Perched on a rocky hill above the Castro, the Randall Museum is San Francisco’s beloved free museum of science, nature and the arts. Inside, kids can meet live California animals – ravens, snakes, bees in a see-through hive – run model trains with the weekend railroad club, shake through an earthquake exhibit and create in drop-in art and ceramics studios.
Run by the city’s Recreation and Parks Department since 1951, it keeps the spirit of founder Josephine Randall: city kids deserve real nature, up close. The hilltop views are a bonus, the Saturday programs are legendary, and the price – free – makes it a family habit worth forming.
