Walt Disney Museum in San Francisco: all you need to know
A museum dedicated to the life of Walt Disney and set up as a tribute to the artist by his daughter Diane Disney, I'll show you everything you can see inside!
Walt Disney Museum in San Francisco | ©HarshLight
The museum consists of an open space where you can see an impressive gallery with artefacts, images and everything related to the life and work of Walt Disney. Inside you can enjoy both temporary and permanent exhibits.
I definitely recommend a visit to the museum as part of the things to see and do in San Francisco. That's why I also recommend you to buy your tickets in advance of your trip, so you don't miss the opportunity to know it.
San Francisco Walt Disney Museum Tickets
A journey through the life of Walt Disney's creative mind
You can visit the museum and see the different galleries where unique objects and scale models of Walt Disney's creations over the years are on display.
Enjoy the Walt Disney Museum and all the elements that have been preserved to provide information about his life and work. With this ticket you have access to the main facilities of the museum, but not to the special activities.
You will be able to enter and discover several galleries where characters created by Walt Disney are exhibited. It is a ticket that can be used for both adults and children and is suitable to enter the museum at any time of the day.
Recommended if... you are travelling as a family with small children and you want to live a very rewarding experience with your family.
How much do tickets to the Walt Disney Museum cost?
The price of tickets to the Walt Disney Family Museum depends on how you buy them. If you want to avoid the queues when you go to this attraction, and of course, if you want to secure your ticket before you go, the best thing to do is to buy your tickets online in advance.
Online tickets are available for between 22 and 25 euros per person, regardless of whether they are for children, seniors or general admission. The guarantee this way of purchasing is that you will be able to secure your ticket before going to the site.
The museum also classifies ticket prices according to the type of person, i.e. there is a general admission ticket, senior citizen tickets, children's tickets, student tickets, tickets for active military personnel and veterans, members' tickets, etc.
Ticket prices according to type of person
Regarding the cost of the tickets provided by the museum, the general admission ticket can be purchased from 25 euros, while the entrance to other special exhibitions have an additional cost.
You can buy the tickets together, i.e. the pass to see the whole museum and the special exhibitions in addition, or you can just choose one of the two options. This will depend on whether you have visited the museum before and only want to see what's new, or if you want to see the whole place.
Adults and students can enter the museum for approximately 20 euros. If they also want to visit special exhibitions, they also have to pay a surcharge, which usually costs about 5 euros to include both visits. If they only want to visit new exhibitions, they pay around 15 euros.
Children from 6 years and young people up to 17 years pay around 15 euros admission. Additionally they have to pay to see other special exhibitions. For active, retired or veteran military personnel , admission is free but does not include admission to special exhibitions.
How to get tickets for the Walt Disney Museum at the ticket office?
If after knowing how convenient it is to buy online, you still think it is worth going to the ticket office to buy your tickets, then you should be prepared to queue a bit. You can go to the ticket office a few moments before the time you have planned to visit the museum, in order to buy your tickets.
You should know that the museum is open from 10:00 to 17:30, with the last entrance at 16:30. So you have the whole day to buy your tickets. Try not to leave the visit for the last hour of the day, because there is a possibility that you won't be able to get in.
If you are staying for more than two days in San Francisco, I recommend you to buy your tickets one day before visiting the museum, so you won't miss the visit.
Are tickets to the Walt Disney Museum included in any of the city's tourist passes?
Of course, the San Francisco Pass and other city passes are a great option when you are going for a few days in the city and want to see as much as you can in the shortest amount of time.
The great thing about these passes is that they are generally tailored to the type of visit you are making to the city, whether you are a first time visitor and want to see as many places as possible, or you are going for a one-off situation and want to see specific places you haven't visited before. Whatever the case, the Walt Disney Family Museum is included in two of the city's most popular passes, the San Francisco CityPASS and the Go Card San Francisco.
San Francisco CityPASS
This is one of the most comprehensive passes you can get to visit different places in the City. The Walt Disney Museum is included in the pass for four attractions to visit in up to 9 days. With the purchase of this pass you can save up to 45% of the entrance fees to the included attractions.
You have to take into account that, although you don't need an advance reservation to enter the museum if you have the CityPASS, you won't have access to all the places in the museum either. That is, the CityPASS gives you access to general admission to the museum, but not to special exhibits, film screenings or similar events.
Go Card San Francisco
Go Card gives you the ability to bundle admission to the museums and attractions of your choice into a single pass. The best thing about the Go Card is that you have the opportunity to choose from over 25 different attractions and museums. Plus you save up to 60% on admission to each of the attractions you choose.
The Walt Disney Museum is one of the options included in the list of 25, so you can choose other options and include the museum in your pass. Just present this card at the entrance to gain access inside. However, you cannot use your pass for special exhibitions, film screenings or other events inside the museum.
Special children's tickets
Children under the age of five get free admission to the museum. But those over six years of age will have to pay a low entrance fee, as well as having to pay extra for additional functions and special events taking place inside the venue.
In the case of film screenings, children under the age of 5 also get in free, while those aged 6 and up to 17 get in for a price ranging from 8 euros and upwards.
Children can be included in the CityPASS or Go Card for free entry to each of the attractions, including the Walt Disney Museum. This is amazing to know, considering it's a great place to include among the things to see and do in San Francisco with kids.
Guided tours of the Walt Disney Museum in San Francisco
Most probably you will not get guided tours to the Walt Disney Museum in San Francisco, but what you can do for sure, is to buy tickets online to ensure your visit to the museum.
Once inside you can do the tour according to the layout in which the gallery is located, even before going you could get some advice on their website about the order of the gallery, the works that you will find there and the exhibitions that are active.
How to get to the Walt Disney Museum in San Francisco?
How to get there depends on the type of transport you choose, either by public transport or by private car. If you take the bus to the museum, there are other stops nearby that can work for you to get to the museum. From each of them you can walk a few metres.
The three nearest bus stations are: Officer's Club 3 minutes from the museum entrance. There is also the Presidio Community YMCA about a six minute walk and then Mason St. & Halleck St. about 10 minutes to the Museum's front door. Meanwhile, the bus lines that stop near the museum are the 30, DT and PH.
On the other hand, if you decide to go by tram to the museum, the closest station is Hyde St. & Bay St., although it's not a great idea if you're walking, as it would take you about 45 minutes to walk from this station to the museum.
I also recommend researching the best tour buses in San Francisco to find out which one can help you get to the Walt Disney Family Museum. The advantage of this type of bus is that you can also visit other attractions if you want to.
Main attractions not to be missed at the Walt Disney Museum in San Francisco
The exhibitions are variable and the museum is always presenting different types of exhibits that always have to do with Walt Disney's life and work, his way of seeing life during his golden age, or how he saw the things that happened around him and took them to make films and blockbusters out of them.
On the other hand, there are the galleries, which are the exhibits that never stop being shown in the museum. These are not to be missed during your visit, because in them you will be able to see scale representations of different films designed and made by Walt Disney.
Also in this type of galleries you will be able to see characters that took part in the history of the company since its beginnings. Imagine seeing the first models of Mickey Mouse and similar things. The best thing about these galleries is that they are arranged in the chronological order of Walt Disney's life, from his early beginnings to the world's perception of the mind that created so many characters.
How much time do you need to visit the Walt Disney Museum in San Francisco?
This will depend a lot on how much you want to see inside. Whenever there are special events or temporary exhibits, I recommend staying a little longer to see and appreciate them. If there are film screenings, the time may be even longer, depending on the length of these screenings.
Generally a quick visit to the museum can take between an hour and a half and two hours, but if you want to stay a little longer to admire each of the works inside, or if you want to stop by the gift shop or the museum café, this visit can be extended a little longer.
In any case, what I recommend is that if you expect to make an itinerary of things to see and do in San Francisco in two days, you should take all the time you need to get to know every space and every corner of the exhibition. It's really worth a visit and is one of the best museums in San Francisco.
Opening hours of the Walt Disney Museum in San Francisco
From Thursday to Sunday, the museum is open from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm. It is closed from Monday to Wednesday, during which time the maintenance team makes sure all areas are cleaned and ready to reopen the following day.
It is also closed on 25 December and 1 January, as well as on Thanksgiving Day. Every December 24th and 31st, the museum opens its doors until 4pm, with the last entrance at 3pm.
Tips for visiting the Walt Disney Museum in San Francisco
One of the most useful tips I can give you when you visit this museum is that if you go with children, do not let them out of your sight at any time. It is important that before going to the museum you visit the website so that you can find out what new information the museum has to tell you before you go to the museum.
Most of the exhibitions are temporary, so every time you go to the museum you will find something different to see. This is a great advantage, but it also forces you to check the information about the exhibitions beforehand to find out which ones are active and which ones you will like to see.
It is important that before you go to the museum, you book your ticket. The influx of people in the place is so high that tickets usually run out soon, that is why one of the recommendations I give you is to book well in advance.
This is the shop of the Walt Disney Museum in San Francisco
The Walt Disney Museum Souvenir Shop is everything a fan of the production house could hope for. It is a place where you can get anything related to the museum, from printables to clothes to wear inside and outside the museum.
Every object or detail you can purchase inside the shop is closely related to the exhibitions they have available at the time. You'll also find souvenirs from past exhibitions that you're sure to love.
You can enter the gift shop just as you leave the exhibition, or you can also purchase your museum shop products through the museum's website. Of course, the product options may vary depending on how you shop, whether you shop online or in person.
Where to eat near the Walt Disney Museum in San Francisco?
After finishing the tour around the Walt Disney Museum you will probably get a bit hungry, that is why I want to show you some restaurant options that you have very close to the museum. The gastronomic offer is varied and designed to satisfy all tastes.
The Walt Disney Family Museum Coffee
In this museum café you can have some refreshing drinks, or if you prefer, you can drink coffee or hot chocolate. Inside the café you can try tasty desserts and snacks for after your visit to the museum.
One of the best things is that they offer different snacks to take away. Juices and other refreshing drinks as well as bottled water are some of the things you will of course see in the museum. This café is open between 11:00 and 15:00 every day the museum is open.
Boulevard Restaurant
About 20 minutes from the museum you can find a great option for a delicious menu. Boulevard Restaurant offers a wide range of starters, including beef tartare, or you can also opt for tuna carpaccio.
It's a good place for lunch, offering everything from artichoke ravioli to soft-shell crab. If you want a more hearty lunch dish, you can opt for pork chop, rack of lamb or fillet of beef.
After a hearty lunch, you'll definitely want a dessert and there are some great options to try here too, especially the turquoise afogato.
The Commissary
This restaurant is very close to the museum, in fact it is almost at the exit, and it is a good place to eat after a long look at Walt Disney's life. The menu is based on food for all tastes. You can find vegan and vegetarian food at The Commissary.
Also, if you want to eat a dish that includes meat, you can order it. You can choose between fish, meat or lamb dishes. After lunch I recommend you to try some of their delicious desserts, because you will love them for sure.