the glbt historical society museum
About the Museum
The GLBT Historical Society Museum, located in the heart of San Francisco’s Castro District, is the first stand-alone museum of LGBTQ history and culture in the United States. It celebrates San Francisco’s vast queer past through dynamic and surprising exhibitions and programming.
Open since January 2011, the museum showcases the sheer depth and breadth of the GLBT Historical Society’s archives, demonstrates the importance of queer history to the public, and mounts wide-ranging exhibitions with an emphasis on diversity and social justice.
In addition to our long-term exhibition “Queer Past Becomes Present,” we host a variety of temporary shows. Click here for exhibition information.
General Information
Admission
General admission: $10
Members: Free, + 1 to 3 guests per membership level.
Discounted admission: $6
Available to youth (ages 13–17), seniors (age 65 and over), students and teachers (with ID), active-duty military service members (with ID) and people with disabilities.
Children (age 12 and under): Free
Groups (10 or more people): Please click here.
Discounted tickets are available for large groups booked at least 2 weeks in advance.
Further discounts are available; please see below.
hours
Tuesday–Sunday: 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
Monday: Closed
Upcoming Special Hours
Thurs., November 28: Closed
Fri., November 29: Closed
Location
GLBT Historical Society Museum
4127 18th Street
San Francisco, CA 94114
(415) 777-5455
Museum Free Days
The museum is free to all visitors on the following days. Free tickets are not available for reservation online on free days; all visitors will be welcomed to the museum as long as there is capacity on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have any questions regarding an upcoming free day, contact us at tickets@glbthistory.org.
The first Wednesday of every month, sponsored by the Bob Ross Foundation.
To explore sponsorship opportunities, including options for sponsoring a day at the museum, visit our corporate engagement page here.
Discounted Admission Programs
Discounted admission: $6
Available to youth (ages 13–17), seniors (age 65 and over), students and teachers (with ID), active-duty military service members (with ID) and people with disabilities.
Groups (10 or more people): Please click here.
Discounted tickets are available for large groups booked at least 2 weeks in advance.
Children (age 12 and under): Free
NARM cardholders: Free + 1 guest
North American Reciprocal Museum (NARM) cardholders may present their NARM card and valid ID to receive free admission. To reserve advance tickets, contact tickets@glbthistory.org.
ROAM cardholders: Free + 1 guest
Reciprocal Organization of Associated Museums (ROAM) cardholders may present their ROAM card and valid ID to receive free admission. To reserve advance tickets, contact tickets@glbthistory.org.
SNAP EBT and Medi-Cal cardholders: Free + 3 guests
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) cardholders receive free admission through Museums for All. Cardholders may present their card and valid ID to receive free admission. To reserve advance tickets, contact tickets@glbthistory.org.
The GLBT Historical Society Museum is a participating institution in the North American Reciprocal Museum (NARM) Association, the Reciprocal Organization of Associated Museums (ROAM), and in Museums for All for those receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.
Visitor Guidelines
If you have reserved tickets online, please arrive for your visit reservation within ten minutes of the scheduled time.
Please click here for information regarding the safety measures and policies we have implemented to protect you during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Masks are required at all times in the museum, and we have implemented social-distancing and cleaning procedures.
If you cannot make it to your visit or are not feeling well the day of your reservation, please stay home and take care. To request a ticket refund or reschedule your visit for an alternative date at no charge, please contact tickets@glbthistory.org.
Audioguide
The museum offers a 35-minute audioguide to the long-term exhibition “Queer Past Becomes Present” through the CloudGuide app, available for $1.99. You can purchase the audioguide directly through the app or purchase a voucher for the guide at the museum along with your tickets. Enter the voucher code in the app to access the tour, put your headphones in, and enjoy. As part of our accessibility efforts, the audioguide is free for blind, low-vision and visually impaired visitors. Please inquire at the museum front desk. Scan the QR code at left to download the CloudGuide app.
The museum shop at the GLBT Historical Society museum; photo by Dave Earl.
Museum Shop
Books. Mugs. Pins. Shirts. Postcards. And more! A piece of queer-related history is always a perfect gift for yourself or your loved ones. We also have an online shop offering our fabulous queer history-themed products.
The entrance to the Main Gallery of the GLBT Historical Society Museum; photo by Dave Earl.
EXHIBITIONS
The museum contains two gallery spaces for exhibitions. Our powerful Main Gallery exhibition, “Queer Past Becomes Present,” and the Front Gallery dedicated to rotating exhibitions on a range of themes.
FAQs
How do I get to the museum?
The museum is located a half-block west of the intersection of Castro and 18th Streets in San Francisco’s Castro District.
By BART: BART does not go directly to the Castro district, so you will have to transfer to the Muni Metro to complete your journey. Take any San Francisco-bound train and switch to the Muni Metro at one of the downtown San Francisco stations (Embarcadero, Montgomery, Powell or Civic Center).
By Muni: Via the Muni Metro underground, take lines K, L, M or S to Castro station, then walk one block south to 18th Street. Via other Muni lines, streetcar F-Market and buses 24-Divisadero, 33-Ashbury/18th Street, 35-Eureka and 37-Corbett all stop within a block and a half of the museum.
By car: Metered street parking is available, but may be difficult to find.
I’m unvaccinated; can I still visit the museum?
Yes. As of June 1, 2023 visitors to the museum and archives reading room are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated, but proof of vaccination is no longer required. Please see our COVID-19 page for information.
Can I purchase a ticket at the museum?
Tickets are available for purchase onsite, and walk-ins are welcome when the museum is below capacity. We encourage visitors to purchase tickets online prior to arrival. Tickets are timed at 30-minute intervals to ensure proper social distancing within a limited space inside the museum.
If your group is 10 people or more, we strongly suggest reserving a group visit, which offers a discount over regular individual admission.
Can I drop in to the museum without an appointment?
We are usually able to accommodate walk-ins, as long when the museum is below its currently listed capacity.
What if I arrive too early or later than the time on my ticket?
If the museum is below capacity you will be able to enter the museum even if it is outside of your reservation window. You can also check online for the next available time slot or email tickets@glbthistory.org to reschedule your reservation or arrange for a full refund.
Why has my scheduled visit been cancelled and I am being asked to reschedule or get a refund?
Museum visits and ticket sales are currently constrained by museum-staffing availability and safety considerations during the COVID-19 pandemic. If we’re unable to open the museum on the day or time you had reserved, we will let you know as soon as we are able. We apologize in advance for the inconvenience. We are doing all we can to keep the museum open for visits while keeping everyone safe. Thank you for understanding.
Is it possible to schedule a group visit or docent-led tour?
Due to museum-staffing availability constraints and capacity limitations, docent-led group tours are not available at this time, but we are planning to make them available once more in the near future, along with virtual tours of the museum available online. We invite you to explore our online resources and collections.
If you are interested in scheduling an unguided group visit, we do offer discounted admission for groups of 10 or more. Please see this page for more information.
Can I rent the museum for a private event?
Private rentals of the museum are unavailable at this time, until further notice.
How can I get a free admission ticket to the museum with my SNAP EBT or NARM card?
These types of free tickets are available to reserve online with a special discount code. Please send an email to tickets@glbthistory.org to inquire about the code to reserve your free ticket.
You may also visit the museum and present your SNAP EBT, Medi-Cal, or NARM card to receive tickets on-site if the museum is below its current listed capacity.
Can I still sign up to volunteer during the COVID pandemic?
Yes! We maintain our museum with generous help from volunteers, and we have updated volunteer procedures to ensure your safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. You can still support the museum by signing on as a volunteer!
Is the museum family friendly?
Our museum contains a wide array of documents, photographs and artifacts. While the curation is designed primarily with an adult audience in mind, many of the objects on display can be easily explained to children. There is some sexually explicit video material in one corner of the museum, but it can be avoided as there is a dividing wall that cordons it off from the rest of the room. The volunteer at the museum’s front desk can help you identify and avoid that area, if needed.
Here are some ideas about objects that might interest young people:
The section about LGBTQ neighborhoods contains everyday objects such as keys and matchbooks associated with now-closed LGBTQ bars and establishments. These items can be explained as being important even though they are not intrinsically valuable, because they document safe spaces where LGBTQ people could socialize and gather when this was difficult to do. Children will be interested to learn that ordinary objects are meaningful.
There’s a kimono costume worn by a famous gay activist, politician and drag performer, José Sarria, in one corner. It is an example of how a man expressed himself and his identity through “dress-up.”
Banner photo: The exterior of the GLBT Historical Society Museum with live video wall overlay by John Raines; photo by Dave Earl.