San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
San Francisco · United States · Founded 1935
Quick answer
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco, United States — founded in 1935, SFMOMA was the first museum on the West Coast dedicated to modern art. Open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 10 AM – 5 PM; Friday: 10 AM – 9 PM; Saturday–Sunday: 10 AM – 5 PM; closed Wednesdays. Admission: US$30 standard adult admission; visitors 18 and under enter free. Allow 2–3 hours.
Visitor information last reviewed 30 June 2026. Check the official museum site for current details.
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art at a glance: hours, tickets and time needed
| Opening hours | Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 10 AM – 5 PM; Friday: 10 AM – 9 PM; Saturday–Sunday: 10 AM – 5 PM |
|---|---|
| Closed | Wednesdays |
| Admission | US$30 standard adult admission; visitors 18 and under enter free |
| Free or reduced entry | Free for visitors 18 and under. First Thursday free admission is for eligible Bay Area residents; check current booking rules. |
| Booking | Tickets usually available on the day |
| Time needed | 2–3 hours |
| Best time to visit | Friday until 9 PM for fewer crowds and evening atmosphere. |
| Getting there | Metro: Montgomery Street BART — 5-minute walk on Third Street |
| Address | 151 3rd Street, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA |
| Official website | sfmoma.org |
Checked 2026-06-30 against the official website. Prices and hours change — confirm before you travel.
What is San Francisco Museum of Modern Art known for?
Founded in 1935, SFMOMA was the first museum on the West Coast dedicated to modern art. Its 2016 expansion — designed by Snøhetta — nearly tripled its size to 170,000 square feet of gallery space.
The museum holds one of the world's great photography collections, alongside major holdings in Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, and contemporary work by Bay Area artists.
The Doris and Donald Fisher Collection — on long-term loan — adds extraordinary depth in twentieth-century art, including works by Calder, Lichtenstein, Warhol, and Richter.
The building's white rippled facade on Third Street has transformed San Francisco's SoMa district into a major cultural destination.
Best for: Art Lovers · Photographers · First-timers
How long do you need at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art?
Allow 2–3 hours. A focused route through 4 must-see highlights at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art without museum fatigue. Follow the stops in order:
- 1
Rainy Season in the Tropics
📍 Floor 2, American Art
Church's luminous double rainbow over a tropical landscape — a masterpiece of the Hudson River School and one of the finest American landscape paintings in any museum.
- 2
Untitled (Blue, Green, and Brown)
📍 Floor 4, Abstract Expressionism
A classic colour-field painting from Rothko's mature period — stacked rectangles of blue, green, and brown that invite contemplative viewing.
- 3
The Flower Carrier
📍 Floor 3, Mexican Modernism
A characteristic Rivera mural-style painting of a peasant carrying an enormous basket of flowers — a gift from the artist to the museum's founding director.
- 4
Photography Collection
📍 Floor 3, Pritzker Center for Photography
One of the world's finest photography collections — 17,000 works including Adams's Moonrise, Hernandez and Lange's Migrant Mother.
What are the must-see works at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art?
4 highlights that define the collection: Rainy Season in the Tropics, Untitled (Blue, Green, and Brown), The Flower Carrier and more.
Rainy Season in the Tropics
Frederic Edwin Church · 1866
📍 Floor 2, American Art
Church's luminous double rainbow over a tropical landscape — a masterpiece of the Hudson River School and one of the finest American landscape paintings in any museum.
Untitled (Blue, Green, and Brown)
Mark Rothko · 1952
📍 Floor 4, Abstract Expressionism
A classic colour-field painting from Rothko's mature period — stacked rectangles of blue, green, and brown that invite contemplative viewing.
The Flower Carrier
Diego Rivera · 1935
📍 Floor 3, Mexican Modernism
A characteristic Rivera mural-style painting of a peasant carrying an enormous basket of flowers — a gift from the artist to the museum's founding director.
Photography Collection
Ansel Adams, Dorothea Lange · 20th century
📍 Floor 3, Pritzker Center for Photography
One of the world's finest photography collections — 17,000 works including Adams's Moonrise, Hernandez and Lange's Migrant Mother.
Collections and highlights
- • Abstract Expressionism — Rothko, Pollock, de Kooning
- • Pop Art — Warhol, Lichtenstein, Ruscha
- • Photography — Adams, Lange, Arbus
- • Bay Area Figurative and Funk Art
- • Doris and Donald Fisher Collection
- • Contemporary art and new media
Tips for visiting San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
- 1.
Best time to visit
Friday until 9 PM for fewer crowds and evening atmosphere. First Thursday of each month is free.
- 2.
Crowds & busy periods
Weekend afternoons are busiest. The Fisher Collection galleries on floors 4–6 absorb crowds well.
- 3.
Tickets & booking
$30 standard; free for visitors 18 and under. First Thursday of each month free. Book at sfmoma.org.
- 4.
Food & cafés nearby
Sightglass Coffee inside the museum; numerous restaurants on Mission Street.
- 5.
Accessibility
Fully accessible. All floors reachable by lift. Wheelchairs available.
How do you get to San Francisco Museum of Modern Art?
- metro Montgomery Street BART — 5-minute walk on Third Street
- tram Muni F-line to Market and Third
- walk 15 minutes from Union Square through SoMa
Address: 151 3rd Street, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art: frequently asked questions
Is there a free day?
First Thursday free admission is available to eligible Bay Area residents, subject to current ticket rules. Visitors 18 and under enter free every day; check the official site before booking.
How long does a visit take?
The museum is large — a focused highlights visit takes 2–3 hours; a thorough visit can fill a full day.
How long should I spend at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art?
Plan 2–3 hours for the highlights of San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Our 4-stop route — Rainy Season in the Tropics, Untitled (Blue, Green, and Brown), The Flower Carrier and more — is designed to fit that time. Add extra time for temporary exhibitions, the shop and the café.
What is San Francisco Museum of Modern Art best known for?
Founded in 1935, SFMOMA was the first museum on the West Coast dedicated to modern art. Its 2016 expansion — designed by Snøhetta — nearly tripled its size to 170,000 square feet of gallery space, making it one of the largest modern art museums in the United States. Key highlights include Mark Rothko room — a landmark collection of large-format works, Pritzker Center for Photography — world-class photography galleries, Sculpture garden on the third-floor rooftop terrace.
How do I get tickets for San Francisco Museum of Modern Art?
Admission: US$30 standard adult admission; visitors 18 and under enter free. Tickets are usually available on the day, but booking online saves queue time in peak season. Official site: https://www.sfmoma.org/
What is the Fisher Collection?
A long-term loan of over 1,100 works from Doris and Donald Fisher, founders of Gap Inc. — one of the greatest private collections of twentieth-century art.
Is San Francisco Museum of Modern Art open on Wednesdays?
No — San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is closed every Wednesday. It is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 10 AM – 5 PM; Friday: 10 AM – 9 PM; Saturday–Sunday: 10 AM – 5 PM. Plan a different museum for that day, and check the official website for holiday changes.
What are San Francisco Museum of Modern Art's opening hours?
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 10 AM – 5 PM; Friday: 10 AM – 9 PM; Saturday–Sunday: 10 AM – 5 PM, and closed Wednesdays. Hours can change for holidays and events, so check the official website before you go.
