San Francisco, CA - Mayor London N. Breed today announced the San Francisco Museums for All program, which will provide free admission throughout the summer to more than 15 museums and cultural institutions for residents who receive public benefits including Medi-Cal and CalFresh.
The program, which will run from June 1st through September 2nd, 2019, builds on Mayor Breed’s commitment to provide equitable access to the City’s resources and institutions. Nearly one in four San Franciscans receive these benefits and can visit museums free of charge through this program.
“All San Franciscans, regardless of their income, should have access to the art and culture institutions that San Francisco has to offer,” said Mayor Breed. “This partnership will ensure that no one is priced-out, and help provide opportunities for our children to remain engaged even when school is out for the summer.”
Admission fees at many institutions can range from $20 to $150 for a family of four to visit, which often creates a barrier for people to access the cultural and educational benefits that these institutions offer. To address this challenge, Mayor Breed worked with City departments, arts nonprofits and organizations, and leaders of local museums and cultural centers – including SFMOMA, the de Young Museum, and California Academy of Sciences – to ensure free summer admission for more than 210,000 San Francisco residents that are eligible to participate in the program.
The program was created in collaboration with Treasurer José Cisneros’s Financial Justice Project, which works to ensure that lower-income residents receive discounts on fines and fees that place a disproportionate burden on low-income families, and to streamline eligibility processes for these discounts.
“No San Franciscan should be excluded from our amazing museums and cultural institutions because of the size of their wallet,” said Treasurer José Cisneros. “We all benefit when all San Franciscans, regardless of income, can participate in the cultural life of our city.”
“It’s wonderful to see the City’s museums come together to make it clear that their doors are open to everyone,” said Director of Grants for the Arts Matthew Goudeau.
San Francisco residents who currently receive public benefits from the Human Services Agency (HSA) can receive free admission at participating museums for up to four individuals when they present their Electronic Benefits Card (EBT) or Medi-Cal card and proof of San Francisco residency.
“Research tells us that exposure to the arts increases health and educational outcomes for all people,” says San Francisco Arts Commission Director of Cultural Affairs Tom DeCaigny. “We hope this program will have a lasting positive effect on the community and foster more participation in the arts across the City.”
HSA will conduct outreach to City residents who receive public benefits, and promote participation among community organizations that serve qualifying households, including children, and older adults, and people with disabilities.
“All San Franciscans should be able to enjoy the same access to rich cultural and artistic life experiences regardless of their income level,” said Trent Rhorer, Executive Director of the San Francisco Human Service Agency. “We’re coming together to invite all households who receive public benefits to visit our world-class museums this summer so they too can experience the cultural abundance of our City.”
The participating cultural institutions are:
- Asian Art Museum
- Botanical Garden
- Cartoon Museum
- Conservatory of Flowers
- Contemporary Jewish Museum
- de Young Museum
- Japanese Tea Garden
- Legion of Honor
- Museum of the African Diaspora
- Museum of Craft and Design
- Presidio Trust
- Randall Museum
- San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SF MoMA)
- Walt Disney Museum
- Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
San Francisco Museums for All builds on the national Museums for All initiative, which works with museums across the country to offer free or discounted admission fees to individuals and families that receive public benefits. The initiative, which several San Francisco museums participate in, has broadened visitor bases and expanded access to museums, engaged underserved communities, and raised public awareness.
To participate, eligible families need to bring to participating museums:
- An Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) or Medi-Cal card
- Proof of San Francisco residency such as a driver’s license, student or college ID card, or library card
More information can be found at sfmuseumsforall.org, or by calling 3-1-1 or emailing sfmuseumsforall@sfgov.org.