Asian Art Museum
Built in 1917 as the city's public library building, this building is a fantastic blend of "Beaux Arts" and modern design elements. It was designed by renowned architect Gae Aulenti (architect of the Musée d'Orsay, Paris). Inside, you'll find many interesting architectural details including the grand staircase, loggia, vaulted ceilings, the great hall, stone floors, period light fixtures, an oddly interminable escalator, and inscriptions. The museum is one of the largest and newest museums of Oriental art. It has circa 15,000 artifacts covering 6,000 years of Asian history. The Asian Art Museum hosts many special exhibits as well. The cafe on premises also has some decent food, though pricier and somewhat more tame than better places a short walk away.
- Wheelchair accessible
- Address
- 200 Larkin St
- Getting there
- between McAllister St and Fulton St
- Hours
- Tue-Sun 10AM-5PM (with extended evening hours every Thu until 9PM); closed New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day
- Price
- Free first Sunday of every month, $15 adults, $10 seniors/students/youth ages 13-17, free for children 12 and under/military/SFUSD students. Th evenings at a reduced rate ($10) after 5PM. Special exhibitions cost extra
- Phone
- +1-415-581-3500
Listing from Wikivoyage: San Francisco/Civic Center-Tenderloin, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Location and details from OpenStreetMap, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Updated 27 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.