Visit the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco: tickets, prices, schedules

Want to take a good culture bowl in one of the most beautiful cities in the USA? Here’s how to make the most of your stay by discovering the fascinating Asian Art Museum of San Francisco!

The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco gathers one of the most beautiful collections dedicated to the country’s eastern works on three levels. With its 18,000 works of art, covering a period of more than six millennia, it is the most important Asian art museum in the world behind that of Taipei! In addition to the collections of artifacts, collected according to their geographical origin, the museum regularly organizes numerous guided tours. But also exciting temporary exhibitions, lectures and majestic shows.

To allow you to cultivate yourself in this amazing and fascinating artistic space, we have prepared a small guide that will allow you to survey the paths of the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco. A brief history of the place, attractions and works to be discovered, access plan, rates, timetables and many other information are presented to you. Ready to enjoy an Eastern cultural stop? Go!

History of the San Francisco Asian Art Museum

The building became too small in 2003, replaced by the San Francisco Municipal Library. It was for the occasion deeply renovated under the direction of the Italian architect Gae Aulenti! He thus offered a new framework to prestigious works housed in this gigantic cultural space located in the heart of the Civic Center district. Today it is more than 18,000 works of art that share the three levels of this colossal building typical of the Beaux-arts style, whose future expansion will be inaugurated in September 2019.

What to see and do at the San Francisco Asian Art Museum?

The second floor

On the second floor, there are logically many elements that trace the history of this spiritual movement that shaped Asian mentality. It includes, for example, collections from South Asia - India, the birthplace of Buddhism, but also Pakistan and Sri Lanka. They feature splendid stone sculptures, pieces of sacred temples, Sikh traditional armour and weapons as well as paintings. Once you look at the "Elephant Throne", silvered and covered with velvets, go to discover Thai paintings, Indonesian daggers and Angkor stones. No doubt, we are in this section in the presence of a collection dedicated to Southeast Asia!

Further on, the bronzes of the Himalayas, the noble fabrics of Bhutan and the famous paintings on Tibetan textiles put the world’s highest mountain range in honor. Persian ceramics and secular texts are also present; of an invaluable value, they contribute to the artistic completeness of the place.

The first floor

The first floor is devoted to the expansion of Buddhism. There are porcelain of an unparalleled finesse, ceramics and terracotta pieces carved with precision but also the oldest Buddha in the world. Dating from 338, it is made all of golden bronze! The famous rhinoceros of the Shang Dynasty are also found in this area.

The Korean art department, of which we inform you of the recent establishment, continues to visit the East. There are laques and porcelain richly decorated with rare pigments, pottery in stoneware and famous celeadons of the Goryeo dynasty! Further, the section reserved for the country of the Sun-Levant makes the beautiful part of samurai armour, engravings, prints and painted rollers. But the specificity of the Japanese art department is its Japanese Tea Room, where twice a month the tea ceremony takes place. Do not hesitate to taste it for free with succulent infusions in this typical Tea House! It was built and assembled in Kyoto under the direction of architect Osamu Sato, then dismantled, and reunited in San Francisco!

The ground floor

Once the first floor has been duly explored, go to the ground floor: here, a break is required in the Café Asia. It offers a selection of the best Asian products! Chinese soups, ramen and noodles, pimented Thai salads, bentō, nothing lacking to eat on the terrace of the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco. Cherry on the cake, tea is served in authentic cast iron teapots, and it is even possible to opt for a take-away meal and to taste on the thumb. The Asian street food is here honoured, being only concurred by the museum shop adjacent to the restaurant. If you have decided to bring a souvenir back to your loved ones, it is here! Particularly provided in books, documents, and original pieces.. or less, it is nevertheless a must-see for your visit to the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco!

How to go to the San Francisco Asian Art Museum?

It is rather simple to visit the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco. It is located at 200 Larkin Street, San Francisco, just opposite City Hall and just a few minutes’ walk from Union Square. The city is particularly well served by the public transport network, so we recommend you take the metro to the Civic Center station. The San Francisco Asian Art Museum is right next door!

And if you have decided to take your car, paid parking lots are scattered on both sides: no problem, so, to park!

Schedules & Rates of the San Francisco Asian Art Museum

Visit the San Francisco Asian Art Museum can be done every day, except Monday, and from 10am to 5pm. The museum closes three days a year, December 25, January 1 and Thanksgiving.

To purchase your entrance ticket, nothing simpler: a ticket shop is at the entrance of the museum. But you can also save time by booking your ticket online and in advance on the museum's official website!

Rates, it will cost you $15 per adult, $10 for people over 65 years of age, minors between 13 and 17 years of age and students with evidence.

Finally, children under 12 will be offered a free admission.

Our map: go to the San Francisco Asian Art Museum on the first Sunday of the month, the entrance is completely free!