Exploratorium, Science museum at Pier 15, San Francisco, US
The Exploratorium is a science museum at Pier 15 in San Francisco, United States, housing more than six hundred interactive stations on topics such as motion, light, sound, and human perception. The exhibition space spans several connected galleries and an outdoor area along the waterfront, where visitors can try experiments in natural light.
Physicist Frank Oppenheimer founded the museum in 1969 with the intention of teaching science through direct experience, initially choosing the Palace of Fine Arts as its location. After more than four decades, the institution moved to its current spot at Pier 15 in 2013 to provide more space and better access to the bay.
The institution takes its name from the Latin verb explorare, meaning to explore, and it encourages hands-on discovery that lets guests test ideas themselves rather than reading explanations. This approach invites children and adults to ask questions about physics, biology, and perception by trying things out directly.
The facility opens Tuesday through Sunday between 10 AM and 5 PM, and visitors can take the F streetcar line to reach the pier. Some stations require advance reservations, so it helps to check online before visiting.
In the Tactile Dome, visitors move through complete darkness using only their sense of touch to explore different textures, shapes, and pathways. This area shows how much the body relies on other senses when sight is unavailable.
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