de Young Museum & Legion of Honor: Golden Gate Park Art Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.19 (105 reviews) 57% rated it 5 stars

Instant confirmationTravelers' pick

1/9

Duration2h–4h

Mobile ticketAccepted

Two world-class museums, one ticket, one afternoon in Golden Gate Park

You get admission to the de Young Museum's permanent galleries plus access to the Hamon Observation Tower with views across the Bay, an optional audio tour, and same-day entry to the Legion of Honor. The ticket is self-paced, so you move through the galleries on your own schedule and decide whether to add the Special Exhibitions upgrade. Wheelchairs are available to borrow, and the entire museum is accessible.

2h–4h

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit de Young and Legion of Honor Museums

Explore de Young Museum collections
Visit Hamon Observation Tower views
Relax at de Young Café
Shop at museum stores
Take audio tour or see Special Exhibitions
Visit Legion of Honor Museum

The Experience

There's something about walking into a room full of paintings you've only seen in books — a small jolt of recognition mixed with the sudden awareness that you're standing in front of the real thing. That's what the de Young Museum does, and it happens the moment you step past the entrance into galleries holding centuries of art from the Americas, Africa and Oceania. The permanent collection moves through American paintings and sculpture from the 17th century onward, then shifts into pottery, woodcarvings and decorative objects that stop you mid-stride. You move at your own pace, which means you can spend twenty minutes in front of a single piece or walk through three galleries in an hour — it's entirely up to you.

The Hamon Observation Tower is 144 feet tall and sits at the top of the building, so the climb is real but short. Once you're up there, the view opens across San Francisco to the Marin Headlands and the Golden Gate Bridge, and you understand why people come back to this museum again and again. The de Young Café is tucked into the sculpture garden if you need to sit down with coffee or lunch, and the museum shop has the kind of books and objects that actually make sense as souvenirs — not the stuff you forget about, but things you use. If you want more depth, the audio tour works for both adults and kids and pulls you deeper into what you're looking at. You can also upgrade to access the Special Exhibitions, which have rotated through Picasso, Van Gogh, Jean Paul Gaultier costumes and artifacts from King Tut's tomb.

The same ticket gets you into the Legion of Honor on the same day, which is a separate museum across the city but included at no extra cost. That's the part that makes this ticket unusual — most places charge separately for each. You don't have to visit both in one day, but the option is there if you want it.

What’s included

Your ticket includes general admission to the de Young Museum with access to the permanent galleries of American, African and Oceanian art, plus the Hamon Observation Tower.
You also get same-day admission to the Legion of Honor at no extra charge.
The de Young Café is open for refreshments, and the museum shop is available for browsing.
Optional upgrades include the audio tour and access to Special Exhibitions.
Wheelchairs are available to borrow, and the entire museum is wheelchair accessible.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Corporation of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco

Is this one for you?This ticket works well if you want to see two major San Francisco art museums without buying separate tickets or planning two separate trips — the same-day access to both means you can visit one or both depending on how much time you have, and the self-paced format lets you spend as long as you want in front of whatever catches your eye.