Contemporary Jewish Museum
736 Mission St., San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94103
The Contemporary Jewish Museum (CJM) aims to capture the depth and breadth of present-day Jewish culture and experience. There’s a permanent collection by Jewish artists, but special exhibitions and educational programs change frequently and are designed to spark discussion about the arts today.
The Basics
Admission price includes all public exhibitions, art classes, and programs, such as an all-ages drop-in drawing class in the Blue Cube educational space. Spend the morning exploring the exhibits or dive into a discussion on one of the many docent-led tours and interactive programs in the museum's event space. Tours, available on a first-come, first-served basis, run three times a day (except Wednesdays) and range from an overview of current exhibitions to an in-depth look at the architectural elements of the Daniel Libeskind-designed building.
For lunch, hungry visitors can savor Jewish deli at the in-house restaurant, Wise Sons Deli. Museum tickets aren’t required to visit the deli or the museum store.
Discounted admission is included in two of San Francisco's popular visitor passes, which allow the passholder reduced entrance fees to a variety of local attractions.
Things to Know Before You Go
Because the educational programs and special exhibitions change frequently, review their program list in advance to determine the best day and time to visit.
The museum and store are wheelchair accessible; accessible parking is available at the Jessie Square garage.
The CJM offers free admission every first Tuesday of the month.
Families will enjoy the extensive program designed for visitors of all ages.
How to get There
Many Muni lines serving Mission Street and the nearby Yerba Buena Gardens, hotels, and businesses provide public transportation to the museum. The 8, 30, and 45 buses, and J, K, L, M, N, and T street cars all have stops nearby. Public parking is available at Jessie Square and Fifth and Mission/Yerba Buena garages.
When to Get There
The museum is busiest on the first Tuesday of the month, weekends, and Christmas Day. It is closed for New Year's Day, the first day of Passover, Independence Day, the first day of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Thanksgiving.
Daniel Libeskind Architecture
World-renowned architect Daniel Libeskind has projects in every corner of the globe, including the reconstructed World Trade Center in New York (two blocks from his design studio) and the Centre Pompidou in Paris. At the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco, Libeskind melds old and new forms with Jewish symbolism. Learn more about Libeskind and the building on the daily architecture tour.
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