SF is always the place to be so it goes without saying that there are plenty of immersive experiences in San Francisco. Whether you want to sip and paint, surround yourself with giant bubbles, enter a strange and wonderful immersive art experience or play a juror — it’s all here! Dive into exhibitions and events that will blow your mind and inspire you.
1. Verse Immersive
Verse Immersive is a groundbreaking augmented reality art gallery that merges futuristic technology with digital creativity, offering an interactive experience centered on NFT (non-fungible token) art. The exhibition, titled ‘Verse: Art of the Future’, invites guests to explore holographic works by top-selling NFT artists—including those from the Bored Ape Yacht Club—through advanced mixed reality headsets like the Microsoft HoloLens 2. Each visitor experiences personalized augmented reality overlays in a shared space, likened to a ‘silent disco for holograms’, where digital art appears to exist physically within the immersive experiences.
2. Museum of 3D
Step into a world of visual trickery at San Francisco’s Museum of 3D Illusions on Pier 39, where over 40 hand-painted scenes let you surf with sharks, hang off skyscrapers, or fly beside the Golden Gate Bridge. Perfect for all ages, this interactive museum turns visitors into part of the art—ideal for snapping unforgettable, eye-popping photos. Don’t miss the “Smash It!” room, where guests 12 and up can blow off steam by smashing plates. It’s a fast, fun, and wildly imaginative way to experience the city.
3. The Jury Experience
Step into the role of a juror at The Jury Experience, a gripping immersive show at San Francisco’s historic Brava Theater. In this 60-minute courtroom drama, you’ll examine evidence, hear testimonies, and cast your vote in a case involving a self-driving car accident. Blending live theater with real-world ethical dilemmas, this interactive experience challenges your judgment and puts you at the center of the verdict.
4. The Gregangalo Museum
This mind-bending, immersive art adventure is tucked inside the wildly imaginative home of artist Gregangelo Herrera. Guests journey through over 30 surreal, themed rooms and hidden passageways—each exploding with color, mosaic art, and whimsical decor inspired by mythology, fantasy, and dreams. With interactive elements like riddles, storytelling, and surprise performances, the experience feels more like stepping into a living, breathing storybook than a museum.
5. Neon Brush
Neon Brush is a playful, paint-splattered adventure where creativity meets glow-in-the-dark fun! In this lively 90-minute experience, you’ll grab a brush, dip into fluorescent paints, and let your imagination run wild under UV lights—all while jamming to great music and sipping your favorite drink. Whether you’re a seasoned artist or just in it for the laughs, you’ll leave with a glowing masterpiece and plenty of colorful memories. It’s messy, magical, and made for anyone who loves to get a little artsy (and a little silly).
6. The Wave Organ
Perch yourself on edge of the bay and let the ocean take the stage at one of the city’s best immersive experiences. This acoustic sound sculpture, brought to you by The Exploratorium, is activated by waves crashing over its 25 organ pipes. As the tides change so do the subtle harmonies, making you feel like you’re tuning into nature. The wild invention constructed from leftover marble and granite of a bulldozed cemetery may just be the best free show in the Bay.
7. Envelop
Located inside The Midway music and arts venue, Envelop occupies an internal room outfitted with 32 speakers that are positioned to create an immersive audio experience that allows audiences to “be within the music.” Events range from sound baths and ocean soundscapes to intimate listening events for popular albums like Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon or Frank Ocean’s Blond. It’s an incredible way to experience your favorite album. The space has yoga class energy with a no-shoe rule and comfy seating on the floor.
8. Balloon Museum
The Balloon Museum’s “EmotionAir” exhibition in San Francisco is a wildly fun, immersive art experience that turns inflatable sculptures and vibrant light into a playground for your senses. This bold, interactive show features massive, touchable installations by 22 international artists—all designed to explore emotions through air, color, and movement. From glowing rooms to surreal shapes you can actually play with, each space invites wonder, joy, and awe. Perfect for all ages, “EmotionAir” is one of the funnest immersive experiences in San Francisco.
9. Osher Rainforest and Morrison Planetarium at the CA Academy of Sciences
This four-story indoor rainforest is one of the most famous exhibits at the Academy. Guests step inside a lush 90-foot-diameter glass dome filled with 1,600+ live plants and animals including 250+ free-flying birds and butterflies. You can come face-to-face with two blue-and-yellow macaws, poison-dart frogs, sun beetles, leafcutter ants, brilliant blue morpho butterflies and more exciting species.
While there you’ll also want to visit Morrison Planetarium, which is one of the largest all-digital domes in the world, giving guests an unparalleled perspective at the depths of our universe. Many of the jaw-dropping shows on view are created right here in San Francisco, by the Academy’s own in-house visualization studio which uses cutting-edge data and technology to transport you to the furthest reaches of the cosmos.