Free Summer Attractions

Asian Art Museum

200 Larkin (at Fulton), S.F., 581-3500, www.asianart.org.

Free on the first Tuesday of the month (children 12 and under always free); 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

California Academy of Sciences

875 Howard (between Fourth and Fifth Sts.), S.F., 321-8000, www.calacademy.org.

Free on the first Wednesday of the month (children 3 and under always free); 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Legion of Honor

100 34th Ave. (at Clement), S.F., 863-3330, www.thinker.org.

Free every Tuesday (children 11 and under always free); 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Exploratorium

3601 Lyon (at Marina), S.F., 561-0360, www.exploratorium.edu.

Free on the first Wednesday of the month (children 3 and under always free); 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Golden Gate Bridge U.S. Hwy. 101, S.F., 921-5858, www.goldengatebridge.org.

Free to pedestrians.

Golden Gate Park Historical Walking Tours

Friends of Recreation and Parks

263-0991, www.frp.org.

Free walking tours of Golden Gate Park, including several toddler-friendly options and "jungle tours" of the Conservatory of Flowers.

Museum of Craft & Folk Art

Fort Mason, Building A (Buchanan & Marina), S.F., 775-0991, www.mocfa.org.

Free on the first Wednesday of the month; 11 p.m. to 7 p.m. (MOCFA will be moving downtown at the end of the year.)

Oakland Museum

1000 Oak (at 10th St.), Oakland, (510) 238-2200, www.museumca.org.

Free on the second Sunday of the month (children 5 and under always free); noon to 5 p.m.

San Francisco Cable Car Museum

1201 Mason (at Washington), S.F., 474-1887, www.cablecarmuseum.com.

Admission is always free; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

San Francisco City Guides

c/o SF Main Library

100 Larkin (at Ninth St.), S.F., 557-4266, www.sfcityguides.org.

Free walking tours every day of the week, focusing on subjects ranging from neighborhoods and popular landmarks to themes from the creepy ("Ghost Walks") to the saucy ("Bawdy & Naughty").

San Francisco Fire Department Museum

655 Presidio (at Pine), S.F., 558-3546, www.sffiremuseum.org.

Admission is always free; open Thursday to Sunday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

San Francisco Maritime Museum

Polk (at Beach), S.F., 561-6662, www.maritime.org.

Admission to the museum building is free; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

151 Third St. (at Mission), S.F., 357-4000, www.sfmoma.org.

Free on the first Tuesday of the month (children 12 and under always free); 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

San Francisco Zoo

1 Zoo (at Skyline), S.F., 753-7080, www.sfzoo.org.

Free on the first Wednesday of the month (children 2 and under always free); 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker

914 Heinz (at Eighth St.), Berkeley, (510) 843-6000, www.scharffenberger.com.

Free factory tours daily; reservations suggested.

Strybing Arboretum and Botanical Gardens

Golden Gate Park, Ninth Ave. (at Lincoln), S.F., 661-1316.

Free admission and guided tours; Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

University of California, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive

2626 Bancroft (at College), Berkeley, (510) 642-0808, www.bampfa.berkeley.edu.

Museum (but not archive) free on the first Thursday of each month (UC Berkeley faculty, staff, and students, and children 12 and under always free); 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

701 Mission (at Third St.), S.F., 978-2787, www.yerbabuenaarts.org.

Free on the first Tuesday of each month; 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.