Its a cute free/donations center with spectacular views of the city. We visited in the middle of the week when there werent any classes or demonstrations available so not much to do. I would recommend going on the weekends

Fun and interesting animal exhibit for all ages. Saw the employees pet and feed the local raccoon (name is Buddy) which was priceless. They also have a duck, chickens, crows, an owl, tarantula, turtles, and more. Great atmosphere and place to chill after hiking.

I went here as a child in 67 to 71. Im so glad its still here. It was a fabulous place to be up close with animals and experience science.

Free small museum, good for toddlers and younger once. Has a small indoor Animal area like crows, hen, mouse, raccoon, snake, fish etc. Has a miniature train park to see too. Has a place to buy some quick snack. Connected to a mini trail to walk in nature.

Great museum for all ages. Took our 2 yr old grandson. He loved the model trains, live animals, live magic show in the theater and legos. There is also a food court to buy or bring your own.

What a cool place!Lots of animal exhibits, a really big model train, geology, aquatic, and more!Was really curious about their in house wood shop and electronic shop.The views from the back and park are fantastic!

Great spot for kids who enjoy animals, trains and arts & crafts. Was really impressed with the classes/projects kids can take while visiting for a small fee. Also, the views are beautiful.

Took two 6yo and a 2yo today, I havent been there since the remodel - it looked great! Felt spacious and bright, the top level, anyways. There was something for everyone: the traditional basket weaving exhibit, the animals (backyard type, not too exotic), the building block structures to test with the earthquake simulator, but *especially* the train display. A whole room set up with miniature trains including a switch yard, a model town and a hilly rural area with tunnels and bridges. Absolute heaven for a Thomas-obsessed kindergartner!Theres now a café, but since were having a very un-San Franciscan heatwave we picnicked under the trees outside while admiring the cityscape.Suggested donation $1 per person, well worth it.

Amazing skyline view! Great train room for kids and grownups alike.

Absolutely love this place. Its such a hidden gem for kids. Children can learn about animals and trains here! What more could you ask for!? The view outside is also stunning.

Not just for kids! In the evenings they’ve got all sorts of adult classes. The wood shop ones are especially fun.

I visited on a weekday and got there before they opened and while exploring found they have a gate that leads out the back so you can hike to the top of the rocky hill with great views. Once inside the first thing is the animals which they have a good local variety of creatures. They even have a petting zooish exhibit where you can go inside the enclosure which I didnt even realize until I saw someone else go in. Downstairs they got some cool ocean stuff and a very impressive model train setup. Lastly I saw from our visit was the train themed play area with tracks to play with but it seemed you needed to bring your own train because there wasnt any.

What a great find (plus a great view of San Francisco). We were the only tourists when we visited. The kids loved exploring the various exhibits. The centre is certainly educational although we felt uncomfortable with the small enclosure for the racoon. But other than that, a refreshing change to the usual tourist attractions.

We had an amazing time at the Randall Museum. We couldnt believe it was free. The outdoor space is great, lots of people there with very small children including babies. Cool animal exhibits, great clean toddler play space, and the train exhibit downstairs was a huge hit with my 2 year old. The cafe is great too, but you can bring your own lunch or snacks too. Highly recommend.

New favorite spot! They have a indoor/outdoor bee hive and a snow owl. If your child likes trains, bring them. The view is amazing.

My 3 year old son says that this is his favorite museum in the whole world! I think it might be the combo of rescue animals and exhibits that include trains. It operates off of recommended $2/person donations and is a great little place (2 floors) to bring young kids for a couple of hours. They have additional specialclasses/workshops for older kids I believe that we havent tried. One thing weve particularly loved is coming near Halloween for their fun festive activities set up outside. Also, a great view of downtown from there.

Great spot for little kids. Its small enough to make it through in a couple of hours.This is worth coming to for the trains on Saturday morning alone.

It was a great experience for my 2 year old granddaughter. She enjoyed seeing the turtles, racoons, bunnies, and other animals. She loved all the moving trains.

I brought my kids here and they had a blast with all the animals. They even had a tarantula crawl up their arm cringe worthy but exciting. Best of all it is free and the views outside are breathtaking.

Got to see a lot of cool animals! for free! enjoyed it as a (sort of) adult. and great for kids as well.

As a nanny this a special place to hang out with my friends:)Toddlers need more activities and I love learning experience with them .We always have fun at the Randall museum .

What a little gem of a museum. It has a substantial amount of animals given that it is a small museum. We were delighted to meet Buddy, the 7 year old racoon, and that their main diet is meat and fruit. There was also rabbits, turtles, owl, snakes, lizards, and even a real bone from a apatosaurus! Exciting content for children and adults alike. There was a showcase of aboriginal weavings and several weaving activities for people to get hands-on. The outside terrace offers a quiet view of the city.

Good small museum. There are many rooms for kids to explore. The train room is a must for little ones. The outside is also beautiful. You can have a little hike up the hill and see a beautiful view of San Francisco. They have a little cafe inside also.

A wonderful venue for the San Francisco Amateur Astronomers Club monthly meeting!

After 40 years of going here, still great. They still have arts and crafts, nature and many exhibits about San Francisco past and present. Now all my children will have fond memories of going to the Jr Randall Museum.

Kids loved it, great views, easy to get to with public transportation

The garner Teresa, was so nice to us, she gave us the whole history of the park and museum. My children just loved the animals.

I think that this museum is a neighborhood gem. It is the nature of the museum to show the fauna of the area and some of the California history. The views from the museum are also very scenic. This is a great hands-on museum for children as well; I saw numerous parents delighting their children with all the interactive items for them. The adults as well as the children liked seeing the creatures. There is a small cafetería, and an outdoor seating area. I highly recommend this small, intimate museum.

Such a great place for kids of all ages. Toddler room, animals, trains galore, earthquakes, fish and what look like some awesome maker classes. Also a great cafe and view from the patio!

Really great free childrens museum! Theres an indoor petting farm, small aquarium with turtles, a mini desert area with tortoise, snakes, bunny and more.The outside area is awesome as well with a beautiful view. The museum is connected to Corona heights stairway to the top for an even more incredible view!And theres a parking lot!

Great free museum for kids! Animals upstairs and fun interactive exhibits downstairs. Wonderful views of downtown and a great outdoor space for kids to run amok. Just prepare to walk up/down some steep hills to get there.

Ive loved this place since I was a kid. They remodeled the upstairs and have the awesome train room open during the week now. This place is run on donations, and considering how expensive everything in SF is, the couple of hours entertainment you get from this museum for a donation is totally worth it. I always donate when we walk in, because this is the kind of place that needs to stay open so future generations can enjoy it.

The museum was cool BUT couldnt stand that tiny pen for the raccoon. Give the coon a bigger pen please!

This place has the best view (360 degrees) of the city

A hidden local gem The night classes are wonderful - all the teachers are great! Positive, friendly, funny, and knowledgeable. Also there are picnic tables on the lawn with great views of the city :)

The randall museum is such a fun place for all ages. U can explore the entire place under a hr or take your time and easily spend a few hours. Theres a variety of things to see and learn about. The bathroom facilities are stocked and clean. The staff is outgoing and attentive.

A rec and park museum for kids with live birds, turtles, bunny, duck, snake etc. An elaborate electric train display and small section with tracks for kids to play with their own trains. A beautiful view of the city outside the music with small shady play area.

People are very nice

Surprising and beautiful resource in an unexpected place. My boys loved the exhibits of live snakes, tarantulas, turtles, birds and lizards as much as the enormous, extensive model train exhibit in the basement. We really appreciated the open, modern layout and thoughtful exhibit construction. The way the animal exhibits were created (lots of glass, minimal structure, open on top) make the animals feel closer, more intimate, less caged. Fantastic community resource, highly recommended for any family.

Unfortunately it was closed during coronavirus ...still is as of June 20 2020

A free museum that serves the community! They offer classes as well (not free). And great views

Highly recommend.

The remodeled museum is a nice visit with your children or by yourself. There are a few small animals on exhibit as well as a chicken/duck/Guinea pig petting area. Theres an old school playground down the hill and a hiking trail behind the museum.

Fun museum, $2 donation recommended. Plenty to do for 30-45 minutes with a toddler. The views are tremendous and the model trains are pretty serious.

Beautiful trails and eucalyptus trees.

Great little museum for the kids. Best of all its free. Also provides some awesome views over SF.

Great little gem in the middle of SF. Lots for everyone to see and do no matter your age.

A wonderful childrens museum, situated on Corona Heights with fantastic views, the Randall offers a wide variety of activities for children and parents alike. From art activities to the animal room, the museum is a fantastic place to explore and spend a day. The museum also offers a marine exhibit, exhibits about the earth around the Bay Area, and the ever-popular train exhibit including the interactive model train room. Seasonal events also happen, like Bug Day and the exhibition of science projects from students in San Francisco.

Excellent little museum, cafe features stuff you actually want to eat (grilled cheese, fancy pasties, kid-sized hot chocolate), outdoor seating area leads directly out to some terrific trails and amazing views of the city. Be sure to go downstairs for all the train stuff. I cant actually believe this place is free.

The perfect place for young children aged 2 to 5.

Extremely well laid out for the kids. And great views from up there!

Cute and great for young kids. Fantastic views!

It’s really nice but I wish birds were free

Small but great museum located near the Corona Heights park with varied exhibits best suited for toddlers and young children. There is a small animal zoo, mini aquarium, model train set, and many hands-on activities. There is a cafr on site that serves lunch. Best of all, it is free to park and free admission. At Halloween, they have a nice party with extra crafts that are affordable.

Really good spot to take the kids

Amazing place! Really appreciate the person who cares for the animals... Our kids played for hours... Great little hike in back with an incredible view of the city and somehow it is free!

Nice lit museum with some live animals and workshops.

Small and friendly great for kids till about 7 years old

Great for kids. Lots of hands-on stations for the kids to play around with. The animal exhibits and train sets were a hit for our kids, 6 and 8 years old. We also signed up for a quick 1 hour art class, $5/person. It wasnt too bad, probably needed more time to complete the project.

Nice museum , but the dinosaurs came alive

The miniature train sets are amazing

Hard to get to... But worth the effort.Beautiful location, great animal exhibits. A great casual 2-hour outing for toddler, educational and entertaining for parents and grandparents.

Recently renovated. Theyve kept a lot of the favorites (live animals, shake tables, trains) and have incorporated new things as well. Looking forward to having the new cafe open (it has been closed each time we have been). The surrounding area is nice for a picnic and hike.

Really interesting City museum with lots of local information and a nice animal exhibit for local species that for one reason or another cant be re-released into the wild. Nice little cafe there and some scenic hiking too. Make an afternoon of it.

Great neighborhood hidden treasure for the littles

Very nice place to explore. Nice view, good exhibits, and nice shop to grab a bite to eat or a drink.

This is a super and new place . . . Refurbished with lots of creatures. It is good for a one hour visit but best for a class or week or summer day camp type deals. There is a fun park next to it with great hills & rocks to climb . . . Great views of THE City!

This place is free?! The pack a lot into a little space. It was a lot of fun for the 4 kids I brought ages 12, 11, 10, and 6

Fun activities for kids for Halloween events. Animal exhibits were also a treat. Great view of city and access to Corona Heights Park right next door.

Friendly staff and child friendly animals well kept

A great little museum with plenty of exhibits to grab kids attention and teach them about the world around them.

Great place for kids and all thats requested is a small donation when you enter.

A real gem of a museum and a truly special place, the Randall has recently emerged from a years-long remodel that has modernized most of the museum. The model train layout in the basement remains and is a highlight. The animal exhibits are small but nice (although the racoon seems overly confined) and educational. The Randall also offers a great variety of art and craft classes including clay, woodworking, and The Garage with laser cutting and other modern fabrication technologies.

In addition to the amazing exhibits the kid classes are absolutely fabulous, much better than I anticipated and so engaging for my little ones.

Hidden gem of SF. The place is pretty small overall, but they pack it in. Definitely worth a trip.

Free place with some fun activities for kids and nice hiking around. The animal room was the most fun.

Great place for kids of all ages. The trains were a hit.

Something fun for the little ones. Be sure to donate!

Fantastic. Children love it

Great view of the city, nice hike to the top of the hill and a great museum with something for everyone.

It has all the good things. We and my son enjoyes the animals park and the walk to the highest peak. Was wonderful. Highly recomend this place.

Best place in SF for young kids

The raccoon is enchanting. Thankful for the new cafe. Magical place above the city.

Beautiful hidden location in the city. Great views. Very nice child oriented museum.

Its a small museum with an assortment of wild animals, aquatic animals, trains and toddler playroom. There is an area where you can experiment with Legos and earthquakes. Theres also a theater that hosts some shows like Roald Dahls Matilda.The views from here are spectacular and there is a small coffee shop also.

A small & simple museum with hands on activities, live animals, and a bunch of craft centers. The facility is free to enter, but they do ask a $1 donation per person if your able to donate. There are Thomas wood trains for rent ($3) as well if your child wants to play in the train center. Children had a blast exploring the center. A petting zoo is available in the animal exhibit. If your family get hungry, there is also a rainforest themed restaurant located in the center. Need more to do? There us a trail leading to the mountain peak for a breathtaking view of the city, as well as a trail leading down to a small park & playground.

This museum is perfectly geared to preschool through kindergarteners. I wouldnt particularly recommend it to adults - its the kind of place thats great for what it is. There are even legos for kids to build something and see what happens to it in an earthquake.

Great place for kids to explore and grown-up, too. Plus it is free! Lots of different activities in a safe environment, right in the middle of San Francisco.

Good museum for young kids. No admission cost but there is a suggested donation of $1 per person. The new animal habits are well designed. Theres also a large model train exhibit downstairs.

Must visit place for animal loving children . Trains are a bonus ;-)

Lots of live animals. Cool bee hive. Fun toddler room. Nice cafe with local food. Plan for about an hour or two.

An awesome experience with the little one. The remodeling was well done.

Love the animal staff!!! The lady sitting in the front is rude guess shes new. Should not be coming into the kids play area making random statement about the clenliness of the room while kids are still playing. She should stay behind her desk answering questions minding her business

Love the children’s art class! They can make a mess and it’s not all over the house hahah

Lovely free museum with a clean and modern pay space for babies and toddlers as well as a small farm animal petting exhibit. The outdoor space is perfect for picnics and there is a playground down the hill.

The remodel was really impressive. Find a kid to take here for fascinating hour or two!

What a surprise! This science museum is FREE and has fascinating exhibits including many live animals! I especially loved watching the racoon and the sea anemones. You gotta go see it -- Its bigger than you expect, with three floors and even a mini-coffee shop!

For a free museum, this place is great. Id wait a few more weeks to attend, though, so they have everything up and running. They were still acclimating the animals to their new homes and the cafe wasnt open yet.

So much to explore! Great for kids of all ages. Live animals, trains, science exhibits, playroom. Wonderful place for early STEM exposure.

The new renovations are awesome! Thank you for making this place open to everyone