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| Asian Art Museum |
This art museum is located near the Civic Center in the former San Francisco Main Library and takes around 35 minutes to get there from the Outer Sunset on the Judah (N) Streetcar. Admission is $10 for seniors. Hours are 10 to 5 except on Thursday when it is open until 9 and on Monday when it is closed. San Francisco Travel mentions a couple of apps for iPhone that will guide you through the museum's collections.
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| San Francisco Public Library |
When we visit the Asian Art Museum we can go across the street to the new Main Library which was built in the same Beaux Arts style as the old one but is twice as large. It opened in 1996 and I can't remember if I've been in it but I'm assuming it was open when I attended an ALA convention in San Francisco. And in case we're worried about the next big earthquake while we are there:
"Its innovative seismic design is engineered to provide resistance to earthquakes up to a magnitude of 8.3. The entire structure rests on 142 base isolators, made with rubber layers laminated between stainless steel and stiffened with an internal lead core to dampen vibrations. In the event of a shock, an 18-inch space around the circumference of the building allows the structure to move independently from the ground."
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| Whitechapel |
This bar, located a few blocks north of the Civic Center, specializes in GIN and offers loads of cocktails made with the stuff. Its food menu is limited but they do offer a cheese plate and a charcuterie board. We could go there for a snack and a taste of London. Unfortunately it doesn't open until 5 pm! What a waste of space during the day.
Running along the west coast of San Francisco, we can take the Judah streetcar from our AirBnB in the Outer Sunset and in 10 minutes it should drop us off a couple of blocks from the beach, or we could walk it in about 1/2 hour. Then we could amble up the coast 1.6 miles to the Cliff House and Sutro Baths and then hike up to Land's End to take a photo of the Golden Gate Bridge, unless there is some June Gloom hanging around. They say fog is common in May, June and July and I remember a lot rolling into Albany on August afternoons.
The AirBnB on 29th Avenue is located about 4 blocks south of Golden Gate Park and we can take the #7 bus that runs on Noriega Street to Lincoln Way and 9th Avenue, right next to the San Francisco Botanical Garden. We visited it the last time we were there but I'm always up for a garden, plus it's not overly expensive: $8 for adults and free if you belong to the American Horticultural Society or one of the 320 Botanical Gardens in their Reciprocal Admissions Program. On the other hand, the California Academy of Sciences is overly expensive: $30.95 for seniors and they don't belong to the reciprocal membership program of the Association of Science - Technology Centers. Neither does the Exploratorium ($24.95 for seniors and closed on Monday). Too bad San Francisco isn't like Washington DC or London with all their free museums. Do you remember all the bellowing alligators at Steinhart Aquarium? Looks like they only have one albino alligator now.
Located at Pier 39 near Fisherman's Wharf, the "Bay Ecotarium" costs $21.95 for seniors but is part of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums reciprocal program in case you belong to your local zoo. (The Pittsburgh Zoo is an outcast and doesn't belong but the National Aviary does and offers a 50% discount.) . Unfortunately the reviews say it is touristy and small and not worth the admission price. I enjoyed the Monterey Bay Aquarium many years ago for its emphasis on local sea life and was hoping for something similar here.
I remember visiting SFMOMA when it first opened but haven't been back since. This summer they have a special exhibition on the Surrealist René Magritte and that might be worth seeing. The price of general admission plus the René Magritte is $30 for seniors. If we were under 18 we'd be free... Or we could invest in the San Francisco CityPass for $89 which includes 1) a 3-Day Cable Car and Muni Bus Passport; 2) California Academy of Sciences; 3) Blue & Gold Fleet Bay Cruise Adventure; 4) Aquarium of the Bay; and 5) Exploratorium OR San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. But I'm not sure I want to be a tourist.
