First Thursdays + Free Days at SFMOMA
Thanks to the generosity of our funders, SFMOMA offers regularly scheduled free days and guests 18 and younger always enjoy free admission to the museum. We regularly update this page with upcoming dates and activities, but you can also sign up for our newsletter to be notified when new events, exhibitions, and activities are announced.
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First Thursdays at SFMOMA
On the first Thursday of every month, all residents of the nine Bay Area counties are invited to spend an evening at the museum on us!
- General admission is free from 4–8 p.m. Surcharged exhibitions require separate paid tickets.
- Tickets are available approximately two weeks in advance. Reserving online is highly encouraged.
- Limit two adult tickets per reservation.
- Qualifying counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma.
Upcoming Dates/Programs
October 2, 2025
4–8 p.m.
Join us for WAVES OF KNOWING, a dynamic program of performances, visuals, films, poetry, and more curated by the artist collective SMARTBOMB.
Plus, from 5–7 p.m., head to the Floor 5 sculpture terrace for the Oakland Roots SC x Muzae Sesay x SFMOMA Jersey Launch to get first access to the newly designed jersey, meet the players and the artist, and groove to tunes from DJ Fela Kutchii!
Presenting support for First Thursdays is provided by Penny S. and James G. Coulter.
Major support is provided by Concepción S. and Irwin Federman.
Additional support is provided by the Yerba Buena Partnership.
Free Family Days at SFMOMA
Enjoy a day of art and family fun at SFMOMA! These special days include art-making activities for the whole family in our Koret Education Center, located on Floor 2, plus additional performances, activations, and more. General admission to the museum is free for up to two adults accompanying one child or teen (18 and younger), and tickets are available two weeks in advance. Surcharged exhibitions are not included and require separate paid tickets. For more information on Free Family Day, see our FAQ.
Upcoming Free Family Days
June 14, 2026
The next Free Family Day will feature the newly refreshed Fisher Collection galleries on Floor 5! We’ll celebrate the colorful and vibrant works of Ellsworth Kelly, Sol LeWitt, and Alexander Calder. Check back for the full schedule in the spring!
Watch a Free Family Day in Action
Check out this time-lapse video of the “What Is Art?” giant floor drawing from our Free Family Day on September 14, 2025.
Lead support for Free Family Days is provided by the Koret Foundation.
Presenting support is provided by Penny S. and James G. Coulter.
Major support is provided by the Hearst Foundations.
Significant support is provided by Deborah and Kenneth Novack.
Meaningful support is provided by the John & Marcia Goldman Family Free Sundays Endowment Fund and Geoffrey and Priscilla Weber.
Additional support is provided by Kevin Perkins and Maggie Rothschild.
Free Community Days
Free Community Days offer free museum-wide admission to all visitors. Combined with a wide range of immersive activities and performances inspired by the latest SFMOMA exhibition, these Free Community Days highlight the extraordinary creativity of local artists and community organizations. Mark your calendar for the next one, and enjoy a unique opportunity to learn, create, and connect with fellow community members!
Upcoming Dates
TBD
Kara Walker, Fortuna and the Immortality Garden (Machine), 2024 (installation view, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art); commissioned by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; © Kara Walker, courtesy Sikkema Jenkins & Co. and Sprüth Magers; photo: Fredrik Nilsen Studio
Always Free to See
SFMOMA offers 45,000 square feet of art-filled public spaces that are open to the public. Check out what’s currently on view in our always free-to-see area, including poignant mural commissions by local artists.