Walt Disney® Family Museum

It is impossible to understand today’s animated movies without looking at the groundbreaking work of Walt Disney Studios®. The museum deconstructs Disney’s foundational efforts to create both appealing characters, such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and the processes that bring them to life. Interactive galleries with listening stations reveal important moments in Disney’s life, including producing feature-length films in Hollywood. The work of pivotal Disney® animators, such as Glen Keane, and art directors, such as Mary Blair, is also discussed. Disney® fans can explore* Fantasia* in galleries dedicated to its portrayal of the natural world in a realistic way or take a look at Disney’s work on Disneyland® and EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow).

Tours of the area, such as adventure van or bike excursions, stop at the Disney® Family Museum but don’t include admission.

• Fans of anime, cartoons, and 20th-century animation learn about the origins of this field of visual arts.

• Children can explore the various media that are Disney’s legacy. Disney’s characters are explored here through the creative process, not through feature-length films.

• Each gallery offers listening stations and the chance to view extensive video and digital film shorts created by Disney, which is half the fun but time-consuming.

• The on-site museum cafe offers light bites and seasonal fare.

San Francisco Muni bus lines 30, 70, and 101’s closest stops are Richardson and Francisco avenues at the Presidio’s eastern end. Visitors can take a 15-minute walk or wait for the PresidiGo shuttle, which stops directly in front of the museum as well as throughout downtown San Francisco.

The museum is open 10am–6pm, Wednesday–Monday and closed Tuesdays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. In honor of Disney’s birthday, the museum offers free admission December 5, and all active and retired military veterans and their families are always admitted free of charge.

Diane Disney Miller, Walt's daughter and a dedicated philanthropist, was the driving force behind the creation of both the Walt Disney® Family Museum in San Francisco and the Walt Disney® Concert Hall in Los Angeles. Her legacy includes founding the Silverado Winery with her husband Ron Miller.

Plan to spend about 2–3 hours visiting the Walt Disney Family Museum, and longer if you want to see any special exhibits or visit the gift shop. The museum is in the Presidio of San Francisco, which isn’t centrally located, so also plan for extra time to get there and back.

The best day to visit the Walt Disney Family Museum depends on what you're looking for. If you want to visit with fewer crowds, try during the middle of the week on Thursdays. On weekends, the museum organizes Spotlight Talks, short talks by museum staff examining Walt Disney's life and legacy.

Yes, the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco is accessible. Wheelchairs are available free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis. Other accessible accommodations include a downloadable phone app with an American Sign Language video tour and noise-canceling headphones for people who have auditory and sensory processing sensitivities.

No, you can't bring food into the Walt Disney Family Museum. According to the museum's official visitor policy, food and drinks aren’t permitted inside (except for bottled water). Visitors hankering for snacks can visit the museum cafe until 3pm on days the museum is open.

The Walt Disney Family Museum has exhibits presenting a journey through the life and legacy of Walt Disney. In the galleries, you can see early animation drawings, movie snippets, awards, and a 12-foot-long (3.65-meter-long) model of Disneyland. Plus, a Fantasia-inspired theater on the lower level screens Disney films daily.

Yes, you should book admission tickets to the Walt Disney Family Museum in advance. The museum encourages all guests to reserve tickets before visiting, as limited timed-entry admission tickets are available each day. Reserving these tickets allows you entry to the main museum galleries for the date and time selected.