# List of museums in the San Francisco Bay Area

This list of museums in the San Francisco Bay Area is a list of museums, defined for this context as institutions (including nonprofit organizations, government entities, and private businesses) that collect and care for objects of cultural, artistic, scientific, or historical interest and make their collections or related exhibits available for public viewing. Also included are non-profit and university art galleries. Museums that exist only in cyberspace (i.e., virtual museums) are not included.

## Museums
### San Francisco

| Name | Type | Summary |
| Academy of Art University Automobile Museum | Automobile | Non-profit automobile museum |
| Aquarium of the Bay | Aquarium | A variety of San Francisco Bay living habitats house the diverse animal collection, including walk-through tunnel exhibits, transparent touchpools, and a bubbling mountain stream exhibit |
| Alcatraz Island | Prison | Operated by the National Park Service, former federal prison, access by private ferry |
| American Bookbinders Museum | History | website, The history of bookbinding and bookbinders in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries |
| Asian Art Museum of San Francisco | Art | Arts of India, China, western Asia (including Persia), South-East Asia, Korea & Japan |
| Beat Museum | Literary | The Beats memorabilia and bookstore |
| Cable Car Museum | Transportation | |
| California Academy of Sciences | Natural history | |
| California Historical Society | Local history | State history and culture |
| Cartoon Art Museum | Art | Art of comics & cartoons, including original animation cels, comic book pages & early newspaper comic strips |
| Children's Creativity Museum | Children's | |
| Chinese Historical Society of America Museum and Learning Center | Ethnic | History of Chinese in U.S. |
| Chinese Culture Center | Art | Exhibitions of traditional & contemporary Chinese & Chinese-American art |
| Contemporary Jewish Museum | Ethnic | Contemporary perspectives on Jewish culture, history, art and ideas |
| de Young Museum | Art | American painting, sculpture & decorative art, African, Oceanic, Meso-American, Central & South American art, textiles, contemporary craft, graphics art |
| EcoCenter at Heron's Head Park | Education center | A unique education facility that combines environmental education, experience-based learning and habitat restoration |
| Exploratorium | Science | Hands-on science exhibits |
| Fort Point National Historic Site | Military | Part of The Presidio |
| GLBT History Museum | History | History and culture of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals, communities and movements |
| Haas-Lilienthal House | Historic house | 1886 Victorian house with period rooms |
| International Art Museum of America | Art | Eastern and Western art including works by Chinese masters, Yun sculptures, classic 18th to 20th-century European portraits and landscapes |
| The LAB | Art | Interdisciplinary arts organization with public gallery |
| Legion of Honor | Art | Mostly French & European art |
| Letterform Archive | Art | website, materials on the history of lettering, typography, printing, and graphic design |
| Mexican Museum | Ethnic | Historic and contemporary art and culture of the Latino, Chicano, Mexican, and Mexican-American people |
| Military Intelligence Service Historic Learning Center | Multiple | website, history of Military Intelligence Service in the Presidio, Japanese American history, art and culture, operated by the National Japanese American Historical Society |
| Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts | Art | website, cultural arts center and gallery |
| Mission Dolores | Religious | Oldest original intact Mission in California and the oldest building in San Francisco |
| Musée Mécanique | Amusements | Penny arcade games, mechanically operated musical instruments, video arcade games |
| Museo ItaloAmericano | Ethnic | Italian and Italian-American art and culture |
| Museum of Craft and Design | Art | website, contemporary craft and design |
| Museum of Performance & Design | Art | Performing arts |
| Museum of Russian Culture | Ethnic | website, part of the Russian Center of San Francisco |
| Museum of the African Diaspora | Cultural | Diasporan histories of people of African origin & their influence & adaptation throughout the world |
| North Beach Museum | Local history | Located on the 2nd floor of the Eureka Bank building |
| Octagon House 1861 | Historic house | Operated by The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America |
| Pacific Heritage Museum | Ethnic | Artistic, cultural and economic achievements of the peoples of the Pacific Rim |
| The Presidio | Multiple | Park with several visitor centers with a fort, marine, military and historical exhibits |
| Randall Museum | Multiple | Art, science, natural history, live animals |
| Ripley's Believe It or Not! | Entertainment | Near Fisherman's Wharf |
| San Francisco Arts Commission Gallery | Art | Contemporary art, three locations in San Francisco |
| San Francisco Fire Department Museum | Firefighting | website |
| San Francisco Historical Society | Local history | website |
| San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park | Maritime | Includes a fleet of historic vessels, a visitor center, a maritime museum and a library/research facility |
| San Francisco Museum of Modern Art | Art | website |
| San Francisco Music Hall of Fame Gallery | Local history | website, The gallery displays around 90 iconic San Francisco Bay Area artists and bands. |
| San Francisco Railway Museum | Railway | Antique streetcars, cable cars, earthquake of 1906 |
| San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center | Performing arts | Tours of the various performance spaces |
| Sea Lion Center | Education center | A colony of wild California sea lions now permanently established in this unusual urban location. The center provides free educational programming on the natural history of California sea lions |
| SFO Museum | Multiple | website, Aviation Museum and a selection of temporary exhibitions in the terminals at San Francisco International Airport |
| Society of California Pioneers | Local history | California art, history, and culture |
| SS Jeremiah O'Brien | Museum ship | World War II Liberty ship located at Fisherman's Wharf |
| Tenderloin Museum | Local history | website, History of the tenderloin neighborhood |
| Walt Disney Family Museum | Biographical | Walt Disney's life, awards & memorabilia |
| USS Pampanito | Museum ship | Submarine located at Fisherman's Wharf |
| Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts | Art | Part of California College of the Arts |
| Wells Fargo History Museum | History | First location of the Wells Fargo company, history of the company and the California gold rush |
| Yerba Buena Center for the Arts | Art | Contemporary arts center with several galleries |

### East Bay Area

| Name | Town/City | County | Region | Type | Summary |
| Aftel Archive of Curious Scents | Berkeley | Alameda | East Bay | Perfume | The first museum in the U.S. dedicated to perfume and the experience of fragrance. website |
| Aggregate Space Gallery | Oakland | Alameda | East Bay | Art | A non-profit, artist-run exhibition and performance space in West Oakland. website |
| Alameda Museum | Alameda | Alameda | East Bay | Local history | Operated by the Alameda Historical Society |
| Alameda Naval Air Museum | Alameda | Alameda | East Bay | Military | website, history of the Alameda Naval Air Station, ship and airplane models |
| Alvarado Adobe | San Pablo | Contra Costa | East Bay | Historic house | website, operated by the San Pablo Historical Society, former home of Juan Alvarado, the governor of Mexican Alta California |
| African American Museum and Library at Oakland | Oakland | Alameda | East Bay | African American | |
| Ardenwood Historic Farm | Fremont | Alameda | East Bay | Historic house | park includes a farm, a large forest and the 19th century Patterson House |
| Badè Museum of Biblical Archaeology | Berkeley | Alameda | East Bay | Archaeology | Part of Pacific School of Religion, artifacts from ancient Israel and Palestine, Greek and Cypriot ceramics, Egyptian scarabs, cuneiform tablets from ancient Mesopotamia, and over 300 historic Bibles from around the world |
| Bancroft Gallery | Berkeley | Alameda | East Bay | Multiple | Exhibitions from the collections of the Bancroft Library |
| Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive | Berkeley | Alameda | East Bay | Art | Part of University of California, Berkeley, strengths in historical and contemporary Asian art, early American painting, mid-20th-century, Conceptual, contemporary international art, and California and Bay Area art |
| Berkeley History Center | Berkeley | Alameda | East Bay | Local history | website, operated by the Berkeley Historical Society |
| Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve | Antioch | Contra Costa | East Bay | Mining | Park of former coal and sand mine |
| Blackhawk Museum | Blackhawk | Contra Costa | East Bay | Automotive | Classic cars |
| Blume House | San Pablo | Contra Costa | East Bay | Historic house | website, operated by the San Pablo Historical Society |
| Camron-Stanford House | Oakland | Alameda | East Bay | Historic house | website, Victorian house museum |
| Casa Peralta | San Leandro | Alameda | East Bay | Historic house | |
| Chabot Space and Science Center | Oakland | Alameda | East Bay | Science | |
| The Cobra Experience | Martinez | Contra Costa | East Bay | Automotive history | website, Museum committed to the promotion, conservation, education and preservation of the cars produced by Shelby American |
| Cohen-Bray House | Oakland | Alameda | East Bay | Historic house | website, late 19th-century Victorian period house, operated by the Victorian Preservation Center of Oakland |
| Crockett Museum | Crockett | Contra Costa | East Bay | Local history | website |
| Diablo Valley College Art Gallery | Pleasant Hill | Contra Costa | East Bay | Art | website |
| Duarte Garage Museum | Livermore | Alameda | East Bay | Automotive | website, operated by the Livermore Heritage Guild, classic cars and auto memorabilia, also called Lincoln Highway Museum |
| Dublin Heritage Park and Museums | Dublin | Alameda | East Bay | Open air | website, includes 1856 Murray Schoolhouse, 1859 St. Raymond's Church, Kolb House and outbuildings and Dublin Pioneer Cemetery |
| Dunsmuir House | Oakland | Alameda | East Bay | Historic house | 37-room Victorian mansion and estate grounds |
| Essig Museum of Entomology | Berkeley | Alameda | East Bay | Natural history | Insect research museum of the University of California, Berkeley, collections are only open to the public during the annual open house |
| Galindo House and Gardens | Concord | Contra Costa | East Bay | Historic house | 19th century period historic house |
| Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site | Danville | Contra Costa | East Bay | Historic house | website Tao House, home of Nobel Prize winning playwright Eugene O'Neill |
| Forest Home Farms | San Ramon | Contra Costa | East Bay | Open air | 16 acre park with 2 houses, fourteen outbuildings, and the Victorian period Glass House Museum |
| Golden State Model Railroad Museum | Richmond | Contra Costa | East Bay | Railroad | Features dozens of realistic city and country scenes, with model trains from different eras running on several layouts in different scales |
| Golden Gate Railroad Museum | Sunol | Alameda | East Bay | Railroad | Houses 12 locomotives and over 25 pieces of rolling stock, which are shown for special events |
| Habitot Children's Museum | Berkeley | Alameda | East Bay | Children's | website |
| Hayward Area Historical Society | Hayward | Alameda | East Bay | Local history | Operates the HAHS Center for History and Culture |
| John Muir National Historic Site | Martinez | Contra Costa | East Bay | Biographical | website Home of John Muir, "father of the national park service" and founder of the Sierra Club |
| Lacis Museum of Lace and Textiles | Berkeley | Alameda | East Bay | Textile | website |
| Lawrence Hall of Science | Berkeley | Alameda | East Bay | Science | |
| Lightship RELIEF – WLV 605 | Oakland | Alameda | East Bay | Museum ship | U.S. Coast Guard lightship |
| Lindsay Wildlife Museum | Walnut Creek | Contra Costa | East Bay | Nature center | Natural history exhibits, animals, wildlife rehabilitation center |
| Livermore Carnegie Museum | Livermore | Alameda | East Bay | Local history | website, operated by the Livermore Heritage Guild |
| Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life | Berkeley | Alameda | East Bay | Ethnic | Art & history of the Jewish community in the thirteen western United States, now part of the University of California, Berkeley |
| Martinez Museum | Martinez | Contra Costa | East Bay | Local history | website, operated by the Martinez Historical Society |
| Meek Mansion | Cherryland | Alameda | East Bay | Historic house | Operated by the Hayward Area Historical Society, open for special events |
| McConaghy House | Hayward | Alameda | East Bay | Historic house | Operated by the Hayward Area Historical Society in Kennedy Park, Victorian estate |
| Mills College Art Museum | Oakland | Alameda | East Bay | Art | Part of Mills College, creative work of women as artists and curators |
| Mission San José | Fremont | Alameda | East Bay | Historic church | |
| Museum of Art and Digital Entertainment | Oakland | Alameda | East Bay | Computer Games | Play vintage video games. |
| MOCHA: Museum of Children's Art | Oakland | Alameda | East Bay | Children's | website, hands-on children's art programs |
| Museum of the San Ramon Valley | Danville | Contra Costa | East Bay | Local history | website, housed in the Danville Southern Pacific Railroad Depot |
| Museum of Vertebrate Zoology | Berkeley | Alameda | East Bay | Natural history | Research museum of the University of California, Berkeley, collections are only open to the public during the annual open house, but a limited number exhibits are on display outside of the collection |
| Museum on Main | Pleasanton | Alameda | East Bay | Local history | website, operated by the Amador-Livermore Valley Historical Society |
| Niles Canyon Railway | Fremont | Alameda | East Bay | Railway | Heritage train and bus rides |
| Niles Depot Museum | Fremont | Alameda | East Bay | Railway | Model railroads |
| Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum | Fremont | Alameda | East Bay | Media | Silent films and their history |
| Oakland Asian Cultural Center | Oakland | Alameda | East Bay | Culture | Asian Pacific arts, culture and history |
| Oakland Aviation Museum | Oakland | Alameda | East Bay | Aviation | Formerly the Western Aerospace Museum, over 30 vintage and modern airplanes, both civilian and military, and other displays that highlight noted aviators and innovators |
| Oakland Museum of California | Oakland | Alameda | East Bay | Multiple | Art, history, culture and natural environment of California |
| Orly Museum of Hungarian Culture | Berkeley | Alameda | East Bay | Ethnic | website |
| Pacific Pinball Museum | Alameda | Alameda | East Bay | Amusement | Formerly the Lucky JuJu Pinball Museum, history, science and art of pinball machines |
| Pardee Home | Oakland | Alameda | East Bay | Historic house | 1969 Victorian mansion with decorative artifacts |
| Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology | Berkeley | Alameda | East Bay | Anthropology | Formerly the Lowie Museum of Anthropology, part of the University of California at Berkeley, collections include Native California, China, Africa ancient civilizations of Egypt, Peru, North America and the Mediterranean |
| Richmond Museum of History | Richmond | Contra Costa | East Bay | Local history | website |
| Saint Mary's College Museum of Art | Moraga | Contra Costa | East Bay | Art | website, part of Saint Mary's College of California, collection includes works by Andy Warhol, William Keith and over 4000 art objects |
| San Leandro History Museum & Art Gallery | San Leandro | Alameda | East Bay | Local history | website |
| Shadelands Ranch Museum | Walnut Creek | Contra Costa | East Bay | Local history | Operated by the Walnut Creek Historical Society |
| SS Red Oak Victory | Richmond | Contra Costa | East Bay | Maritime | Part of Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park, World War II Victory ship |
| Takara Sake Museum | Berkeley | Alameda | East Bay | Food | website, historical sake-making process, sake artifacts and implements, history of sake-making in the United States |
| Thorsen House | Berkeley | Alameda | East Bay | Historic house | American Craftsman style house |
| Union City Historical Museum | Union City | Alameda | East Bay | Local history | |
| University of California Museum of Paleontology | Berkeley | Alameda | East Bay | Paleontology | Collections are only open to the public during the annual open house, but a limited number of fossil exhibits are on display outside of the collection |
| USS Hornet Museum | Alameda | Alameda | East Bay | Museum ship | United States Navy aircraft carrier that served in World War II, the Vietnam War, and also played a part in the Apollo program |
| USS Potomac (AG-25) | Oakland | Alameda | East Bay | Museum ship | President Franklin Roosevelt's presidential yacht |
| Washington Township Museum of Local History | Fremont | Alameda | East Bay | Local history | Focused on southwestern part of Alameda County, the museum has exhibits, walking tours, and classes. |

### San Francisco Peninsula

| Name | Town/City | County | Region | Type | Summary |
| Anderson Collection | Stanford | Santa Clara | San Francisco Peninsula | Art | One of the world's most outstanding private assemblies of modern and contemporary American art. |
| Burlingame Museum of Pez Memorabilia | Burlingame | San Mateo | San Francisco Peninsula | Toy | Pez dispensers, includes the Classic Toy Museum with toys of the past |
| Colma Historical Museum | Colma | San Mateo | San Francisco Peninsula | Local history | website, operated by the Colma Historical Association |
| CuriOdyssey | San Mateo | San Mateo | San Francisco Peninsula | Natural history | Natural history and environmental education center with an aviary and over 50 non-releasable native animals, formerly the Coyote Point Museum |
| Filoli | Woodside | San Mateo | San Francisco Peninsula | Historic house | 43-room country estate with 16-acre (6.5 ha) formal garden |
| Hiller Aviation Museum | San Carlos | San Mateo | San Francisco Peninsula | Aviation | Vintage and futuristic aircraft, prototypes, photographic displays and models |
| Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts | Stanford University | Santa Clara | San Francisco Peninsula | Art | website Art including the largest collection of works by Auguste Rodin in the USA |
| Millbrae Museum | Millbrae | San Mateo | San Francisco Peninsula | Local history | website, operated by the Millbrae Historical Society, antique furnishings, clothing, household items, transportation |
| Millbrae Train Museum | Millbrae | San Mateo | San Francisco Peninsula | Railroad | website, operated by the Millbrae Historical Society |
| Peninsula Museum of Art | San Bruno | San Mateo | San Francisco Peninsula | Art | Changing exhibitions of work by outstanding artists of the Greater Bay Area |
| Sanchez Adobe | Pacifica | San Mateo | San Francisco Peninsula | Historic house | Operated by the San Mateo County History Museum |
| San Mateo County History Museum | Redwood City | San Mateo | San Francisco Peninsula | Local history | History of San Mateo County including natural resources, immigration, important figures, industries, maritime history |
| South San Francisco Historical Society Museum | South San Francisco | San Mateo | San Francisco Peninsula | Local History | website, artifacts, memorabilia, oral histories, photograph collection |
| The Foster Museum | Palo Alto | Santa Clara | San Francisco Peninsula | Art | website Single-artist museum exhibiting the artwork Journeys of artist-explorer Tony Foster |
| Woodside Store | Woodside | San Mateo | San Francisco Peninsula | Historic site | Operated by the San Mateo County History Museum, general store restored to 1880s appearance |

### Santa Clara Valley

Entries in this list are generally according to Santa Clara Valley.
| Name | Town/City | County | Region | Type | Summary |
| Agnews Historic Cemetery & Museum | Santa Clara | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Medical | website, historic cemetery and museum about the Agnews State Hospital and later Agnews Developmental Center from 1888 to 2009, museum open by appointment |
| Ainsley House | Campbell | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Historic house | 1925 Craftsman-style house, Morgan Gallery in the carriage house features exhibits of local history |
| Berryessa Adobe | Santa Clara | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Historic house | website, 1840s adobe house |
| California History Center | Cupertino | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | History | Education center and exhibit hall on regional and California history, part of De Anza College |
| Campbell Historical Museum | Campbell | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Local history | Small history museum located in the city of Campbell's first public building, Firehouse No. 1. Features interactive exhibits that rotate once a year. |
| Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose | San Jose | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Children's | |
| Computer History Museum | Mountain View | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Computer | Museum about the history of computing and information technology |
| Cupertino Historical Society and Museum | Cupertino | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Local history | website |
| De Saisset Museum | Santa Clara | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Multiple | Part of the Santa Clara University, art & history, includes paintings, jewels, silver, tapestries, California & Native American historical artifacts |
| Euphrat Museum of Art | Cupertino | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Art | Part of De Anza College |
| Gilroy Museum | Gilroy | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Local history | website, Gilroy Historical Society, history of Gilroy and the South Santa Clara County area, housed in the historic 1910 Carnegie Library Building |
| Harris-Lass Museum | Santa Clara | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Historic house | website, operated by the Historic Preservation Society of Santa Clara, 19th-century Italianate farmhouse |
| Headen-Inman House | Santa Clara | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Local history | Exhibits on local history, located on the grounds of the Triton Museum of Art |
| History Park at Kelley Park | San Jose | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Open air | Includes 27 original and reproduction homes, business and landmarks, Portuguese Historical Museum, Viet Museum, trolley barn with vehicles, art gallery |
| Hoover Institution Library and Archives | Stanford | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | History | Part of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, changing exhibits from the collections in the Herbert Hoover Memorial Exhibit Pavilion |
| Intel Museum | Santa Clara | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Science | Transistors, computer memory, microprocessors, how computer chips are made, history of Intel |
| Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies | San Jose | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Music | Life and works of composer Ludwig van Beethoven, operated by San Jose State University and the American Beethoven Society |
| Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts | Stanford | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Art | Formerly the Stanford University Museum of Art, part of Stanford University, includes Auguste Rodin sculpture garden |
| Japanese American Museum of San Jose | San Jose | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Ethnic | Located in Japantown, Japanese American art, history and culture |
| Junior Museum & Zoo | Palo Alto | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Multiple | website, owned and operated by the City of Palo Alto, hands-on science and natural history exhibits, live animals |
| Los Altos History Museum | Los Altos | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Local history | Includes the early 20th century J. Gilbert Smith House, area agriculture, cultural history |
| Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana (MACLA) | San Jose | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Art | A contemporary Latino visual arts and performing arts space, as well as a community arts education program. |
| Moffett Field Historical Society Museum | Moffett Field | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Aviation | website, history of Moffett Federal Airfield, Navy airship USS Macon |
| Museum of American Heritage | Palo Alto | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | History | Also known as MOAH, inventions and technology of the 19th and 20th century in a series of settings typical of the era |
| NASA Ames Exploration Center | Moffett Federal Airfield | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Science | NASA technology, missions and space exploration |
| New Almaden Quicksilver Mining Museum | New Almaden | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Mining | Exhibits about the history of mercury mining and the lifestyles of mining communities at New Almaden |
| New Museum Los Gatos | Los Gatos | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Multiple | Local history and art |
| Palo Alto Art Center | Palo Alto | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Art | Art and artists of the San Francisco Bay Area |
| Peralta Adobe | San Jose | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Historic house | Open by appointment |
| Portuguese Historical Museum | San Jose | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Ethnic | Part of History Park at Kelley Park, Portuguese history and culture, immigration into the Santa Clara Valley |
| Rengstorff House | Mountain View | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Historic house | Victorian Italianate mansion with period rooms |
| Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum | San Jose | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Archaeological | Ancient Egypt |
| San Benito County Historical & Recreational Park | Hollister | San Benito | Santa Clara Valley | Open air | website, operated by the San Benito County Historical Society, historical village includes a school, dance hall, bar, jail, several houses, print shop and antique farm vehicles |
| San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art | San Jose | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Art | Contemporary art by emerging and established Bay Area artists |
| San Jose Museum of Art | San Jose | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Art | Focuses on West Coast artists and artists of the Pacific Rim |
| San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles | San Jose | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Textile | Quilts and textiles as an art form |
| South Bay Historical Railroad Society Museum | Santa Clara | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Railroad | Also known as the Edward Peterman Museum of Railroad History, housed in the Santa Clara Depot |
| Sunnyvale Heritage Park Museum | Sunnyvale | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Local history | |
| The Foster Museum | Palo Alto | Santa Clara | San Francisco Peninsula | Art | website Single-artist museum exhibiting the artwork Journeys of artist-explorer Tony Foster |
| The Tech Museum of Innovation | San Jose | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Science | |
| Thompson Gallery at San José State University | San Jose | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Art | website, located in Art Building No. 127 |
| Triton Museum of Art | Santa Clara | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Art | Contemporary and historical works of art by artists of the Greater Bay Area |
| Viet Museum | San Jose | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Ethnic | Part of History Park at Kelley Park, experience of Vietnamese Americans and their journey from Vietnam to the United States |
| Villa Mira Monte | Morgan Hill | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Multiple | website, operated by the Morgan Hill Historical Society, 1884 Hiram Morgan Hill House with Queen Anne and Stick/Eastlake design, Morgan Hill Museum with a rock and mineral collection |
| Villa Montalvo | Saratoga | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Art | Historic mansion, houses the Montalvo Arts Center with a gallery and performing arts |
| Wapple House Museum | Hollister | San Benito | Santa Clara Valley | Local history | website, operated by the San Benito County Historical Society |
| Winchester Mystery House | San Jose | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Historic house | 160-room Victorian mansion with many unexplained oddities |
| Wings of History Museum | San Martin | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Aviation | Antique aircraft and aircraft engines |
| Works/San Jose | San Jose | Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley | Art | website, alternative community art and performance center with exhibit gallery |

### Other San Francisco Bay Area

| Name | Town/City | County | Region | Type | Summary |
| Arts Benicia | Benicia | Solano | San Francisco Bay Area | Art | website, art center with exhibit gallery |
| Bay Area Discovery Museum | Sausalito | Marin | San Francisco Bay Area | Children's | |
| Bay Model Visitor Center | Sausalito | Marin | San Francisco Bay Area | Science | Three-dimensional hydraulic model of San Francisco Bay and Delta areas capable of simulating tides and currents, over 1.5 acres (0.61 ha) in size, operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers |
| Benicia Capitol State Historic Park | Benicia | Solano | San Francisco Bay Area | History | California's third capitol building, restored to 1850s appearance |
| Benicia Fire Museum | Benicia | Solano | San Francisco Bay Area | Firefighting | website, historic fire engines, trucks, equipment |
| Benicia Historical Museum | Benicia | Solano | San Francisco Bay Area | Local history | website |
| Bolinas Museum | Bolinas | Marin | San Francisco Bay Area | Art | website |
| California Indian Museum and Cultural Center | Santa Rosa | Sonoma | North Coast | Native American | website, California Indian history and culture from an Indian perspective |
| California Missions Museum | Sonoma | Sonoma | North Coast | History | Located at Cline Cellars, models of the California missions |
| Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center | Santa Rosa | Sonoma | North Coast | Biographical | Life and art of cartoonist Charles M. Schulz |
| Children's Museum of Sonoma County | Santa Rosa | Sonoma | North Coast | Children's | website |
| China Camp State Park | San Rafael | Marin | San Francisco Bay Area | Open air | Exhibits about former Chinese shrimp-fishing village including a house museum |
| Cloverdale History Center and Museum | Cloverdale | Sonoma | North Coast | Historic house | website, operated by the Cloverdale Historical Society, includes the late 19th-century Gould-Shaw House |
| Depot Park Museum | Petaluma | Sonoma | North Coast | Local history | website, operated by the Sonoma Valley Historical Society, includes railroad artifacts and displays, a Victorian kitchen and historic schoolroom |
| Dixie Schoolhouse | San Rafael | Marin | San Francisco Bay Area | Education | One room schoolhouse |
| Dutra Museum of Dredging | Rio Vista | Solano | San Francisco Bay Area | Industry | website, private collection of dredging equipment and fossils, open by appointment |
| Falkirk Cultural Center | San Rafael | Marin | San Francisco Bay Area | Art | website, owned and operated by the City of San Rafael |
| Fort Ross State Historic Park | Fort Ross | Sonoma | North Coast | Open air | early 19th-century Russian-American Company settlement |
| Hamilton Field History Museum | Novato | Marin | San Francisco Bay Area | Military | website, history of Hamilton Army Airfield |
| Hand Fan Museum | Healdsburg | Sonoma | North Coast | Decorative arts | Museum about fans and the cultures and people who use them |
| Healdsburg Center for the Arts | Healdsburg | Sonoma | North Coast | Art | website, community arts center |
| Healdsburg Museum and Historical Society | Healdsburg | Sonoma | North Coast | Local history | website |
| Jack London State Historic Park | Glen Ellen | Sonoma | North Coast | Biographical | Also known as Jack London Home and Ranch |
| Jack Mason Museum of West Marin History | Inverness | Marin | San Francisco Bay Area | Local history | website |
| Jesse Peter Museum | Santa Rosa | Sonoma | North Coast | Native American | Native American art of North America and ethnographic art of parts of Mesoamerica, Central America, South America, Africa, and Asia |
| Luther Burbank Home and Gardens | Santa Rosa | Sonoma | North Coast | Historic house | |
| Luther Burbank's Gold Ridge Experiment Farm | Sebastopol | Sonoma | North Coast | Historic house | |
| Marin History Museum | San Rafael | Marin | San Francisco Bay Area | Local history | Marin County history and culture |
| Marin Museum of Bicycling | Fairfax | Marin | San Francisco Bay Area | Transportation history | Largest public collection of bicycles on the west coast, home of the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame, website |
| Marin Museum of Contemporary Art | Novato | Marin | San Francisco Bay Area | Contemporary Art | Presents new work by emerging and established artists |
| Marin Museum of the American Indian | Novato | Marin | San Francisco Bay Area | Native American | Situated on an actual site of a Miwok village |
| McCune Room at JFK Library | Vallejo | Solano | San Francisco Bay Area | Literary | website, collection of rare and unique books, printing equipment and binding tools |
| Military Antiques & Museum | Petaluma | Sonoma | North Coast | Military | website |
| Mission San Francisco de Solano | Sonoma | Sonoma | North Coast | Biographical | One of the sites of Sonoma State Historic Park, 19th-century Spanish mission |
| Mission San Rafael Arcángel | San Rafael | Marin | San Francisco Bay Area | History | Early 19th-century Spanish mission |
| Mount Tamalpais State Park | Mill Valley | Marin | San Francisco Bay Area | History | East Peak Visitor Center includes museum about the park's history and natural history, including the former railroad used to bring up visitors |
| Museum of International Propaganda | San Rafael | Marin | San Francisco Bay Area | Propaganda | The Museum of International Propaganda features a permanent collection of propaganda posters, paintings, sculptures, and artifacts from more than 25 countries |
| Napa Valley Museum | Yountville | Napa | Napa Valley | Multiple | Art and natural history of Napa Valley, including local Native American and wine-making history |
| Nike Missile Site SF-88 | Golden Gate National Recreation Area | Marin | San Francisco Bay Area | Military | History of defensive missiles that protected San Francisco and other major cities in the United States. Only site that can lift a missile into launch position. |
| Novato History Museum | Novato | Marin | San Francisco Bay Area | Local history | website |
| Pacific Coast Air Museum | Santa Rosa | Sonoma | North Coast | Aviation | Restored American military, propeller and jet aircraft |
| Pena Adobe | Vacaville | Solano | San Francisco Bay Area | Historic house | Operated by the Peña Adobe Historical Society, also adjacent Mowers-Goheen Museum |
| Petaluma Adobe State Historic Park | Petaluma | Sonoma | North Coast | Historic house | Historic ranch and adobe house |
| Petaluma Historical Library and Museum | Petaluma | Sonoma | North Coast | Local history | Housed in a Carnegie library, exhibits include Petaluma poultry, dairy, and Miwok Indian history |
| Petaluma Wildlife & Natural Science Museum | Petaluma | Sonoma | North Coast | Natural history | Live and taxidermied animals, housed on the Petaluma High School campus |
| Point Reyes National Seashore | | Marin | San Francisco Bay Area | Multiple | Includes Kule Loklo (a recreated Coast Miwok village), Lighthouse Visitor Center and Point Reyes Lighthouse, the Bear Valley Visitor Center with exhibits about the park's ecosystems and cultural heritage, and the Kenneth C. Patrick Visitor Center with exhibits about 16th century maritime exploration, marine fossils and marine environments |
| Rancho Obi-Wan | Petaluma | Sonoma | North Coast | Media | website, private tours of a collection of Star Wars props, movie items, toys, art and memorabilia |
| Rio Vista Museum | Rio Vista | Solano | San Francisco Bay Area | Local history | website |
| San Anselmo Historical Museum | San Anselmo | Marin | San Francisco Bay Area | Local history | website |
| Robert F. Agrella Art Gallery | Santa Rosa | Sonoma | North Coast | Art | Part of Santa Rosa Junior College, exhibits include art history, ceramics, computer graphics, drawing, graphic design, jewelry, painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture |
| Sebastopol Center for the Arts | Sebastopol | Sonoma | North Coast | Art | website |
| Sonoma County Museum | Santa Rosa | Sonoma | North Coast | Multiple | History, art, and culture of the region |
| Sonoma State Historic Park | Sonoma | Sonoma | North Coast | Open air | Six historic sites including Mission San Francisco de Solano, the Presidio of Sonoma, the Vallejo Estate, a historic houses, a hotel and inn |
| Sonoma State University Art Gallery | Rohnert Park | Sonoma | North Coast | Art | Exhibits of modern and contemporary art |
| Sonoma Valley Museum of Art | Sonoma | Sonoma | North Coast | Art | Works by regional, national and international modern and contemporary artists |
| The Space Station Museum | Novato | Marin | San Francisco Bay Area | Aerospace | website, history of space exploration, collections of U.S., Russian and Soviet space exploration artifacts |
| Spaulding Wooden Boat Center | Sausalito | Marin | San Francisco Bay Area | Maritime | Restores and preserves significant, historic wooden sailing vessels |
| Tiburon Railroad & Ferry Depot Museum | Tiburon | Marin | San Francisco Bay Area | Transportation | Railroad and ferry history and artifacts, operated by the Belvedere-Tiburon Landmarks Society |
| Travis Air Force Base Heritage Center | Fairfield | Solano | San Francisco Bay Area | Aviation | Features over 35 outdoor aircraft |
| United States Immigration Station | Angel Island | Marin | San Francisco Bay Area | History | Located in Angel Island State Park |
| Vacaville Museum | Vacaville | Solano | San Francisco Bay Area | Local history | website |
| Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum | Vallejo | Solano | San Francisco Bay Area | Local history | website, local history, Mare Island Naval Shipyard and U.S. Navy history |
| West County Museum | Sebastopol | Sonoma | North Coast | Local history | website, operated by the Western Sonoma County Historical Society |
| Western Railway Museum | Suisun | Solano | San Francisco Bay Area | Railroad | Historic streetcars and interurban electric trains from all over California and other western states |
| Windsor Museum | Windsor | Sonoma | North Coast | Local history | website, operated by the Windsor Historical Society in the Hembree House |

## Defunct museums

| Name | Town/City | County | Region | Type | Summary | Year of closing |
| Bailey Art Museum (now permanently closed) | Crockett | Contra Costa | East Bay | Art | website, ceramic and metal sculptures by Clayton Bailey, watercolor drawings by Betty Bailey, and pseudo-scientific curiosities by his alter-ego Dr. Gladstone | |
| Diablo Valley College Museum | Pleasant Hill | Contra Costa County | San Francisco Bay Area | | | |
| Hall of Health | Berkeley | Alameda County | San Francisco Bay Area | | Sponsored by Children's Hospital & Research Center at Oakland. | 2009 |
| Madame Tussauds San Francisco | San Francisco | San Francisco | San Francisco Bay Area | Wax | Located in Fisherman's Wharf, included wax models of San Francisco celebrities, movie stars, music performers, sports stars, politicians and world leaders. | 2024 |
| Museum of Conceptual Art | San Francisco | San Francisco | San Francisco Bay Area | Arts | | 1984 |
| Museum of Modern Mythology | San Francisco | San Francisco | San Francisco Bay Area | | Closed following the Loma Prieta earthquake. | 1989 |
| Natural World Museum | San Francisco | San Francisco | San Francisco Bay Area | Education | A mobile museum focused on environment concerns. | 2009 |
| New Langton Arts | San Francisco | San Francisco | San Francisco Bay Area | Arts | | 2009 |
| Playland-Not-At-The-Beach | El Cerrito | Contra Costa | East Bay | Amusement | Amusement park games, memorabilia, pinball machines, antique amusement devices, live magic shows, a hand-carved miniature circus, side show acts, miniature dioramas, Fascination games, historic exhibits. | |
| Treasure Island Museum | San Francisco | San Francisco | San Francisco Bay Area | Local history, Arts | Building tours by appointment, group working to establish new museum | 1997 |
| San Francisco Museum at the Mint | San Francisco | San Francisco | San Francisco Bay Area | Local history | Planned museum in the Old Mint to be operated by the San Francisco Museum and Historical Society. |
| Wax Museum at Fisherman's Wharf | San Francisco | San Francisco | San Francisco Bay Area | Wax | | 2013 |
| World of the Unexplained museum | San Francisco | San Francisco | San Francisco Bay Area | | | 1985 |