activities · 24
what they do
direct service · 24
- Accessibility services for visitors with disabilities Physical & Sensory Accessibility AccommodationsProvides comprehensive accessibility services including complimentary admission for ADA aides, reduced-rate tickets, wheelchair loans, ASL interpreters with advance notice, sensory kits, tactile maps, and website improvements aligned with WCAG 2.2 Level AA standards.
- Admission policies and visitor amenities Admission Access & Membership ProgramsOffers free admission to children ages 3 and under and California public school teachers, discounted admission for non-California teachers, and visitor amenities including indoor and outdoor lockers available for daily or coin-operated use.
- Group visits and event rentals Private Event Hosting with Facility AccessOffers daytime and evening group visits for adults, seniors, and community organizations, including team-building events, private receptions, full museum buyouts, and event space rentals that include museum admission and access to dining facilities with indoor/outdoor seating.
- Host After Dark events for adults Adult-Only Evening Museum EventsHosts weekly evening events for adults aged 18+ every Thursday night from 6:00–10:00 pm, featuring access to over 650 interactive exhibits and special programming focused on science, art, and perception.
- Host special exhibitions and public events Temporary Art & Cultural ExhibitionsHosts temporary exhibitions and one-time public events such as the Light Play Studio, Chain Reaction, California Native Homeland Festival, and live performances like Sarah Davachi’s sound exploration, offering diverse cultural and artistic programming.
- Host special exhibitions and public festivals Temporary Art & Cultural ExhibitionsProduces temporary exhibitions and cultural events such as the Light Play Studio, Chain Reaction, California Native Homeland Festival, and live performances like Sarah Davachi’s sound exploration, offering diverse public programming throughout the year.
- Host weekly After Dark events for adults Adult-Only Evening Museum EventsHosts weekly After Dark events every Thursday from 6:00–10:00 pm for adults 18+, featuring interactive exhibits, performances, and themed programming such as science, art, and perceptual experiences.
- Hosting of After Dark events for adults Adult-Only Evening Museum EventsHosts weekly After Dark events every Thursday night from 6:00–10:00 pm for adults aged 18+, featuring access to over 650 interactive exhibits and themed programming focused on science, art, perception, and live performances.
- Offer group visits and event rentals Private Event Hosting with Facility AccessHosts adult, senior, and community groups, and offers team-building visits, private receptions, full museum buyouts, and event space rentals that include museum admission and access to dining facilities with indoor/outdoor seating.
- Offer group visits and private events Private Event Hosting with Facility AccessHosts adult, senior, youth (e.g., Scouts, Boys & Girls Clubs), and community groups with tailored experiences, including team-building visits, private receptions, full museum buyouts, and event rentals that include museum admission and access to dining facilities with skyline or Bay Bridge views.
- Offer visitor amenities and admission policies Admission Access & Membership ProgramsProvides free admission to children ages 3 and under and to California public school teachers, discounted admission to non-California teachers, and on-site amenities including indoor and outdoor lockers (fee-based, digital or coin-operated) for visitor convenience.
- Operate public museum with interactive exhibits Interactive Children's Museum ProgramsOperates a museum at Pier 15 featuring over 650 interactive, hands-on exhibits across six indoor and outdoor galleries, accessible to visitors of all ages during regular and extended hours.
- Operate public museum with interactive science and art exhibits Interactive Children's Museum ProgramsRuns a museum at Pier 15 featuring over 650 interactive exhibits across indoor and outdoor galleries, open to visitors of all ages for 2–4 hours or full-day visits. Exhibits focus on science, art, and perception.
- Operate the Tactile Dome exhibitOperates the Tactile Dome, a hands-on exhibit requiring timed, ticketed access and a separate fee, where visitors navigate through total darkness using only their sense of touch, with partial accessibility for visitors with upper-body strength.
- Operate the Tactile Dome exhibitManages the Tactile Dome, a hands-on exhibit where visitors navigate in total darkness using only their sense of touch, offered through timed, ticketed sessions with a separate fee and partial wheelchair accessibility for those with upper-body strength.
- Operation of public museum with interactive exhibits Interactive Children's Museum ProgramsOperates a museum at Pier 15 featuring over 650 interactive, hands-on exhibits across indoor and outdoor galleries, open to visitors of all ages for general admission visits lasting 2–4 hours or longer.
- Operation of the Tactile Dome exhibitOperates the Tactile Dome, a hands-on exhibit where visitors navigate in total darkness using only their sense of touch, offered through timed, ticketed sessions with a separate fee and partial wheelchair accessibility for those with upper-body strength.
- Provide accessibility services for visitors with disabilitiesOffers a range of accessibility services including complimentary admission for ADA aides, ASL interpreters with advance notice, sensory kits, tactile maps, wheelchair loans, and accessible facilities to support visitors with disabilities.
- Provide accessibility services for visitors with disabilitiesOffers a range of accessibility services including complimentary admission for ADA aides, reduced-rate tickets, ASL interpreters with one week’s notice, sensory kits, weighted lap pads, tactile maps, wheelchair loans, and accessible entrances. The Tactile Dome accommodates visitors with upper-body strength, and the website is being upgraded to meet WCAG 2.2 Level AA standards.
- Provide school field trip programsOffers school field trip programs during the academic year (September 23, 2025 to June 5, 2026), including free admission for Title I schools, exhibit access, and orientation and demonstrations led by Explainers.
- Provide school field trip programsOffers school field trip programs during the academic year (September 23, 2025 to June 5, 2026), including access to over 700 hands-on exhibits, orientation, and guided demonstrations by Explainers, with free admission for Title I schools.
- Provide visitor support servicesOffers daily-use lockers for visitors at a fee, with indoor digital-payment lockers and outdoor coin-operated lockers, to support convenience during museum visits.
- School and youth group field trip programsProvides school field trip access during the academic year (September 23, 2025 – June 5, 2026), including free admission for Title I schools, orientation and exhibit demonstrations by Explainers, and hands-on exploration opportunities for youth groups such as Scouts and Boys & Girls Clubs.
- Special exhibitions and public programs Temporary Art & Cultural ExhibitionsHosts temporary exhibitions and special events such as the Light Play Studio, Chain Reaction, California Native Homeland Festival, and live performances like Sarah Davachi’s sound exploration, offering visitors rotating, themed experiences.
strategies · 22
how they think
Theories of action extracted from this org's own source material. Click any to see the full field of orgs running the same approach.
- All-ages engagement model all-ages_engagement_modelExhibits and programs are intentionally designed to be engaging and accessible for visitors across the lifespan, with experiences tailored for children, adults, and intergenerational groups.
- All-ages, integrative exhibit engagement model all-ages_engagement_modelExhibits and programs are designed to be engaging for visitors of all ages, promoting intergenerational learning and encouraging visitors to make conceptual connections across exhibits.
- Community-engaged programming with thinkers and creators community-engaged_programmingThe museum connects audiences with innovators, artists, and thinkers to bring forward ideas that shape communities, fostering public dialogue and engagement with contemporary issues.
- Community-engaged programming with thinkers and creators community-engaged_programmingThe Exploratorium connects audiences with innovators, artists, and thinkers through programming that brings community-shaping ideas into public dialogue and participatory learning contexts.
- Community-engaged programming with thinkers and creators community-engaged_programmingThe Exploratorium connects the public with innovators, artists, and thought leaders through programming that brings community-shaping ideas into public dialogue and participatory learning contexts.
- Experiential and immersive learning across the lifespan experiential_learningThe Exploratorium designs experiential learning experiences that engage both children and adults through play, exploration, and immersive sensory activities, particularly in informal and evening settings tailored to adult audiences.
- Experiential, hands-on learning across science, art, and perception experiential_learningBy integrating science, art, and human perception in hands-on, interactive exhibits, the Exploratorium promotes deep learning through play, tinkering, and immersive exploration in informal settings for both youth and adults.
- Inquiry-based, curiosity-driven learning through interactive exhibits inquiry-based_learningThe Exploratorium uses interactive exhibits and open-ended questioning to foster curiosity-driven, self-directed learning, enabling visitors of all ages to discover their own questions and answers through direct engagement with phenomena.
- Inquiry-based, experiential learning through interactive exhibits inquiry-based_learningThe Exploratorium fosters curiosity-driven, hands-on learning by designing interactive exhibits that encourage visitors to explore scientific phenomena, ask questions, and discover answers through direct engagement, without requiring formal expertise.
- Inquiry-based, hands-on learning through interactive exhibits inquiry-based_learningThe Exploratorium promotes curiosity-driven discovery by using interactive exhibits that encourage visitors to ask questions, explore phenomena, and learn through direct, tactile engagement without requiring formal science knowledge.
- Interdisciplinary integration of science, art, and perception interdisciplinary_learningThe Exploratorium fosters public understanding by blending scientific inquiry with artistic expression and human perception, using participatory art and multisensory exhibits to create connections across disciplines and deepen learning.
- Interdisciplinary integration of science, art, and perception interdisciplinary_learningThe museum uses an interdisciplinary approach that weaves together science, art, and human perception to create rich, integrative learning experiences that help visitors make connections across domains and deepen understanding.
- Interdisciplinary, phenomenon-based learning phenomenon-based_learningLearning is structured around real-world natural phenomena and conceptual connections across disciplines—particularly science, art, and perception—to help visitors make meaningful, integrative sense of their experiences.
- Multisensory and sensory-inclusive learning design sensory_accommodation_planningThe Exploratorium designs exhibits and visitor experiences to engage multiple senses, particularly touch and non-visual perception, and supports accessibility for visitors with sensory needs through tools like sensory maps and staff-guided immersive exploration.
- Multisensory and tactile learning for deep perception multisensory_learningLearning is deepened through tactile and non-visual sensory exploration, using touch and immersive sensory experiences to help visitors understand perception and engage with exhibits on a bodily and emotional level.
- Peer-led youth engagement and equity in science education peer-led_science_educationThe Explainer program trains and employs youth as science educators, providing them with career development opportunities while advancing equity and peer-led learning on the museum floor.
- Phenomenon- and connection-based learning phenomenon-based_learningThe Exploratorium links scientific concepts to real-world phenomena and encourages visitors to make conceptual connections across exhibits, supporting integrative and deeper understanding of science in everyday life.
- Universal accessibility and inclusive design universal_accessThe organization commits to universal access across all physical and programmatic spaces, ensuring that exhibits, buildings, programs, and services are accessible to all visitors regardless of ability.
- Universal accessibility and sensory-inclusive design universal_accessThe organization ensures access for all visitors through physical, programmatic, and sensory accommodations, including sensory maps and low-stimulus pathways, to support inclusive engagement across abilities.
- Universal accessibility and sensory-inclusive design universal_accessThe Exploratorium ensures access for all visitors by designing exhibits, programs, and spaces to be universally accessible, including sensory maps and low-stimulus pathways to support visitors with sensory sensitivities.
- Youth peer-led science education and career development peer-led_science_educationThe Explainer program trains youth to lead science education experiences, providing them with career development and equity opportunities while enhancing peer-to-peer learning for visitors.
- Youth peer-led science education and equity programming peer-led_science_educationThe Explainer program trains youth to lead science education efforts, providing them with career development, public engagement skills, and equitable access to STEM pathways through peer-to-peer learning.
named programs · 4
what they call their work
After Dark
Weekly evening program for adults (18+) featuring science, art, and perceptual experiences every Thursday from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Group Visits
Structured visit programs for student/youth groups, senior/community groups, corporate teams, and tour operators with discounted rates and educational support
School Field Trips
Hands-on science learning experiences for student groups with chaperone guidance and learning support resources
Tactile Dome
Separately ticketed immersive exhibit where visitors navigate a pitch-black environment using touch, with daytime and After Dark sessions
relationships · 13
who they work with
- ASTC Passport Program Network — Participating institution in the ASTC Passport Program, offering reciprocal free admission to members from other participating institutions.
- After Dark Membership Network — Offers membership program providing unlimited access to After Dark events.
- August F. Coppola Partner — Collaborated with Carl Day to create the Tactile Dome in 1971 as part of the Participatory Art movement.
- BART Government — Partner transit agency providing accessible train service to the museum.
- Carl Day Partner — Co-developed the Tactile Dome with August F. Coppola to promote tactile interaction and sensory-based learning.
- CityPASS Partner — Partners with CityPASS to include museum admission in bundled city attraction tickets.
- CityPASS Partner — Partners with CityPASS to offer bundled admission with other San Francisco attractions.
- CityPASS® Partner — Collaborates with CityPASS® to offer discounted admission as part of a bundled attraction package for visitors.
- Constellation Culinary Group Partner — Provides boxed lunches and operates The Tinkering Table Restaurant and Catalyst Coffee Lab at the Exploratorium.
- Muni Government — Partner transit agency providing accessible bus service to the museum.
- Reserve@exploratorium.edu Government — Manages group reservations and coordinates logistics for charter buses and group visits.
- San Francisco CityPASS® Partner — Partner attraction offering admission through CityPASS® tickets.
- Title I schools Partner — Provides free admission to Title I schools for field trip visits