




Escape to reality on Thursday nights at the Exploratorium After Dark. Get a little weird at Pier 15 for evenings worth talking about: explore science, art, and culture, then play like no one's watching with more than 650 hands-on exhibits spread across six indoor and outdoor galleries. Disappear into artist Fujiko Nakaya's living cloud on Fog Bridge #72494, or head into Gallery 2: Prototyping, where the museum's own exhibit builders test their newest ideas and invite you to get hands-on with the prototypes yourself. Journey through total darkness in the twisting, turning, world-famous Tactile Dome. Talk to strangers at trivia nights and dance parties, or get pulled into surprising experiments, performances, demos, and talks. Grab a drink at the full bar, try something new, and go home different. Adults-only (18+), no kids allowed. The Exploratorium is located at Pier 15 on San Francisco's Embarcadero, just minutes from the Embarcadero BART Station, Pier 39, and the Ferry Building.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 31.
Expand your mind by exploring the hundreds of interactive machines, contraptions and artworks at San Francisco’s Exploratorium, a quick 10-minute walk from the Ferry Building and a 15-minute walk from Fisherman’s Wharf. Head down on any Thursday at 6pm for the wildly popular After Dark event, when the museum stays open until 10pm for a full evening of adults indulging their curiosity about science and art. Each night revolves around a different theme. The Exploratorium is an intellectual playground for adults — part art gallery, part museum, part laboratory with a dash of party thrown in the mix.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Excurgo comparison of 964 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
SKIP THE LINE: Exploratorium After Dark Thursdays (18+) Admission lasts about 2–4 hours. The itinerary has 1 stop.
Prices start at $23 per person for this San Francisco experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs on Thursdays, starting at 6:00 PM.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
The experience is available in AR, DE, ZH-TW, PT, KO, JA, FIL, EN, ZH-CN, IT, FR, ES.
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 15 participants.
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Wheelchair accessible All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible Wheelchair accessible. A limited number of wheelchairs are available for loan, free of charge, at the Info Desk on a first-come first-serve basis
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Travellers rate it 4.6 out of 5 across 54 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by The Exploratorium.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
SKIP THE LINE: Exploratorium After Dark Thursdays (18+) Admission | 2–4 hours | 4.6 (54) | $23 | |
SKIP THE LINE: Exploratorium Daytime Admission | 3–5 hours | 4.6 (180) | $40 | View |
Muir Woods and Sausalito Tour (Return by Bus or Ferry) | 5–8 hours | 4.4 (5,284) | $80 | View |
Napa and Sonoma Wine Country Full-Day Tour from San Francisco | 8–9 hours | 4.3 (4,631) | $157 | View |
Small Group Yosemite and Giant Sequoias Day Trip from San Francisco | 14 hours | 4.9 (4,232) | $239 | View |
San Francisco Super Saver: Muir Woods & Wine Country w/ optional Gourmet Lunch | 11 hours | 4.6 (3,437) | $199 | View |
San Francisco Love Tour | 2 hours | 4.9 (3,197) | $99 | View |