San Francisco museums, aquariums and city passes

The short answer

Count the venues you will really visit before you look at a pass. For one or two museums, a single ticket is the simpler buy, and two of them cover a second museum: the de Young Museum ticket and the Legion of Honor Ticket each include entry to the other.[2][1] A pass suits a plan with several attractions, and each pass works differently: the San Francisco CityPASS fixes two of its four attractions, while the three Go City passes let you choose from a list.[11][10][9][8] XTOUR's reading: a pass is an entitlement to choose, not a plan to visit every venue on its list.

Art museums: de Young, Legion of Honor, SFMOMA, Disney

Wikidata places the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park and records the Legion of Honor as a separate museum in San Francisco.[18][17] The de Young Museum ticket has two options, Admission and Student Admission for students aged 18 to 24 with a valid ID, and both include same-day general admission to the Legion of Honor.[1] The Legion of Honor Ticket also has an Admission and a Student option, and both say the ticket includes entry to the de Young Museum; that listing does not say the second visit must be on the same day. SkyGate says under-18s are free at both but still need a ticket.[1][2] The museums' own website could not be read when XTOUR checked, so their hours are not given here. See the de Young Museum and Legion of Honor pages on XTOUR.

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) ticket has one option, covering the collection, temporary exhibitions and a downloadable multilingual audio guide, and it sells adult and senior tickets only.[3] The museum itself says ages 18 and younger are free, gives its address as 151 Third Street, and listed Wednesday as its closed day when XTOUR read it.[13] See the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art page on XTOUR.

The Walt Disney Family Museum ticket has a general Admission option and a Student Admission option for holders of a valid student ID.[4] The museum gives its address as 104 Montgomery Street in the Presidio and listed opening days of Thursday to Sunday when XTOUR read it, so check the day before you book.[14] See The Walt Disney Family Museum page on XTOUR.

Science and sea life: Academy, Exploratorium, Aquarium of the Bay

The California Academy of Sciences Ticket has a Daytime Admission option and a separate Youth (13-18 Years) option, and SkyGate says both include all shows, exhibitions, the planetarium and daily programmes.[5] The Academy describes an aquarium, planetarium, rainforest and natural history museum at 55 Music Concourse Drive in Golden Gate Park, says planetarium passes are first come, first served, and does not admit children under 4 to planetarium shows.[15] See the California Academy of Sciences page on XTOUR.

The Exploratorium ticket's General Admission option includes a multilingual museum map and the Tactile Dome. Its second option, After Dark on Thursday evenings, is for adults 18 and over, and SkyGate's calendar showed no open dates for it between 3 October 2026 and 31 January 2027 when XTOUR checked.[6] The operator's site could not be read, so XTOUR has not verified its hours. See the Exploratorium page on XTOUR.

The Aquarium of the Bay Ticket has one Admission option at Pier 39, and SkyGate's option says it also includes entry to the Sea Lion Center, the Bay Area Model in Sausalito and the Eco Center at Heron's Head.[7] Wikidata records Aquarium of the Bay as a public aquarium in San Francisco.[19] See the Aquarium of the Bay page on XTOUR.

CityPASS or Go City

The San Francisco CityPASS is one option: admission to the California Academy of Sciences and a Blue & Gold Fleet bay cruise, plus two more chosen from Aquarium of the Bay, the Exploratorium, SFMOMA, San Francisco Zoo & Gardens and The Walt Disney Family Museum. SkyGate says it is valid for nine days from first use, that the bay cruise needs an advance reservation, and that reservations are made in the My CityPASS app.[8]

The three Go City products differ by how you spend them:

• The Go City San Francisco Essentials Pass: 3 Attractions gives any three from a set list that includes a Red & White Fleet Golden Gate Bay Cruise, Aquarium of the Bay, SFMOMA, the Exploratorium, The Walt Disney Family Museum and a Blazing Saddles bike rental; each can be visited once, within 30 days of the first visit.[9]
• The Go City San Francisco Explorer Pass sells 2, 3, 4 or 5 choices from a longer list, valid for 30 consecutive days after first use.[10]
• The Go City San Francisco All-Inclusive Pass sells 1, 2, 3 or 5 consecutive days of access to the attractions on its list, counted in calendar days from activation regardless of the time of day.[11]

SkyGate says the Essentials list is subject to change, and directs Go City buyers to the operator's app or digital guidebook for the current list and reservations.[11][9] XTOUR has not read the guidebooks, so check that the venues you want are still on your pass's list before you buy.

A day outside the city: Six Flags Discovery Kingdom

The Six Flags Discovery Kingdom Ticket is a single one-day option for a theme park with rides and animal exhibits.[12] The operator places the park in Vallejo, California, not in San Francisco, and points visitors to its Calendar & Hours page for operating days.[16] SkyGate's calendar showed open dates only into late November 2026 when XTOUR checked.[12] The park also appears in the lists of the Go City All-Inclusive and Explorer passes.[10][11] See the Six Flags Discovery Kingdom page on XTOUR.

How to choose

• For art, the de Young Museum ticket or the Legion of Honor Ticket covers both museums; SFMOMA and The Walt Disney Family Museum are separate tickets.
• For science with children, the California Academy of Sciences Ticket, the Exploratorium or the Aquarium of the Bay Ticket, each covering one main venue.
• For four attractions including the Academy and a bay cruise, the San Francisco CityPASS.
• For a set number of choices over a month, the Go City Essentials or Explorer pass; for many attractions in a few days, the Go City All-Inclusive Pass.
• For thrill rides, the Six Flags Discovery Kingdom Ticket, and check the park's calendar first.

Before you book

• The Walt Disney Family Museum listed Thursday to Sunday opening, and SFMOMA listed Wednesday as closed, when XTOUR read their sites.[13][14]
• Planetarium passes at the California Academy of Sciences are first come, first served.[15]
• Reserve the CityPASS bay cruise in advance.[8]