hour inside the store seeing everything they had to offer.

Several interesting interactive exibits entertaining adults and children alike. Good place for kids and early teens. Older crowd tends to be less impressed and leaves within an hour upon arrival

Excellent place to bring your children to learn about science. Unique gifting opportunities in the gift shop as well.

Always an awesome place to visit, the science experiments are mindboggling

I was sad to see the Exploratorium move from the Palace of Fine Arts to the Embarcadero, but I can see why they did: more space and awesome views.

I recently went to After Dark, one of the museum's Thursday night events. For $15, you can explore the museum free of children from 6-10pm. Don't get me wrong, I like kids, but it's nice to not have that chaos that sometimes ensues when they're around.

It's overwhelming if it's your first time. There's so many exhibits and demonstrations, but if you pace yourself, you can get through most of the museum in one night. I went to After Dark to attend a lecture from a wine detective, which I thought was interesting.

What I also like about the night events is the price. It's cheaper to go to these events than during the day, so you get your money's worth. Spending 4 hours is a good amount of time without getting overwhelmed. Plus, there's a great vantage point of the Bay Lights in the observatory.

The only complaint I have is the food and the price of alcohol. But if you pre-game, it won't be an issue.

Otherwise, if you plan to visit during the day, make sure to buy tickets online so you don't have to wait in line. San Francisco residents get a discount. And check their website for their free days!

A must visit for all ages! They currently have a social sciences exhibit that is very interesting. Wasn't too crowded on a Saturday afternoon in November, and I definitely would recommend it to anyone who's visiting SF.

Massive and interesting. Almost too many exhibits to get through in one go. Gets incredibly busy for Thursday nights

Don't do as I did, try dragging children round in two hours.......you need at least half a day.....and more...too much to do...ex-cell-ent

It was a great experience for me, it is a great place for for any age. it has elements, plants, animals, and electricity great place to learn more about the world.

Cool place, mostly for kids, but they do a good job with night events. My company had a party here, it was cool.

Lots of hands on activities. Great place for all ages.

Had a great time you need a whole day to really enjoy

On Thursdays, they have an 18+ adult only night starting at 6 pm. It was fun and adult beverages are found all over. During the day, the children have run of the place and it is hard for to adults to have fun. F bus goes right from BART to the place and it is close to pier 39.

Nice and alternative option to do in San Francisco. Geek paradise!!

A theme park for curiosity and discovery. Great location, super interesting + simple experiments, and good staff make the Exploratorium a great place to spend part of the day.

Great place! I spent there about three hours and didn't see even one third of the expositions.