San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
San Francisco · United States · Founded 1935
Good for: Art Lovers · Photographers · First-timers
1935
Founded
33,000+
Works of Art
2–3 hours
Recommended Visit
Quick answer
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco, United States — founded in 1935, SFMOMA was the first museum on the West Coast dedicated to modern art. Open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 10 AM – 5 PM; Friday: 10 AM – 9 PM; Saturday–Sunday: 10 AM – 5 PM (closed Wednesdays). Admission: ✓ US$30 standard adult admission; free for visitors 18 and under. World Museum Guide covers the highlights, getting there, and how long to allow (2–3 hours).
Verified 2026-06-30 against official sources.
About San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
Founded in 1935, SFMOMA was the first museum on the West Coast dedicated to modern art. Its 2016 expansion — designed by Snøhetta — nearly tripled its size to 170,000 square feet of gallery space.
The museum holds one of the world's great photography collections, alongside major holdings in Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, and contemporary work by Bay Area artists.
The Doris and Donald Fisher Collection — on long-term loan — adds extraordinary depth in twentieth-century art, including works by Calder, Lichtenstein, Warhol, and Richter.
The building's white rippled facade on Third Street has transformed San Francisco's SoMa district into a major cultural destination.
2–3 hours highlights route
A focused route through 4 must-see highlights at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art without museum fatigue. · 2–3 hours
- 1
Rainy Season in the Tropics
📍 Floor 2, American Art
Church's luminous double rainbow over a tropical landscape — a masterpiece of the Hudson River School and one of the finest American landscape paintings in any museum.
- 2
Untitled (Blue, Green, and Brown)
📍 Floor 4, Abstract Expressionism
A classic colour-field painting from Rothko's mature period — stacked rectangles of blue, green, and brown that invite contemplative viewing.
- 3
The Flower Carrier
📍 Floor 3, Mexican Modernism
A characteristic Rivera mural-style painting of a peasant carrying an enormous basket of flowers — a gift from the artist to the museum's founding director.
- 4
Photography Collection
📍 Floor 3, Pritzker Center for Photography
One of the world's finest photography collections — 17,000 works including Adams's Moonrise, Hernandez and Lange's Migrant Mother.
Masterworks & must-see highlights
The works that define San Francisco Museum of Modern Art — and why they matter.
Rainy Season in the Tropics
Frederic Edwin Church · 1866
📍 Floor 2, American Art
Church's luminous double rainbow over a tropical landscape — a masterpiece of the Hudson River School and one of the finest American landscape paintings in any museum.
Untitled (Blue, Green, and Brown)
Mark Rothko · 1952
📍 Floor 4, Abstract Expressionism
A classic colour-field painting from Rothko's mature period — stacked rectangles of blue, green, and brown that invite contemplative viewing.
The Flower Carrier
Diego Rivera · 1935
📍 Floor 3, Mexican Modernism
A characteristic Rivera mural-style painting of a peasant carrying an enormous basket of flowers — a gift from the artist to the museum's founding director.
Photography Collection
Ansel Adams, Dorothea Lange · 20th century
📍 Floor 3, Pritzker Center for Photography
One of the world's finest photography collections — 17,000 works including Adams's Moonrise, Hernandez and Lange's Migrant Mother.
Collections & highlights
- • Abstract Expressionism — Rothko, Pollock, de Kooning
- • Pop Art — Warhol, Lichtenstein, Ruscha
- • Photography — Adams, Lange, Arbus
- • Bay Area Figurative and Funk Art
- • Doris and Donald Fisher Collection
- • Contemporary art and new media
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free day?
The permanent collection is free to the public on the first Thursday of each month. Regular ticketed admission applies on other days.
How long does a visit take?
The museum is large — a focused highlights visit takes 2–3 hours; a thorough visit can fill a full day.
How long should I spend at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art?
Plan 2–3 hours for the highlights. Add time for temporary exhibitions, the museum shop, and café.
What is San Francisco Museum of Modern Art best known for?
Founded in 1935, SFMOMA was the first museum on the West Coast dedicated to modern art. Its 2016 expansion — designed by Snøhetta — nearly tripled its size to 170,000 square feet of gallery space, making it one of the largest modern art museums in the United States. Key highlights include Mark Rothko room — a landmark collection of large-format works, Pritzker Center for Photography — world-class photography galleries, Sculpture garden on the third-floor rooftop terrace.
How do I get tickets for San Francisco Museum of Modern Art?
✓ US$30 standard adult admission; free for visitors 18 and under Tickets are usually available on the day, but booking online saves queue time in peak season. Official site: https://www.sfmoma.org/
What is the Fisher Collection?
A long-term loan of over 1,100 works from Doris and Donald Fisher, founders of Gap Inc. — one of the greatest private collections of twentieth-century art.
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