Walt Disney Family Museum Reviews

4.6

14 of 1,147 Best Attractions in San Francisco


Reviews

Walt Disney was an Extraordinary Man!

By nonukes17 |

My two 20+ yr old kids and I went to the museum, for $10 more we purchased the Mickey Mouse Exhibition combo. This gave us access to the special exhibit and the main gallery. Over 40,00 square feet of original items and documents, plenty of fun information and exhibits. Take the time to listen to exhibits that offer recordings. The recordings are short, spoken by the original people and very informative. Listen to the voice evolution of Mickey Mouse. Listen and watch the very short films, Mickey's first words "Hot dogs". If you like Walt Disney, this is a must see while in San Francisco. From Lombard Street to the Presido (location) it was a 10 minute Uber ride costing approximately $10 US dollars. You will need approximately 3-4 hours to take in the museum at a comfortable pace. A fun way to spend some time.

Worth a visit if you admire Walt Disney

By mikebelobradic |

I am a big admirer of Walt Disney, so the Walt Disney Family Museum was a great stop for me. The museum exhibits cover the life of Walt Disney through photos, memorabilia and displays — from childhood through to his untimely passing. I was impressed overall with this museum and highly recommend it.

As a bonus, it is located in the beautiful Presidio area of San Francisco and I was lucky enough to visit on a sunny day.

The museum has a snack bar and gift shop as well, so there’s something for everyone if you want a bite to eat or a souvenir.

By eric4912 |

If you are a fan of Disney history, you will very much enjoy this museum. It’s also located with AMAZING view of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay.
There are now a couple of restaurants about a block away. You wouldn’t expect it, but the bowling alley down the street has good food. House made potato chips with my much fried chicken breast sandwich. Friends had good burgers. They also have pizza and about 30 different beers.
In the museum, there is much memorabilia and a 100 square foot model of Disneyland, that has remarkable detailing.

Great Museum for people who loves Disney Parks

By Gary M |

Went to this on Saturday morning to see the life of Walt Disney. It was well presented and organized. We spent about 2.5 hours looking at the displays. The displays went from when he was born to when he passed away.

There was parking out side of the building along the street and a parking lot.

Disney Fan's Dream Museum

By Brianna.Kelley |

As a Disney Fan I kinda felt obligated to go & learn more about Walt Disney and his life in general, but I definitely was under the impression that there wouldn't be as much to see about the actual cartoons and parks. I'm happy to say that I was wrong!!! There's all kinds of models, recordings, and awards to look at that for every kind of Disney Fan!

Hidden gem

By Gillian M |

Spent over two hours going around. Be prepared for a lot of reading not really apt for small kids. Cafe and shop on sight.

Magical place

By TonyJan29 |

The best museum I have visited in my life , so much details , so much history, so much facts, so much fun , lots to see ,lots to read , lots to listen to , please visit this place in no hurry because you can be here all day and you still won't have enough time, best museum I've been in my life, very well made , if ever back in San Francisco area it will be on my list

A Must See for Disney Fans!

By Anita S |

Full of artefacts and testimonies from Walt’s remarkable life. Set up by his daughter . A lot bigger than I imagined . Could have stayed longer but needed to catch plane . Had Walt’s favourite chilli in the cafe which tasted lovely . Glass walkway has spectacular views of Golden Gate Bridge , good photo opportunity. Thoroughly recommend. This is about Walt’s life so anyone expecting modern Disney products will be disappointed. The only films/products are those during his lifetime .

By Sharon L |

A 2 hour adventure into the history of Walt and Roy Disney. This is an interesting journey of the Disney brothers and their creative inception of Disneyland and animation. It also showcased Walt Disney and his family.

Another Must

By leigha142019 |

The folks that run this museum really know the history of Disney. And put this together exceptionally well.

Wonderful!!

By Sue B |

Located in a very historic area (former military base), the grounds are gorgeous-- then you get inside. A must for any Disney fan! From all of Walt's academy awards to his first models of Disneyland, you learn about Walt, the man. Very nicely done, not fancy & blinking neon, but bright & cheerful. Gift shop carries a lot of books and literature. Nice cafe at the end.

Loved it - especially the Mickey Mouse exhibition (extra admission for that one)

By Charlotte P |

We visited both the Walt Disney Family Museum and the Mickey Mouse exhibition. They advised doing the exhibition first as it was timed entry times (though you can spend as long as you like in there). In total we were there for almost 4 hours! We both much preferred the exhibition (see it if you can!) but the main museum is also worth doing - lots of interesting bits and pieces and information. More for adults than young kids in my opinion, though there were interactive things to do. Also great view of the bay!

We’ve been twice

By Oakland Ca |

My father in law wants to go every time he’s in town. I love the full model of original Disneyland in 1955.

Emotional and surprising

By FaaabiCruz |

The place is amazing, full of memories and Disney's love for his work. You can learn about Walt Disney, the person, the genius, everything about him that makes him even more intriguing than his legacy. From sketches of his early ideas to the parks and plans, this is must-see to any Disney fan. Get ready to be fed with a whole Disney feast!

Top notch museum

By Karin K |

This was an unexpected museum to find in San Francisco! It's in a lovely part of the Presidio, and is very well curated and presented. I really enjoyed the entire thing, and could have spent longer there (but my son was tired and wanted to return to the hotel). The cafe is a bit overpriced, I thought, but you see that pretty often in nicer museums in NYC, too.

Overall, this is not a museum for kids- definitely at least teenagers, but mostly adults, would enjoy it.

Must See

By stan611 |

This was a highlight of our trip to SF. Though small children might not have fun,but older kids and adults will love it. Lots of interactive displays too.

Exceeded my expectations

By Dylan L |

As a big Walt Disney fan, this was the highlight of my trip to San Francisco. Even if you are not a big Disney fan, you will enjoy this museum as it follows the story of Disney's family with Walt as the star character. Walt was a storyteller and this museum does not disappoint in providing a complete story from intro to climax to resolution. I gained plenty of takeaways, like how Walt lost his first animation business animation team to a "middle man" and his lesson learned was to not deal with any more middlemen going forward. The museum also uses its location near the Golden Gate well, affording you at one point an amazing view of the Golden Gate Bridge.

About the man

By Gardengel-IoW |

Special exhibition about Mickey mouse on in separate building and for another $15 not sure worth that but lots of Mickey stuff. Main museum is everything you wanted to know about Walt and everything else as well. A lot of words.

Well done and worth a trip

By Heather B |

This is a great museum. I have two members of my family who are Disney obsessed and they of course loved it. But I was impressed with how things were laid out. Lots of interactive features to break up Disney’s life story into interesting small parts. There is a beautiful view of the bay that’s used as a way to pause before delving into the Disneyland chapter. There’s a model of the park at the base of a spiral walkway that’s impressive. Small cafe serves snacks and there’s a great museum store. Beware, the shirts run small. Aside from that, an enjoyable outing!

A must for all Disney fans

By Lin-Mark-Tutton |

A fabulous insight into the man behind the Disney studios. From humble beginnings to a worldwide phenomenon. A must for every Disney fan.

I'm missing something

By JimmyLVB |

Mmmm, the museum left me a lot to be desired, it has good parts, but in short it lacks a lot to attract the public, but knowing a little about the history wasn't bad.

Wonderful Museum - Walt Disney Museum, San Francisco, CA

By mini |

We have gone to the Walt Disney Museum several times . We like to see the disney movies they show in their auditorium.

We love exploring the galleries and learning more about the magic of Walt Disney
The museum is in the Presidio Area.

There are also nice views from the Museum such as of the Golden Gate Bridge.

By Robert K |

Nice museum on the Presidio in San Franciso with a very large collection of Disney history and exhibits.

For Disney fans it’s a must see...

By 302seetheworld |

This is a museum about Walt from his humble beginnings through the ups and downs of his creative endeavors. It’s well done and in typical Disney style, it’s clean, organized and the buttons and interactive displays actually work! It takes 2-3 hours without the special exhibits or film and it’s costly (also typical Disney), but if you are a Disney fan, it’s worth it for the back stories on so much of what Walt accomplished. Don’t be surprised when, at the end of the tour, you land at (wait for it...), the gift shop. Can anyone say “Disney experience!”

Fun for children and adults

By Lois K |

The Disney Museum was recommended by a friend. Actually, we hadn't heard about it. It's in the Presidio, and it's best to get there by taxi (we took Uber). The Museum traces the Disney family history as well as the development of Mickey Mouse and the theme parks. Spent the entire day there. Affordable cafeteria.

A Must for Walt Disney Fans

By GeorgiaToast |

This is a very well-done museum that focuses solely on Walt's life. The exhibits are effective and offer a glimpse into his life and career. It is likely not as entertaining for young children, however, as it is more about the life of Walt than Disney characters and the Parks. Definitely worth a visit, plus a great reason to experience the Presidio area.

My 13 daughter and I enjoyed this

By amyw2012 |

My 13 year old and I were excited to visit. My husband, 9 year old, and 11 year old were not very interested. They dropped us off and went to explore the nearby Fort Point . They enjoyed themselves and got great pictures. We paid at the museum. There was not a line. Parking was free. The museum itself was pricey for what it was, but we felt it was worth it. We did not add on the extra part. We learned several new things and spent a little less than 2 hours exploring. I am glad we went since I am not sure the next time we will be anywhere near there. The gift shop was small, and I did not find any must haves. I was hoping for a magnet but did not see any. The small food area smelled good, but we were on our way to eat when we left so we did not try anything. They had a cupcake with Mickey on it, but we did not see anything that looked like a must try. I would recommend this for Disney fans but not small children.

By iver0185 |

You pay extra for the Jungle Book part of the museum at the door.
The entire museum is great for any Disney nerd (like me). But...the signage for the special Jungle Book part of the museum is not marked...at all...so I left the museum and paid extra for a piece of it I didn't get to see. Don't make the same mistake I did!

Excellent Disney Museum

By GEOS30 |

Overall an amazing museum!! If you are a Disney fanatic then I would highly recommend. The museum contains everything you ever wanted to know about Walt Disney, his life, animation and the Disney parks. There is so much information, it's almost overwhelming. We were there for 2.5 hours (including the Jungle Book Exhibition), and we still weren't able to see/read everything. Its a bit out of the way (Presidio) so you definitely need to plan for that.

I wouldn't recommend this museum for families with smaller children. There weren't very many interactive displays and even our son (12) was getting bored by the end. Also, its a bit pricey! Make sure you leave yourself enough time to see everything, in order to get your monies worth.

Amazing life

By purrfectly |

This is a museum of Walt Disneys life.

This isn't Disneyland. No rides or costumed characters.

The museum it is filled with amazing pictures, stories, short films and teaching of how Walt did things.
You will be truly awed by this museum.
We stayed the day and it wasn't enough time to really read and see everything.
If you go when they have a special event go see it.
A movie is played throughout the week.
Nice size gift shop and a small cafe to give you more energy to see more of the museum.
Take a stroll around the Presidio and see the Golden Gate bridge up close.
A must visit museum.

Fantastic history of Walt Disney and his family

By Tracey R |

I must first start by saying that this is not a Disney museum - meaning that it's not created by the Disney Corporation and doesn't create a fanciful world to escape within. It was created by Walt and Roy Disney's families to share their history and how they built Disney animation and Disneyland. It opens a window into their personal lives growing up, their challenges, and ultimately their success. It is extremely well designed and the staff was knowledgeable and friendly. Definitely recommended.

Childhood memories

By travelhungry2014 |

Loved this place. It was so full of information. It backs up Disneyland and was worth the visit. It is so well presented.

You Must to This

By Richard M |

This Museum is outstanding. I was not expecting it to be so wonderful. The people who organized it did a outstanding job. It is well worth the price even if you are not that interested in Walt Disney's work.

A must for a Disney fan.....

By Woody16 |

We just had a short time here but enough to wander around the main exhibits and about the story of Disney. Gorgeous area that this is in with views of the Golden Gate Bridge.....cakes from the cafe were very nice too.

Very nice

By PlaneJane123 |

We had some time to kill so decided to check out this museum. The place is really beautiful and spotlessly clean. The displays are very detailed with a lot of information. It takes you through Disney's life, starting with his childhood, through his major achievements.

One highlight for me was seeing an animatronic parrot and having the change to control him using a joystick controller similar to the original.

There was also a scale model of Disneyland with moving parts that was pretty neat.

A Must For All The Family

By VikkiBee |

I actually visited in June 2018, however due to travelling all over the world for the last 18 months, I am just in the process of writing all the reviews. This is an incredible museum and I recommend it to anyone who’s interested in the company or the man himself! The entire museum is focused on Walt Disney himself and the creation of his company. It does touch upon his animations and films however, it’s more about his firsts than all of the Disney films and franchises. The end of the museum is the end of Walt’s life in 1966 which is actually really sad. The museum is absolutely fantastic with artefacts, videos, sketches, family history, interviews, equipment and much more. I spent two hours in there and had to leave otherwise I could have spent 3 hours in there watching and listening to everything!

Nice, not great!

By Huatch |

I was nervous that this would be a waste of money and time and it wasn’t. Not the best experience but a nice learning of Walt’s life.

It’s not an experiential museum, it’s more of a “look and read” museum with. Interesting history facts.

A great Plan for rainy days.

A Daughter's Loving Tribute to Daddy

By R L |

This museum has tons of great Disney memorabilia: photographs, art, sculpture, and objects. The building is attractive and well-designed. Nonetheless, we left unsatisfied. None of the many questions about Disney had been addressed. The women at Disney, some of whom patented key products for Disney, were nearly ignored. Even Disney's other daughter rated little more than a couple photos.

The museum provides superficial enjoyment. Even a Disney aficionado will find interesting nuggets, But overall, the museum comes off as the donor's loving tribute to her revered, wart-free daddy. Lovely as that is, we wanted to see the real Walt Disney and his real company. We certainly didn't find it at this museum.

Review

By Rich B |

Loved to learn about Walt. Interesting to know about the creation of animation and the history of the Disney characters

An Interesting Afternoon - A Must for Fans

By DMC1958 |

If you are a Disney fan or just interested in how Disney came into being, then this is a must visit.

This is not the easiest place to find and not too clearly signposted. However, it is well worth a visit. There is a lot to take in as it retraces the family history back several generations. It informs in great detail the journey of Walt and Roy Disney, the challenges, failures and successes on their journey. The ground floor is full of the many awards collected over the years. Upstairs the family history and the development and growth of the Walt Disney Company.

There is an interesting story about a conversation between Walt and Roy over the purchase of the land in Florida, where Disney World would eventually be established,

A really enjoyable experience.

Inspiring life -- Intriguing, well-done rotating exhibits

By Iapyx |

The museum is housed in historical buildings within the San Francisco presidio, no small feat to preserve the old facades and build modern museum galleries inside. The permanent space is an in depth experience-rich narrative of Walt Disney's creative life as one of the most original figures of the 20th century. In another building is the Diane Disney Miller gallery, which showcases rotating exhibitions, most of which probe the lives and artistic accomplishments of the creative personalities who brought Walt Disney's ideas to life.

By laurawheatley |

Excellent museum a must see for both Disney fans and everyone else.

The museum told the story of Walt Disney and was choker block with photos, drawings and models. So much Disney memorabilia in one place.

Make sure you allow at least half a day to explore it’s well worth a visit and make sure you take a camera as you will leave with loads of photos.

MICKEY

By Olivier PIVOT |

A beautiful place with discoveries about Walt's life.
We spent around 2.5 hours to fully enjoy this museum. A must see, fan or not.

Amazing and well curated Disney Museum

By Melissa H |

The Museum was rich with history of Walt, the Disney family, and Disneyland. Highly recommend for Disney enthusiasts. Takes 1-2 hours depending on how detailed you want to get. Also has stunning views of Golden Gate Bridge and the Presidio location is beautiful.

Museum dedicated to genius of Walt

By redsoxfan965 |

If you are looking for rides or Disney movies, this museum is not for you (or your kids). If you are interested in an in depth history of Walt & Roy Disney then you have come to the right place. The museum chronicles Walt from his humble beginnings through his early failures that gave way to success, and the realization of Mickey Mouse & Disneyland. The special Mickey exhibit is worth the extra few dollars as well. We spent about 3 hours at the museum.

Very well done

By Michelle G |

Enjoyed learning about the life of Walt Disney and how he created the Disney empire. Touching stories, films and photos from his past presented in an engaging environment. Would have liked to see some more for kids here and more benches. Was quitenlong and tiring.

Fun and Memories!

By FredMHouston_Texas |

I visited the museum and the World War II special exhibit and found both to be fascinating. The museum provides lots of history on Disney's family and personal history. Really inspiring what he did and the funs and memories he helped create. Didn't fully appreciate what Disney did to support the US in WWII from an educational and morale standpoint until viewing the exhibit. I especially enjoyed the videos available throughout the museum, plus the full model of Disneyland!.

Great place

By Gary S |

Great place, on a wet day, wasn’t expecting it to be so good. What a great guy, off to Disneyland now

First Timer

By Hardrocker8888 |

Why have I not been here? What a great place. This is a must visit. And what a beautiful backdrop—the Golden Gate Bridge! The staff were friendly. I wished they honored my Annual Passholder status with a discount. Great gift shop.

Love Love Became a Member

By pjsbarb |

Always love to go. So many fun events. I love the tour guides also so full on information and fun. I love the gift shop too. Wished the café had more of a variety. The movies they show too are fun... I always learn something I did not know..

Not only for kids

By caribdiver69 |

It was very interesting to learn about the life and work of Walt Disney. You need some time to see all of the exhibition but you can take a rest and continue later on.

Magic

By Marti |

The most beautiful museum I’ve ever seen! Unexpected how many priceless historic mastepieces we have seen here. The spirit of Walt Disney is tangible and there is no biography that could explain it better than this place, honour to his daughter for creating it, it’s the best legacy he could hope for I guess.
Also the exhibitions are amazing!
I will return here every time I put foot in San Francisco.

Interesting

By Leanne |

The museum is very in depth on Walt’s life and interesting, I really recommend visiting if you’re a Disney fan. Was cool to see drawings from the 1930s of the character developments etc

By Fly-Wills |

This is a must visit for any Disney fan, fan of history or anyone in the San Francisco area looking for a great activity to do. Allow yourself at least 2 hours to properly explore the museum, there is a lot to see, read and learn and you don’t want to miss anything!

I recommend buying the tickets online before arrival, but there is the option to buy when you get there. There are several different price options for adults, kids etc. The museum itself is situated in a beautiful red building, close to the Golden Gate Bridge. It has two levels to it. It is wheelchair friendly and also has lifts inside, so you don’t have to take the stairs.

The museum takes you through Walt Disney and his family’s past, with historic items from his childhood to adulthood, and takes you through the journey he had to become the famous man everyone knows. You will see the various companies he worked for, his first drawings and designs, all the way up to the creation of Disneyland itself.

The museum boasts a massive replica model of Disneyland park which is fascinating to view and admire and there is so much detail shown about the park around it.

Overall an incredible visit. I learnt so much I didn’t know about Walt Disney and the history behind the parks and it is a really enjoyable experience. All staff are friendly and professional and there to help you with any questions.

The museum is easily accessible by car, with parking right outside, drop off via taxi or walking from nearby.

A must for Disney fans

By George C |

This is not your typical Disney place but a more serious museum on the history of Disney. Very informative. Well laid out. Well worth a visit.

By pirolo_farm |

Lovely place for Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse followers. They explain the whole story of Walt Disney and the creation of his cartoons. You see tb models of the or amusement arcades. Very interesting and familiar. Only thing, I think the price seems expensive.

A Visit to the family Museum

By John C |

I was aware that this place existed, but just never made the time to go visit. We happen to be taking a guest from out of town to San Francisco and happened to head this way to take some pictures of the Golden gate Bridge. Saw the signs and thought why not give it a try, this is a Saturday afternoon around 1 PM there was hardly a crowd but was amazed at all the family history and the things there is to see their. If you're a Disney fan this is a must if you're in the area, there is so much to do and see at the museum, take your time see as much as you can and enjoy and yourself. Lots of history of old photos, old telegrams, and collectors items you're able to walk through young Walt Disney's life and how he came to be. Great trip down memory lane I really enjoyed the part where you get into his home life and how he enjoyed trains and the big Disneyland map that they have downstairs. That brought back many memories of being a young kid and going to Disneyland. Take time and go see this museum really worth the price.

By Kathy |

We loved reading about Walt Disney's family and seeing some never before items. I thought I would need to drag my husband out because he spent so much time reading.

Good Experience, Not for Kids, Parking is Hard

By lorentz18 |

Longtime Bay Area resident, first time visitor as of yesterday! It had been on my to-do list all summer to check out the special exhibition on Mary Blair, the artist who created It's A Small World's iconic style, with my teenager. It's a project to get there from our house, and finding parking was quite difficult on a busy Saturday. But we made it, and as another reviewer already commented, it does not stand out from the outside. The aesthetics of the Presidio are lovely and uniform and I guess mouse ears was not an option for the facade. lol. The main entrance door is quite discreet. Admission is $25 adults and $15 youth. No need to buy in advance. You can enter the lobby and look around at a free area including seeing all the Disney Oscars! And there are many! They scan your ticket before entering the main galleries, which are chronologically organized, starting with Walt's ancestors. You can certainly move through these pretty quickly if you're not a completist. The exhibits covering the early days of the Disney Studios are honestly pretty fascinating. A lot of Hollywood bigwigs tried to cheat Walt Disney. Who got the last laugh? The galleries follow the growth of the company and the increasing interests and resources of the man, whose daughter spearheaded this museum. At a couple points, it shines through that this a museum with a viewpoint (the Disney family's) versus an objective scholarly presentation but the vast number of items in the collection only could have come from the family archives. The special exhibition area is in the basement, very dark and a little cramped feeling. I would have liked to see a better presentation of Mary Blair's work but I did learn a lot about her background and role with the Disney company. Unfortunately there is not one bit of It's a Small World design in the exhibit or any of her other work still in use in the parks... perhaps some corporate interference? I mean, they use her designs on the cups! The exhibit feels incomplete without this. The shop has some adorable items. The cafe is tiny, no meals, just snacks and a few tables and chairs. This is a very interesting museum even if you're not a Disney adult - if you have been to the parks and watched some movies, you'll get something out of it. NOT A KIDS MUSEUM! Would be very boring for kids, leave under 12s at home. We spent almost 2 hours and could have stayed longer but we were pressed because of the parking limit.

An amazing insight into the life and works of a genius

By Kevin Meeks |

We have two children (8 and 10) and we all loved it, especially the interactive installations. The Mickey Mouse special exhibit was wonderful too. The museum is immaculate, clearly laid out, and set in beautiful surroundings. Thoroughly worth a visit.

By packedmule |

We visited this museum and really enjoyed both the main exhibit and the from Walt to Mickey Exhibit. I would recommend both as they tell the story and provide a lot of history.

Interesting, but not fun for kids

By Jason D |

We enjoyed learning the history of Walt Disney and the evolution of the company, but the museum is far too much reading with very little interactive experiences. The kids we were with were bored and we rushed through many parts.

Museum stuffed with exhibits!

By dustythoughts |

This museum is jam-packed with interesting information, memorabilia, and other assorted items associated with Walt Disney and his family - sketches, pictures, miniature trains, and video reels. It's amazing how much they were able to squeeze into this museum without making it overwhelming. Two floors of exhibits took us two hours to view, and even then we missed a few things. This museum really highlighted how much Walt Disney was able to accomplish in his 65 years!

Everything you ever wanted to know about Disney is here

By harryatkck |

This is an excellent museum that tells the story of Walt Disney in great detail. This is a must for any Disney fan young or old. Also, admission is free for active duty & retired military & their families.

Walt Disney was an AMAZING man!

By CXCaptainswife |

This museum is INCREDIBLE - but let's be clear. It is definitely not that exciting for younger kids - and my younger teens would have even been bored after an hour! BUT if you are a die hard Disney fan - OR - if like my daughter you are an ANIMATOR - THIS MUSEUM IS A MUST SEE!!!!!

My daughter and I spent 5 hours in this museum and we loved every moment. It was fascinating - so much to read and see and listen to. Loads of videos, and just very entertaining. Like I said - this would be something that young kids would be rather bored after a few minutes in each room... but still entertaining. The grounds of the museum are exquisite because it's at The Presidio! You could picnic in the park too!

Totally fascinating!

By VickiBChch |

So much to see and read - make sure you have enough time. Really in depth into his early life and early Disney Characters, and definitely worth the visit!

Great place to learn more about Disney vision

By Ciro V |

Amazing place that tells the story of Walt Disney life, vision and legacy
Worth every penny
Arriving by bus is a good option

Incredible!

By BF0404 |

Absolutely loves this museum! We stopped in San Fran before going onto Disney California so this was the perfect warm up. Was incredible, I am a die hard Disney fan from the U.K. and this place was just the dream. The model of Disney land was emotional and we were lucky enough to see the extra Mickey anniversary exhibition. Can’t put into words how much I loved this place! Staff were so friendly and got me a pin from the back that hadn’t been released yet as I was leaving the next day. Just that extra magic touch that meant the world! Would love to visit again!

Excellent museum for Disney lovers of all ages

By BTEFan |

This is a real gem. First, the area in which it’s located is just beautiful. The museum is immaculate and well run, has a decent little cafe, and the exhibits are interesting enough for young kids and absolutely enthralling for adults. Great look at the development of Walt Disney’s career. I am a big fan of modern Disney (see my various Disney World reviews) and found the depth on his early career fascinating. The family that started it and the foundation that runs it have done an amazing job.

By JasonFromArizona |

It had been a number of years since I last visited the museum and I’m glad I went again. Was a great experience and the special World War II exhibit was quite fascinating.

Also appreciated how conscientious they were of both visitor and employee safety. The team there was also quite professional when dealing with an unfortunate man who decided to be rude and abusive to the staff When he opted to not follow their safety protocols.

I look forward to future visits and their upcoming special exhibits.

Good for the Disney Enthusiast

By 5senses8here |

We found the museum informative and learned and saw things we hadn't seen before. From original renderings, cameras, and even legal papers that the Disney family worked with. The area around the museum is also very nice - great views of the GGB. We came around opening and were able to find street parking. Staff was friendly, and was limiting number of people at a time so be prepared to wait unless you have prior reservations.

By becn28 |

The museum has so much to see and read. It was great to learn about the history of Walt Disney and how he built Disney as we know it. I was there for almost 2 hours and could have spent more time there.
The exhibition currently on is Mickey Mouse, from Walt to the world. Is good. My highlight was to see the Mickey print created by Andy Warhol.

By Mouzouris |

We stayed next door to the lodge at the presidio so we stopped by to kill a couple of hours. The museum is dedicated to the life of Walt Disney. We were a little tired so we went thru it kind of fast but you can easily spend hours there going thru everything. Also tickets were free for military/veterans with proof. Would definitely recommend it if in the area.

Surprisingly interesting for non-Disney fans

By David Crowe |

I'm not a Disney fan. I grew up without a TV so my exposure was limited. I have problems with the company's expropriation and licensing of folk tales, and the dumbing down of literature. So I shouldn't like this museum, but seen as a history of the development of animated film, it is excellent. Exhibits are clear and interactive (and fun). For example, how, in the pre-computer age, Disney synchronized sound and animation, and how he simulated 3-dimensions with a giant tower-like camera. I truly didn't know Disney's monumental contribution to animation, nor did I know that his acting skill was critical to the success of his animations. If you are truly a Walt Disney fan, you will also appreciate the details of his career and family life (which seems to have been a lot happier than many Hollywood marriages).

Rainy Day at the Museum

By Michael and Kat... N |

We visited on a Rainy day in December. I am a Disney super fan, so the museum was great for me. We spent 2 hours here and then walked on the Presidio Promenade to the Golden Gate Bridge when the rain stopped. We had a great day.

It was very nice historical surprise, and extremely insightful

By WEOOZE |

This is not your typical Disney experience where you see Mickey in the gang. Our family loves Disney items, but this museum was a true historical tour of the building of an animation business when no one else had done it, and the stories behind those that did all of the hard work. It included of how great animators worked together to build that technologies that were groundbreaking and were the beginnings of the business that exists today.

By Reed |

The Walt Disney Family Museum is a well put together exhibit of the history of both Walt Disney and to a lesser extent the company that bears his name. It’s broken out chronologically (for the most part) and for even the casual Disney fan, it’s unlikely that there will be much that you haven’t heard before. There are many more items than expected that are reproductions - but most won’t notice unless you read the tags closely. It’s a bit pricey for what you see and the amount of time it takes to go through. 90 minutes felt like more than enough time. The folks working there are very helpful and nice and parking in the area is somewhat easy compared to other parts of the city. It’s important to remember it’s not an “official” museum - and if you look at it like a well put together “fan museum” you will probably enjoy it more.

Bigger than expected - marvellous

By Billy_WizzKent |

Fabulous building, amazing staff and so informative. Learned so much about the great man and his family.
Much bigger than we expected so allow about 3 hours.

Such Depth

By jehenson81 |

I learned so much about Walt Disney and the empire he created by walking through this well done museum. I think the real highlight for me was seeing all 26 of his Academy Awards in the entry room before I started through the museum. Some of his history I was familiar with after seeing the movie “Walt Before Mickey” but I still learned a ton plus it was interesting. To see how his business evolved over time from a family to a corporation. The things that really struck me were the strike and how he died. The gift shop was the only down side as everything was REALLY EXPENSIVE ($15 for a magnet).

A hidden treasure!

By corkyc988 |

Just recently discovered there even was a Disney Museum and I am so glad that we went! Since it curated by the family, it has family treasures that an outside organization may never had. Take your time to read through the exhibits and you get a real sense of how Walt Disney developed his characters. We were able to easily park in front of the museum (but be mindful that there are parking fees). We went on a weekday morning and it was quiet.

a must see for disney fans

By Frank O |

The museum is full of one of a kind items from Walt and his family. Go back in time and see where the many was born and his ancestors came from . The museum is well planned and worth a drive. It has the kind of appeal for true disney fans.

Not for kids.

By Berling's Eldest |

Fascinating for its overview of film history, the development of cartoon technology and the lay out of the Disney theme parks. Also lots of info about the life of Walt Disney. If history and film technology interest you, you'll enjoy this museum. Not really for kids. They'll be bored pretty quick.

Great way to spend a Sat afternoon

By pq1 |

This Disney museum teaches you all about Walt Disney... his roots and family. It is the perfect combo of media. Some still pictures, some videos and some live media. Overall very well done! Don't miss the replica of Disneyland complete with the lamp on in Walt's apartment! Also best views of the Golden Gate Bridge!

Very Informative Museum

By NCfamilytraveler |

At this museum, we learned a lot of interesting things. This is a great place for people who would like to learn the history of the Disney family.

FYI. The place is a museum, not a Disney park. So, there are no photo opportunities with Disney princesses and characters. Thus, young children may not be interested in this activity.

Excellent museum for any Disney Fan

By queenr0ck |

This museum is brilliant! It is a fun, interesting look at Walt Disney's life as a person, rather than just focusing on the development of Disney. A very enjoyable afternoon.

By brettoly |

A fantastic museum about the life and career of Walt Disney. Tons of information, fantastic memorabilia, interesting interactive exhibits. Well worth it. Could spend most of the day exploring the exhibits.

If you love Disney, you'll love this place too!!

By doubleb3 |

This museum is full of history about Walt, his family, the origination of Disney, Mickey Mouse and so many other characters and things related to Disney. The way it's presented is in the top notch Disney fashion and so that makes the museum even more interesting and fun. You'll learn new things about Walt and Disney's beginnings, but there's so much to take in. We spent 2.5 hours there and it was enough, but you could spend even more time to see and experience it all. Outside of the museum is a nice, large grassy area where families picnic. We went on a Sunday and there were food trucks galore, so after our time in the museum, we ate lunch and then went back to the Museum store to browse and purchase a couple of souvenirs. The Presidio is a really large place, so if you leave the whole leave open, there's a lot of walking trails and other sites to visit. Try the Presiogo free bus for your transportation!! Make good use of it. What a super fun day!!

A Magical Land

By Mark F |

Whether Disney fan or just looking for enjoyable historical stop, Disney Museum has something for everyone, Not only the expected displays, but also technical details, bio facts, and amazing collectibles. Have to experience forst hand to understand how good it really is ..

So much fun

By Ashleigh D |

Disney is always great but I love sanfrancisco so going here was just that little bit better. We did the skip line pass and was great value

Loved this!

By Traceycullen15 |

As a huge disney fan I loved here, it was one my top things to do in San Fran. This and alcatraz were my favourite in San Fran. Great for all the disney fans.

For those who wish to know more about the life of Walt Dusney

By kripto222 |

This museum is great for those interested in the history of animation but may be boring for your little ones.

Ripoff

By ec2005297 |

When we saw how much the entry fee was ($25) we decided not to enter the actual museum. The lady at the reception told us we could look at the cabinets with all of Walt's awards and the holiday exhibition for free. It was pretty boring and the only way you could find out about anything was reading the tiny writing at the bottom of each cabinet. When we finished looking at the awards, we decided to leave since it was boring and a waste of time.

Walt Disney Museum at the Presidio/San Francisco

By Patricia O |

I stayed longer than I had planned. I grew up with the Mickey Mouse club and Disney's earlier movies. Bambi is the earliest film I remember seeing and it stuck with me for years. (PBS had a recent show on the Chinese-American artist who did a lot of the artwork). They also had a lot on Snow White. It was interesting to see Walt Disney's focus on the story (even when they cut some film which they had spent a lot of time and expense to do). Another thing I remember from the Disney TV show is the emphasis on real-life footage of animal behavior. In the 1960's, there wasn't a lot of that on TV. As a kid, I was more inclined to watch Disney. Years later, I came across a book written by Lois Crisler. She and her husband were hired by Walt Disney to shoot film of caribou in Alaska (north of the Brooks Range).

Another plus for the museum is the location in the Presidio. This new national park is fabulous! You walk outside the museum and have a fantastic view of the Golden Gate bridge and San Francisco Bay!

Disney Fanatic Paradise

By Patty L |

Every Disney fan should take a pilgrimage to this museum. There are many interactive exhibits, the matching sound to film was my favorite. Disney was a genius, but also a devoted family man.

Must-See for Disney fans!

By Jacquie N |

The Presidio setting for this museum is gorgeous. The museum itself is fascinating, informative, educational, and beautiful. Disney fans will love it and want to spend several hours here. Even non-Disney fans will find much to appreciate as Walt Disney's life impacted so much of our culture and our country's recent history. The museum is very tasteful and peaceful, and there's a great gift shop with very unique items for sale.

Interesting if you grew up with Disney TV and movies

By jwuams |

My son is a big Walt Disney fan so we had to go. It’s in a beautiful area of the Presidio with a view of the bridge(ride the Presidigo, it was free).
It’s a fairly small museum on two levels. The $25 fee is about $5 too high. It’s packed with Walt Disney memorabilia including studio and film production highlights. It has a decent sized gift shop.

Amazing Museum

By Caroline H |

I took my 14 year old son to the Walt Disney Family Museum. It was an amazing place and well worth the entry fee. We spent 2 hours just walking round the museum and reading all I the information. If in San Francisco it is well worth a visit

By sharking |

This was an amazing experience. If you like Disney films, this is a must do! The history of Walt is amazing and seeing the earliest known drawing of Mickey Mouse was exciting.

The tour is self paced and the museum is larger than it looks.

Kid friendly experience, just be careful that they don’t touch what they shouldn’t.

Disney Must!

By mandyw1995 |

If you are a Disney fan, you need to visit. We absolutely loved our time here and there is a beautiful green outside to sit and relax, have a drink or picnic. We did struggle to find transport back to our hotel, but in the end walked about and really enjoyed it, we felt safe and was so glad we went. Definite for Disney fans!

Definitely for Disney Fans

By Natalieee |

If you are a Disney enthusiast then you should definitely go and check out this museum. A lot of history is displayed when Disney initially opened. I saw pictures of how Disneyland looked like when I would go there over 20 years ago.

Much more than Mickey Mouse

By Tom Speers |

I've visited this museum 3 times now, and I seem to spend more time here each visit. It's not just Mickey, it's Walt's life and everyone and everything associated with it, the good and the bad.

Excellent Overview of Walt Disney's Life

By STEVE C |

This is not a Disney(land/world) museum, but a detailed look at the life of Walt Disney. It gives you a great understanding of Walt's life as a child, teen, and young man. You get great insights into how he developed as an artist, including his partnership with his brother Roy. You also gain a great understanding of the the early history of the animation shorts that lead to his ground-breaking success with sound and color. It also gives you a well-rounded view of some of the challenges the man and company faced with WWII, the animators strike, and building a new campus for his studios. Allow 3 hours to take it all in. There is a full model of Disneyland, though the museum is honest about it not really representing what the park looked like when it opened.

There is a cafe with a small but varied menu. The museum is located on the grounds of the Presidio, so spend some time walking around and enjoying the excellent views of the Golden Gate Bridge and SF Bay.

Walt and his visions

By Carol B |

Give yourself plenty of time to enjoy this museum. Filled with photos, sketches, cartoons, short videos, interviews with Walt, it is a great way to learn about Mr, Disney and his visions. We arrived around 10:30, took a break for a picnic lunch at the beautiful park area there at the Presidio, then finished up with another 2 hours of discovery.

Amazing view into the life of Walt Disney

By Sean R |

Simply fantastic museum devoted to the life of Walt Disney. We spent an hour or two, but could have spent a day or two. Fascinating.

Surprising way to spend a day in San Francisco

By Katherine P |

We have visited this city many times, and were looking for something interesting to do on a day stop on a cruise that wouldn’t cost a fortune. We had never heard about this fascinating museum before, and decided to try it. It was a delight! So many memories came flooding back as we were reminded of movies, cartoons, visits to Disneyland as children and TV shows that formed our lives. Seeing the history of the Disney Family, and the development throughout the years tied in with what was happening in the world, was amazing. It was fascinating to see the technology of animation develop and the storytelling of Walt come to life on film. Views from the Presidio overlooking the Golden Gate were not bad either.

Must visit for any Disney fan!

By Wendy T |

This museum provides a very in-depth look at the life of Walt Disney in a very engaging/interactive way. My teenager spent time reading nearly every exhibit (unusual for her!). We both learned so much that we didn't know... the museum store has some very unique merchandise and the cafe provided us with a surprisingly delicious lunch! Highly recommend the entire experience.

Wonderful Experience

By DianeR |

I will admit that I’m a Disney fan to start with; and I couldn’t have had a better way to spend the afternoon. The Walt Disney Family Museum at the Presidio was a fantastic experience! This museum is so informative and so well done that I would highly recommend it to anyone – a Disney fan or not. One of the things I liked best was the family history that went back two generations before Walt and Roy even arrived on the scene - that was very enlightening and interesting to me. Wonderful memorabilia and photographs throughout the museum. And finally, a visit to this museum also gives you the opportunity to explore the Presidio. Don’t miss this!

A truly inspiring person

By Becki T |

This place focus on Walt Disney himself, his personal life, career, ups and downs. It's fun for both kids and adults, but not a place you should go if your main interest is the movies made after his death. This summer they also have a Mickey Mouse exhibition. A bit expensive, but lovely place and staff.

A Lot More Fun Than Anticipated

By Heather M |

This was a very comprehensive experience. It started with Walt’s grandparents so you got a flavour of the type of upbringing he received from his parents and grandparents. It gave us all kinds of little tidbits on him as a young man and his early career. We really liked the special exhibit – cats and dogs. Just be prepared to walk a fair amount to get to a separate building for this exhibit. We really enjoyed this and would highly recommend it to any Disney fan.

Disney’s true timeline

By lb33wonka |

I wad so impressed by the whole place! The surrounding area is a must to have a coffee from local Italian coffee place while taking in the golden gate bride and Alcatraz. Bathrooms are super clean and they have water fountains

By Kimberly W |

Visited here recently with my sister. Found the museum very interesting and enjoyed seeing all the drafts and original drawings of Walt’s work. Enjoyed particularly hearring about the working of Snow White as I love that film.
A very nostalgic place and a nice clean spacious museum.
Would recommend! (This was included with the city pass).

Interesting information about Walt the Man

By Brent H |

Don't expect this to be a trip to disneyland. this is a museum. it chronicles Walt Disney from childhood and up. Many of his family and friends are included in this chronicle of his life. I am a self professed Disney nerd, so i found it quite interesting. my wife has on a mild interest, so i found her moving a bit thru the exhibits a bit faster than i.

The exhibits are very nicely displayed. The museum is very clean and well organized. Staff are all very pleasant and eager to answer questions.

Building is a bit hard to find, but if you like Disney, this is a nice thing to take off of your bucket list.

Must for a Disney fan...Lots of reading..

By Gaurav126in |

This one is a must for any disney fan and of all ages. There is ample stuff here that I couldnt find anywhere else on life of Walt Disney and how some of the great childhood memories were created. The store shop is over-priced but there was stuff that you wouldnt find anywhere else and if you are a traveller, you will be compelled to buy some according to your pocket. The museum is at a great location and just outside, there is a large play area where kids could enjoy with their parents. Inside, you would need at-least 3-4 hours if you want to see and read each and everything. There are some talks given by the staff (at designated times) and they are insightful. I could see them interacting well with kids and at times with a lot of passion about the place where they work. Overall, a great experience and a must visit place.

By JennieCV |

Amazing few hours in here. Staff warm and welcoming (but not too full on like the theme parks). Fascinating facts and pictures of Disney and his family, and really interesting presentation of his creations. Loved it. Warning though - it also commemorates his passing at the end of the visit which is a bit emotional.

Eye-Opening

By Richard D |

Definitely a must see for fans of Walt! The exhibits provide much more depth to the biographical shows on Disney+ or the attraction at WDW. Covers each of the phases of his life with lots of material i wasn't aware of. But now realize that there much be much more... It's in a beautiful setting, but a fairly long Uber from downtown. Seeing a full-size Multiplane camera was amazing and understanding the role of the Silly Symphonies in the development of the studio's skillset were fascinating. Sounds boring the way i wrote that, but if you are interested in Walt, it's very rewarding! and there are lots of places to sit and think about it all!

A Must See

By Letfreedomring1876 |

I've always been a Walt Disney fan. The Walt Disney Family Museum did not disappoint. There are about 16 rooms to the exhibition. I had tried to view the Museum in one hour. That was a huge mistake. Plan on at least 2 hours . The Museum take you through Walt Disney's life, the animation process, and so much more.

Nice museum

By Karen W |

We didn't have a lot of time to stop and read everything but a nice museum. Best part was closer to the end and seeing things related to Disneyland.

Overpriced

By DaisyB7 |

As a Disney fan, I was excited to visit this museum. The location in the Presidio is beautiful. The museum itself seemed like more of a let down. There were some artifacts, but I just expected more. I paid extra for the special exhibit, which also didn't seem to be worth it.

Adult-level Museum Focused on the Disney Brothers

By kteversole |

Loved the new perspective of learning about the Disneys, their work and vision. Seeing displays of toys and memorabilia I remember from childhood interesting. Most interesting was learning of Walt's visions not yet realized.

By Michael M |

High quality museum dedicated to Walt Disney but also covering key members of his family, like Roy. Placed in order of his lifetime, you can learn about the Disney family’s emigration from Europe to his passing. Tons of exhibits, interactive items, and several short films bring you front and center.

Download the museum’s app and take the audio tour for free, bring your own earbuds. The audio extras in each exhibit are also available on the app.

Staff is friendly, there’s a small cafe and expansive gift shop. Several transit lines service the Presidio area and it’s a pleasant walk to other attractions at the Presidio. Book your tickets online as museum entry is timed, and check out the special exhibits if one is available. I’m a huge Disney fan and spent four hours in the main museum and the special Jungle Book exhibit.

Disney history, the real one

By Alfonso A |

Awesome place, not really a kid’s experience but a nice one which goes through all history from origin to end of Disney, showing how dreams and hopes from one man became in what we all now know

For a Disney fan this is a great museum

By Lawrence H |

Great setting on the Presidio. We went through quickly (1.5 hours) but thoroughly enjoyed the museum. If you love Disney you will love this place. Note that this museum participates in a national museum membership which allows you in for free, we used our Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) membership to get in free.

Great Museum!

By Kathy K |

Wonderful museum! So much to see and read about the wonderful life of Walt Disney. Exhibits very well done. Took us about 2 1/2 hours to go through the museum. Convenient parking. Highly recommend a visit here.

Great story of the Walt Disney Family

By Andrew (atravel) - Adventure Traveler |

Very detailed account of the family history along with all of the awards they ever won - including Grammy, Oscars, etc. We brought our kids (9 & 11) and it was the right age for them to enjoy it. The story continues to build as you walk through the museum just like a typically Disney story.

A wonderful afternoon

By Dennisdgh |

A complete history of Walt Disney. So interesting and much more than I expected. Brought back so many memories from when I was a child visiting Disneyland.

Walking among an Icon: Disney

By Dewayne P |

I highly recommend anyone visiting San Francisco to stop here. It is on the old Presidio Army installation. There is parking on site and the admission is reasonable. Seeing all of the artifacts the either belonged to Mr. Disney and his family, or were intregal parts to historic films.

An Amazing Magical Place, don't miss it!

By WendyT |

Wow! What a place! A fabulous look at the man who came from nothing to one of Americas greatest entrepreneurs. I am a huge Disney fan and this museum was a great experience.There is so much to see and do, so many exhibits that you can spend many hours here.
Beautifully presented and well laid out. This museum is located in the Presidio, there is ample parking. The cafe in the museum offers very little variety and is overpriced.
The Staff are friendly and knowledgeable. If you are heading to San Francisco, this is a must see!

By Ohiocoupletravels |

Always a Disney fan, I loved the history of how Walt & Roy got things going and how his vision was fulfilled in films & amusement parks.

Great visit to Walt Disney Museum

By BRYAN T |

We absolutely loved going to the Walt Disney Family Museum. It is organized so well and each room has a unique theme to it. There is so much to see and learn about Walt Disney and his family. The final room is huge and has a model of the original Disneyland park. I highly recommend bringing your entire family to see this museum.

Meet the man behind the mouse

By Taylor B |

Why is the Walt Disney Family Museum located in San Francisco? He was born in Chicago, raised on a farm in Missouri and worked all of his life in Los Angeles. So why San Francisco? Because his eldest daughter, Diane Disney Miller, lived in San Francisco and wanted to showcase her father's legacy far away from the corporate buzz of the motion picture industry. Located at 104 Montgomery Street, at the Presidio, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, the Walt Disney Family Museum was founded in 2009 to celebrate the life and legacy of one of the most well known figures of the 20th century. It is 40,000 square feet of imagination, animation, innovation and inspiration. Who doesn't know Walt Disney, the man who raised animation to an art, tirelessly pursued innovation and created a distinctively American legacy, transforming the entertainment world. Open from 10 to 5;30 Thursday through Sunday, the museum features 10 permanent galleries filled with interactive exhibits and over 200 video screens. It isn't just for kids; it is fun for all ages. Learn everything from Disney's upbringing to his final years. He and brother Roy co-founded Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio in 1923. Did you know that Walt's first animation studio ended in bankruptcy? See exhibits that focus on his early cartoons, invention of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Pinocchio, Elmer Fudd and Bambi, how he infused his characters with distinct personalities, the making of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," his first motion picture, his wartime efforts, his vision for an amusement park, his forays into live-action motion pictures. Marvel at original sketches, cartoons, movies, music, photographs, drawings and models of Disney characters. And the contemporary interactive galleries and state-of-the-art exhibits that are narrated in Walt's own voice. Who didn't grow up watching World of Disney on TV and Davey Crockett, the man who don't know fear?

Love this museum.

By Cari E |

A must see, even if you are not a Disney fanatic. The history is amazing and the museum is top notch. Walt's daughter over saw the details of the museum and you can tell it was a labor of love. Plan extra time (2-3 hours), there is a ton of things to look at and read about. This is my second time going and it still amazes me how many film detailsl, photos, original cells, figurines, Walt's personal items, oscars and awards they have in one place.

A great option to end our week of touring San Francisco! Wonderful memories for senior, mastalgia for the young adults.

By 256lilliant |

The history of Walt Disney, learning about his family and all the challenges of his career! Plus loved looking back on the cartoons I enjoyed growing up and seeing the antiques!

wheelchair accessible, lots of back ground info

By hperdaems |

this museum shares a lot of back ground information on how roy and walt started the company.
lots of information which is shown in multi media format (screens, movies, sound bites)
wheelchair accessible, and you can borrow a wheelchair if needed

An unexpected gem

By Dan Fitz |

This little gem of a museum is amazing. Incredibly informative and superbly structured. Some beautiful pieces in the collection, along with original drawings and concept images. A delight for any Disney fan.

Walt

By Kel |

It's like watching a documentary on the life and times of the great WALT DISNEY. From his early life to his early death.

Walt Disney Museum

By Joyce N |

We arrived too late to get a museum tour but we offered to tour the lobby area which was filled with Disney Awards, furniture from Disney's apartment at Disneyland and much more.
The setting is lovely, parking is plentiful and it is very interesting and well planned.

A wonderful tribute to Walt Disney

By Cathy Stamm |

The Disney family museum is a wonderful tribute to a family that brought so much joy to people thru his creations. It’s amazing to see all of his companies creations.

Fascinating museum, must for movie fans

By Wikumj |

One of the best museums of our California trip. Easy to miss but not to be overlooked - a fantastic place for any fans of Disney or movies in general. Really interesting to learn about Walt from his childhood through to the birth of animation, Disney motion pictures and theme parks. Even has the original drawing of 'Mickey' mouse that Walt drew during a train ride. It's surprisingly large and you could easily spend 2-3 hours here. I would say more for adult movie fans than children although older kids may enjoy it.

All you ever wanted to know about Mickey’s creator

By Shardsman |

Multi-media presentation of the life and work of Walt. You get to see family photos and history of the Disney family.
If you are not going by car, take a taxi or Uber to get to Presidio. There is a free shuttle bus that can take you to the Embarcadero in 20 minutes afterwards.

Disney in SF?

By David S |

Who would have thought of a Disney museum in San Francisco? But this is not as much about the theme parks and movie studios as it is about the life of Walt himself.

For Disney hardcore fans!

By PacNW_Oregonian |

What a treat to learn all about the history of Walt's family and how he got to be THE Imagineer from the very beginnings. Authentic, creative displays of things you would never see anywhere else, and a unique way of capturing his life in photos, audio, film and displays to tell the Disney story. This is NOT a cheesy place - this is the real deal and a gem of a place to spend an afternoon.

The most magical experience in San Francisco

By Breena |

We came to San Francisco specifically for this museum. It was everything I had hoped for and more. Diane Disney Miller has created a perfectly curated museum surrounding her father's accomplishments and it is the perfect stop for any Disney fan. There are items I would have never thought I would see, and every turn was a surprise. Definitely worth the trip from Canada.

Walt's complete history.

By Randy6272 |

A complete history of Walt Disney form his birth. Great reading all the history of this forward looking man. Might be a bit boring for young children.

By Rose Mary Moreno |

This was once in a lifetime experience! Knowing that Walt’s own daughter and grandson were the ones that made all this happen makes it that so much more special!

Exceptional Museum

By Maureen_Vancouver |

This new museum in the Presidio is fantastic! We easily spent 2 hours there without purchasing the special exhibit tickets and could have stayed much longer if we had the time. There are so many spacious rooms and interactive displays, videos, models, artifacts, etc over the two floors that your attention will be held throughout.
Open 10am - 6pm, last entry at 4:45pm. Closed on Tuesdays and some holidays. Tickets can be purchased online or at the main desk. Adults $25, Children $15. There is a cafe open to public and a little gift store area.
I hope everyone visiting San Fran will make their way to this wonderful museum. It is so well done! 5 out of 5

By Kurt O |

Fun and informative. Way bigger than we realized and took over two hours to go through. Heaven for those with Disney nostalgia.

Fabulous in depth history of Walt Disney

By Joanne K |

If you want all of the details on who Walt Disney was as a creative genius and as a family man then you will love this museum. There are 15 rooms to walk through that take you on a journey of his life. Very touching and well done.

By Ness W |

Great !!!! Love to do it again !! The story of Walt Disney and his family was very interesting.
Was so worth the money.
We did the extra exhibition available which was Jungle Book so worth seeing it.
We were there several hours, lifts available for mobility issues and toilets if required.
There is a small cafe with refreshments.
We used a Uber to get there as it wasn’t easy on local transport.

DISNEY - TASTIC

By nickfranklin100 |

The Walt Disney Family Museum has been on my ‘to do’ list for several years. I went there this week and was not disappointed. Easy to find close to the Golden Gate Bridge in the presidio area. A beautiful park and George Lucas’s INDUSTRIAL LIGHT & MAGIC offices are just around the block - and you can get a pic with the YODA fountain and even see real props and costumes from Star Wars in their foyer....I digress (!) - The WDFM is great. Starts off with friendly security guard and welcoming staff inside. We had ore booked x2 months in advance. We went straight in and are surrounded by Walt’s many awards including his main full size Oscar and x7 small mini oscars for Snow White. The museum was lovingly curated by Walt’s daughter and family. She has put her heart and soul into the space telling the highs, lows, union disputes and start up of the world famous cartoonist. Some lovely family mementos and personal letters, clothes and gifts Walt lavished on Lilian. There is a Tiki Room Parrot you can have a go at programming, a huge moving light up model of Disneyland, interesting film cels that chronologically catalogue EVERYTHING. The toilets are immaculate. There is a separately run cafe. The gift shop has unique items - limited figurines, books and items you can’t buy anywhere else. As the Disney family parted ways with the Walt Disney Organisation many years ago - don’t expect a Disney store type store. It’s mainly WDFM branded items. It’s great for Disney fans and suitable for the whole family. There is a lift & Ramps making it accessible. There were talks to take part in which were free. The one we had was about Walt’s mini train obsession. Check the schedule board or information on the way in. Staff were all helpful. Photos attached.

Very Interesting

By Gary G |

Packed with memorabilia of Walt Disney and his family with huge collection of old and rare objects. Lots to read and look at. get a FREE bus from Embarcadero (Drumm or Howard) on the PresidiGO buses.

Great with Lots to Experience

By Tina C |

Very well done gem with history of Walt Disney, movie, awards, great interactive - for kids and parents.

By Choupchoup |

An immersion in Walt Disney’s life: his hard knocks, comings and goings with drawing, war, family, ascent and his news losing... 2h30 to vibrate with this man. Sketch, appearance of color and sound (music problems...): excellent museum!

fantastic time at museum

By Bill and C |

Was just there at the museum last week and had a fantastic time seeing all the different things walt disney accomplished in his life that i never knew about. n\Never knew what an oscar looked like until i saw the oscar collection he won all on display. We also had a nice lunch at the museum and the food was so good.

Great insipiring life story

By Herminia Q |

We visited this place because we happened to stay at the Inn at the Presidio. It was a good way to entertain my teenagers.

A Little Taste of Disney Magic!

By do_the_freddy |

This review happened during CoVID (June 2021) before June 15th. My wife and I went to San Francisco for a short vacation. We went with the goal of visiting the Walt Disney Family Museum. We got our tickets a week before we went (I recommend you get your tickets ahead of time, they do sale out). The location of the museum is at the Presidio and that alone was worth the visit. Very beautiful location to walk around and explore. The staff was friendly and the exhibits where well developed and lots to read and see. The museum is a two-story building with an elevator. You need about two hours if you are really reading and looking at the artifacts. The museum café was closed at the time we went. It really made us miss Disneyland and gave us a more insight to Walt Disney the man. We will be coming back again soon.

By Relax559297 |

We paid additional money to skip the line but there were no queues.
Overall a great place to visit. Items well presented and so full if information.

Great Museum

By CLB |

We went as a group of 4 adults and thoroughly enjoyed each of the many displays which provided a glimpse into Walt Disney's life and family. Don't think very young children would be quite as entertained but older children may, especially those interested in animation as a career.

Disney fans ... make time for it while in San Francisco

By Gary S |

Much better than I expected, and well worth the entry fee. A "must-see" attraction for Disney fans. Tells the Disney Family story, the making of the Disney Story-telling Business, weaving in the characters, movies, etc. Well presented, with short clips, stories, etc., and many unique insights from Walt and others. Beautifully laid out and presented. More like a walk through the Disney Story than a Museum. Thank you , Diane Disney and team!

Interesting, but overpriced.

By BradYaz |

I thought the museum was ok. There were a lot of interesting photos and facts about Disney's life. We didn't pay the extra for the special Mickey Mouse section.

It is a little overpriced but it is San Francisco after all. The location is good in the Presidio and close to the Golden Gate Bridge and Fort Point so you can make a day out of it.

Probably boring for kids though.

Enjoyable and informational museum

By goldenparadox |

I guess I never really thought about what Walt Disney did besides owning theme parks and owning a movie company. I mean, I knew he was involved with making cartoons and such, but I guess I never realized the extent of cartooning and movie making he personally did. It was fascinating learning about his life, from little on up and his journey to who we know him to be today. He truly was an innovator-- I had no idea about how much he did for the craft of cartooning and animation.

I used the app (free) which provided narration. Not sure if it's because I was tired or it wasn't clear, but it took me about half way through to figure out how to use the app to go with different exhibits and not miss anything. It was just a tad confusing.

Overall, it was worth a visit and the $25 to get in. If you are coming with a family it may be a little pricey and I'm not sue younger kids would really get much out of it, but I'm glad I went! I recommend if you have two hours (or a little less) and need something to do.

Very interesting

By Heretic4444 |

A good museum, full of knowledge and sketches, objects, pictures and trophies on the history of Walt Disney and his empire, the people that made it possible, his ups and downs. Very inspiring, the price is fair for what you get.

Fascinating, educational and entertaining!

By Kelly N |

Plan to spend at least 2+ hours here learning about the innovations Walt Disney pioneered. Everyone knows and loves Disney movies, but not many know how many technical breakthroughs were created to bring the magic to life.

Just wow!

By stephp |

We are huge Disney fans. We’ve had Disneyland annual passes as much as we haven’t, even though we live 6.5 hours away on a good traffic day. We all felt that the museum is fantastic.

We arrived and found parking very easily. The parking is for up to 3 hours and we felt like that was an hour too much. It wasn’t. We arrived very hungry and started our visit in the cafe. I got the kids turkey sandwich. It was just ok. My husband choose to split the pulled pork sandwich with our youngest. It was delicious! It came with an Apple slaw that my husband loved. The pork was so flavorful! Next time, I will have that. Our oldest choose the tri tip sandwich. She really liked it. She also tasted the pulled pork and said that it was the best she’s ever had.

The exhibit starts in the lobby. Many of the Disney Company’s awards are on display there. The Oscar for Snow White and mini Oscars for the 7 dwarfs were there. It was really interesting to see them in person. Part of the furniture from Walt’s apartment above the fire station at Disneyland were there. Our tickets were scanned and we began our tour of the actual museum. As members of our local museum, we are NARM members and our admission was free.

The museum tells of Walt’s life from childhood until his death. There are many, many different exhibits that focus on different aspects of his life. Walt narrates parts of the museum exhibits himself, which was interesting. Different artistic styles were used at different spots throughout the museum. This kept the museum fresh throughout our tour.

Some highlights for us were the audio anamatronics- the visitor is able to make the Tiki Room Bird move and breathe, seeing Walt’s personal train, seeing the Mary Poppins memorabilia, and seeing the miniature Disneyland with our children and showing them what attractions were there before they were alive.

I do feel that I need to acknowledge that the end of the tour is in a room that discusses Walt’s death. It is a bit of a shock to turn the corner and become immersed in how others were affected by his passing.

The gift shop has some really cool things to purchase. We bought each of our girls T-shirts, pens, pencils, and a bunch of postcards.

Even though we spent 3 hours at the museum, we missed a lot of what it had to offer. We did not make it to the special exhibit, had to gloss over many of the exhibits, and felt very rushed. We will be going back soon to see some of what we missed. Our older teenager wasn’t super excited to visit the museum when we arrived, but is very excited to return soon.

A wonderful way to spend the day

By JustDriving71 |

This is actually a large museum, so plan on spending a good 4 or 5 hours here. The displays are amazing and very historic and will be enjoyed by all.

Interesting museum but a bit pricey

By Strategy |

If you're into the person Walt Disney, this is the place to be. The exhibition is very interesting, it takes 2-3 hrs. to see it all. As much as we liked it, 25 dollars per person is rather expensive.

Hidden Gem at the Presidio

By Angela S |

Tells the story of Walt Disney and his family, his movies and career. Diorama of Disneyland. Art work shows how the concepts for various movies like ''Jungle Book'' were developed and turned into characters. Lots of items from early Disney films and TV. Lots of videos playing about Walt. Two floors of artifacts.

True Disney fans must see this place, real history.

By Grunden23 |

As a former Disney senior executive, we are so happy that this museum was created to showcase all the amazing art, documents and machinery that built the foundation of the Walt Disney Company. This is a must see place on the beautiful grounds of the Presidio complex by the Golden Gate Bridge. They have the original Disneyland model there and so much of Walt's personal collections and awards.

Surprising

By Keith L |

A must see museum. The life of Walt Disney. Pop culture. The 20th century. Exhibits are top notch with many interactive, hands-on displays that will appeal to all ages. It's possible to spend many hours here. Also a spectacular location in the presidio overlooking the bay.

Highly recommended

By Paul |

We visited this place as it had great reviews and we weren't disappointed.

A great insight into an incredible man, not only his professional career but also his family life and legacy.

We also did the extra Jungle Book exhibition which was amazing.

All in all we were there for around three hours and would highly recommend this.

Pleasantly Surprised

By Joseph S |

I went into the museum with standard expectations about the Disney Experience, but found I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of history was presented about Walt Disney and his family. Great presentation and great displays. Only unfortunate drawback was the movie theater was closed because of COVID-19 precautions.

Extremely educational

By Musgrave |

Extremely educational for all ages. True Disney fans will love what they learn. Spend the time to read the information next to the art. It really does help. I have nothing but wonderful things to say about this museum!

impressive

By Bill N |

More than shots of Mickey Mouse for sure, the museum tells of the Disney creativity and business skill in some detail, including his anti-union side. Many examples of his and his team's work and how they did it all.

Great Museum - BUT Not For Kids!!

By Ov3rLand |

My daughter (who's 30yrs) and I (57yrs) thought it would be fun to go to the Disney Museum. Great family history of Walt Disney. So much reading. It was like reading a novel but on the wall - not pages in a book (which would be a fantastic book). By the 5th room we were tired of reading so we did the rest of the museum kinda quickly.
This is NOT a museum for children! Some kids were there and extremely BORED and disrupting. It's not Disneyland, it is a true museum. Even the gift shop had no toys for kids. The ticket takers should have warned the parents that children will not enjoy it. Plus no discount tickets through AAA or AARP. So if you are interested in the history of Walt and his family this is a great museum. But if you are under the age of 18 you probably wouldn't care, unless you are writing a school report.
There also should have been more places to sit and rest. Some of the reading is high up on the wall and after awhile one might need to sit.

By kayohh7 |

Absolutely beautiful museum in a beautiful location. It was so interesting to read about Walt’s not so linear path to success. We really really enjoyed our visit!

Interesting and well designed interactive experience

By Sushie142 |

An excellent and very informative experience, lots of information with interactive exhibits. Seeing original artwork was amazing and the scale model of original Disneyland concept was a highlight.

PREPARE to STAY a lot, to READ a lot, to WATCH a lot, to LISTEN a lot.

By FOlga |

First of all, my first impression was we need no more than 1 hour to explore everything here and I was so wrong. We spent about 3 hours.
Second, I was surprised about amount adult vs kids in this museum: mostly adults.
It's located in a really ggbeautiful neighborhood. We weren't prepare for a such big amount of information. I think you need more that 1 day to explore it. So PREPARE to STAY a lot, to READ a lot, to WATCH a lot, to LISTEN a lot. For the first 1.5 hours we tried to read everything, but for the second 1.5 hours we weren't be able to do so. It's interesting, but not a lot of places where you can rest|sit.

A must see for Disney fans

By Danielle L |

I have been wanting to go to the Walt Disney Family Museum for a long time now and I finally went. It was very interesting and we spent more time than what is suggested. There is so much to see and read. It was amazing all the memorabilia, photos, etc there displayed. It is in a very beautiful location; at the Presidio. It was a gorgeous day although chilly. The sky was clear and there was a great view of the Golden Gate bridge and Alcatraz. We had a wonderful time. I would like to return as there is so much to see and take in. We not only toured the museum, but also the Mickey Mouse exhibit as well as watched the Christmas film which included some home videos. There was just so much to learn.

Very interesting and well curated

By LarkInSummer |

I was impressed by the amount of information and memorabilia, all presented absolutely beautifully. Lots of video, and audio of Walt Disney telling his own stories. Well worth a visit.

A True "Behind the Scenes" Look at the Disney story

By RoadWarrior |

I thought I knew a lot about the story of Walt Disney, but there was much for me to learn. Very interesting if you like history, biography, or if you are a Disney fan.

Pricey but interesting

By alt c |

We had watched a documentary about Walt Disney's life before visiting the museum. Even so, we ended up spending more than 2 hours. Exhibits are informative, cleverly designed and captivating even if you're not a Disney super-fan. Ultimately, those decades were an important slice of American history and Walt's life is presented in that context.

Good experience

By Cruiser188813 |

We really enjoyed this museum. There is a lot to read. It is a little overwhelming to read all the signs There is too much information on the signs. Plan to spend at least two or more hours there. I wouldn't bother with the WWII exhibit that is going on. It's not worth the extra 10 dollars.

By adambgcc |

Staff was rude and hovering over my family during the entire visit. We only had an hour to tour the whole museum. They were watching my kids like hawks (7,9,12) who just wanted to learn about everything. We were seriously the only guests at the end of the day. There were more employees than guests during our visit. It was 5:31 and seriously felt like they were pushing us out the door. Wouldn’t let us in the gift shop for even a few minutes. We definitely would have spent money there too! My group of 7 loves all things Disney and the history that goes with it. The exhibits were amazing and it was my family’s first time in SF. The way we were treated will not be forgotten.

Great exhibits of Disney memorabilia and history. Well worth the admission.

By CairnCarrier |

Happened upon this museum while perusing Trip Advisor for things to do in San Francisco that we had not done previously on our many prior trips there. The prior reviews were good, the traveler photos were interesting, and admission was very reasonable, so off we went! Despite previously having seen documentary material about Walt Disney, Disneyland, and Walt Disney World, I truly enjoyed this museum and its exhibits. Learned new things about him and his creations. My wife is not so keen as me for museums, but she made it through the whole thing over 2.5 hours! Even though I’m not Mickey obsessed, I could have spent at least another hour there. Admittedly, I read a lot about the exhibits when visiting museums. There’s a lot to see, even I you don’t read much in the exhibits. Several times when we thought we were done, there was yet another hall to check out. If you’re at all a fan of Disney movies, theme parks, cartoons, etc., I would recommend you visit this museum.

Disney Magic

By busconi |

When I was a kid, my family visited Disneyland not too long after it opened. As we were walking through TomorrowLand, a gentleman with a small moustache came up to us and asked my parents how they were enjoying the park. It was Walt himself. I feel honored to have met this man, but before today I didn't really know too much about him. After going through the museum, you get a true appreciation of the true genius that was Walt Elias Disney. A visionary, an artist, a family man, and so much more. He truly started from nothing and built an empire and changed the way movies were made. This museum was the brainchild of his daughter, Diane, so her father's legacy wouldn't be forgotten. Inside there is so many special momentos from Walt's life...from his bapism certificate to the Golden Globe rewards and Oscars. As you roam from room to room you follow Walt's life...from birth to death and all the accomplishments in between. It is truly a special museum, so well done.

Love Disney, love museums, but not this one

By Liv S |

This museum is very boring and we are Disney fanatics! We love museums and we love Disney, but this was just not it. It was also not near any of the touristy things we planned to do and took an Uber to get there only to find that the information is fairly basic and totally uninteresting. The small museum At Hollywood studios covers more stuff than this. It was just not for us, especially given the location. Bonus travel tip, the presidio is nothing special from a tourism perspective. I could see how you would want to live by it, but there’s no need to make a separate stop here.

Interesting with good flow

By karenlawhun |

Well laid out museum with exhibits that keep you interested. It chronicles the life and business ventures of Walt Disney more so than the theme parks themselves so know before you go. I learned so much about the innovation he is responsible for. After a while, I was burnt out on information overload but that’s me - nothing the museum could help!

By Dave K |

First off, I’m fascinated about anything Disney (World, Land, the man). This experience didn’t disappoint. They claim it takes 2 hours (self guided) and I agree. A lot of great artifacts from Walt’s life including stories about his parents and general family. Also some interesting facts about the early animation process. Finally, the last room chronicled how the world reacted to his passing. It was both gut wrenching and celebratory. BTW, parking is easy, the Presidio area is beautiful.

A must for Walt Disney fans

By LuckyPierre_11 |

Located at the Presidio, it is not affiliated with the Disney company. This is about the man and his legacy. It was really informative and gave lots of insight into Walt's history and the history of animation. The museum seemed to be dedicated more towards adults than children. Not much of interactive exhibits here! There are a lots of memorabilias (trophies, pictures, drawinss, extracts from the TV Show, etc.). Don`t miss the 12-foot in diameter model of "The Disneyland of Walt's Imagination". It is not the park as it first was in 1955. lt represents the Disneyland that Walt would have wanted. A great view of the Golden Gate Bridge while transiting from the old to the new annex of the building.

Exceptional, must see ...

By Claude.M |

Very nice place, the guided tour on the phone loaned by the museum is very well done, in French, which does not spoil anything.

The photographing machine, created by Walt is a treasure of ingenuity, we better understand the quality of these cartoons.

the whole museum is to be seen, we really get value for money ....

my only regret, is that I didn't take enough money to buy all the souvenirs offered in the end-of-visit shop, my son who made all the parks, told me that it was really to see....

Sincerely go ahead, that's worth a visit.

Disney Family Museum

By Elizabeth S |

Our visit to the museum was nice. Very well laid out, enjoyable and educational. There was a lot of insight on Walt and his family.

Quiet, respectful museum.

By Rodney C |

Don't expect rides or amusements here. This is a family history museum collection of Walt Disney. His story told with interactive displays and many personal items. Well done.

Really engaging place ... so much background and struggles that ....

By Ben S |

Delivered the magic of my childhood. But Walt and Roy had, like most small businesses, tough going many times. Artifacts, films and clips, games, and lots more make it really fun. We spent 4 hrs and I was on a knee scooter 🛴 totally worth it. Tho the helical descent ramp thru the last room is probably calmer on 2 legs...

In Depth history of Walt Disney

By Marie H |

This museum is really for Disney history buffs, not so much for small children or casual fans. Prepare to read a LOT and spend at least a couple of hours. Walks you through Disney's life and projects. Includes some early art/prototypes that you may not see elsewhere. Loved the chronology of his projects, interspersed with what was happening in his personal/family life at the time. And lots of art, from rough sketches to posters, to film clips. Never felt rushed, take your time reading and exploring.

Disney

By kathy4117 |

This is a cool place, much bigger than we initially thought. So many film clips to see and info cards to read. Took us about two hours without doing the Cats and Dogs exhibit. Small kids would be bored, lots of reading and family history.

Awesome museum

By focusport22 |

This is a great museum on the life of Walt Disney and his family. They also have the train that was in Walt’s backyard.
They touch upon the different decades and show a lot of things that people may not know about.

Interesting history of things like what Disney did in WW2, family life, and building his business.

By Marla C |

Interesting history of things like what Disney did in WW2, family life, and building his business. A must for Disney buffs.

A Very Interesting and Accessible Experience

By Elizabeth T |

I went expecting to learn a lot about Disneyland. I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of the information share about Walt Disney and all the others around him who contributed to his creative and business success. It tells the story of an American dreamer who lived a real American dream. It detailed the progression and growth of the Disney business, not just the brand. However, it is not a place for young kids. The exhibits are great when you can read and have a sustained attention span. They website says to plan 1.5 hours, but I would put it at 2 plus. And the gift shop is small, which was fine with me as it did not make the focus of the visit selling me something.

A Must-See for Disney Admirers

By TravelSouthGA |

The Disney family established a museum to pay tribute to and explain the life and business career of both Walt (primarily) and Roy Disney.. It is well worth the price and the exhibit is very well done, as you would expect. Note that it would probably not be enjoyable (on the whole) for younger children. While there are things kids would enjoy, it is mostly geared toward adults who want to know about the man (men), the myths, the legends. Many of the awards they won, including the many Oscars and Presidential Medal of Freedom are on display. You also learn about the technology they developed and their successes and failures that they overcame.

Allow several hours, because it is easy to get sucked into watching the fascinating film clips and reading about all of the details . A must-see for fans of Walt and Roy Disney and their creations!

Awesome collection of Disney Information and Memorbilia

By WeHa 98 |

I simply loved this exhibition. I am a Disney fan and was happy to read about the real story of the Disney Corporation. I loved all the family photos and personal information provided. It was so interesting and I think anyone would enjoy this collection. The man was a creative genius.......

A Must for Disney Fans

By Dave P |

A great museum dedicated to Walt Disney, his artwork, and Disneyland. I learned so much about Walt Disney, aside from the parks and the movies. It takes about 2 hours to wander through the museum. If you are a Disney fan there is so much to see that you will not see these types of displays at the Disney Parks. You can see his Academy Awards including the seven little statues from the Snow White and Seven Dwarfs. The Ambulance he drove in World War I and various other memorabilia.

It Was A Great Time!!

By Wander2003 |

It’s a great museum for someone who loves Walt Disney. Many exhibits that follows his life from beginning to end.Highly recommend!!!

By Mass Mom |

Really good historic collection of Disney family memorabilia. Awards, pictures, background story. For true Disney fans a must see. Not really for very young kinds.

A must do for Disney fans

By JoanneLB |

Amazing museum detailing the life and times of Walt Disney. Amazing details, voice recordings, letters, Oscar statues, awards, playbills, sketches from every imagine Disney movie, tv show, the Disneyland model. It was an awesome experience. We were there maybe 2.5 hours but I definitely could have spent more time. Get there near opening so the crowd is smaller and parking is ample. At back of building there is a glass wall with great views of the golden gate bridge too.

By Quico A |

For Disney lovers visit must. Tour of Walt Disney's life from childhood to death. I recommend taking tickets in advance because once sold out for the day they are not issued anymore. Price of $25. Original drawings as well as personal items...tour of about 2/3 hours

A pilgrimage for any Disney fan

By stumblethru |

A fantastic museum that is deceptively big (in a good way). 17 rooms that walk you through the life of Walt and Roy Disney, from their humble beginnings on a farm to the glitz of Hollywood and success.

You see early cartoons and comic strips, as well as the creation of the most famous mouse in the world and how everything came together to create so many memorable characters - Snow White, Pinocchio, Dumbo, Bambi, amongst many others. So special to see the very first drawing of Mickey and so many of Walt's awards, including the one of a kind Oscar with one big Oscar and seven little Oscars (bet you can guess what that was for). Also on display are many little clips of Walt speaking about his life, Disney artists speaking about their work and a heap of other memorabilia such as photos from the Mary Poppins premiere and the letter to Julie Andrews asking her to play Mary. So much to look at!

The workers who check your tickets tell you it will take about 1.5 hours, it took me at least 3. And still more to look at. A must for any Disney fan. Walt, you're my hero.

Nice place

By Sheryl E |

We enjoyed ourselves. People told us to allow 2-3 hours to go through the place. We did 1.5 hours because we got lazy reading everything. I expected something more "fun" but still enjoyed it. Not a good place for kids because of all the reading and lack of fun stuff. Adults would appreciate it though. Keep in mind this is the Walt Disney (the man) museum, not a Disney museum!

A must!

By ilovetotravel1995 |

Disney fans: Do. Not. Miss. Absolutely a must. We loved it! Allow for plenty of time so you aren’t rushed. Original works and family history of Disney that were fascinating to learn about. They even have pins in the bookstore to add to your lanyard. We are so glad we went. Not to mention, it was great to get out of the city for a while too. Beautiful area.

By Christi F |

This was an enjoyable museum. It was a lot of history so it’s definitely geared toward Disney fans. The museum is well laid out and they take Covid protocols very seriously. It was an enjoyable visit.

A thorough history of Walt's impressive life

By iniles |

As you might expect of a Disney production, the museum has so much to offer. More than can be seen in one visit. Lovely location, too.

Best museum

By Heather M |

I am a museum curator and this is the best museum I've been to. It was interactive, informative and fun - keeping our whole family occupied for hours. Unfortunately we didn't give ourselves enough time to fully enjoy it at a leisurely pace., and we also arrived after the cafe had stopped serving meals (but pre-prepared snacks were still available).

A fitting tribute to the creator and all things Disney.

By Rachel & Andy |

Visited 11/06/2023

We both LOVE all things Disney, and we loved visiting this Museum that pays tribute to the man who started it all. From seeing all the awards won, to initial doodles, first story lines and films, to the touching tribute at the end following his death. This museum is A LOT bigger than you realise, we initially thought we would only need a couple of hours, but spent four in total (maybe more if they weren't closing).

They have so much to see, look at, read, and interact with. It is a really well done museum and a fitting tribute for the creator of Disney himself.

We would highly recommend visiting here, if you are a lover of museums or Disney, or both!

A very pleasant surprise.

By Terry T |

The Walt Disney Family Museum looks like a small museum but it is jam packed with so many artifacts reflecting the early life of Walt Disney family. So much information about Walt's parents and brothers as well as the beginnings in the 1920's. Lots of Disney memorabilia. Good museum for kids but really better for adults.

A Great Family Excursion

By tamura3d |

Certainly the Bay Area is not known as a place for a Disney attraction. There is no amusement park, although you could make the case for the presence of ILM/LucasFilm at the Letterman Center in the Presidio and Pixar across the Bay in Emeryville. But in 2009, before those acquisitions, the Disney family wanted to honor the legacy and history of Walt Disney and opened a permanent museum space in the SF Presidio devoted to his family history, his early career efforts, the successes and setbacks of his nascient animations, his move to Los Angeles, the start-up of his animation studio, the innovations in rotoscoping and multiplane camera shooting, the glories of his motion picture features, and the visions for his amusement parks and designs for 4 of the major exhibitions at the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair. The museum is staged in chronological sequence and broken into a dozen spaces on two levels linked by a grand spiral ramp, ending with his demise in 1965, but including his future plans to develop Disney World and EPCOT in Orlando, Florida.

I think it’s fair to say that no one is without some attachment to the world of Disney through the movies, the amusement park, the merchandising, the music, et al. So people of all ages and backgrounds will have some interest in this museum. Beyond the information and objects that are on display, every room has multiple video screens that run short loops of movie clips, interviews, and home movies that could engage you for hours if you managed to sit through each and every loop. They usually schedule one full-length screening in their small private theater. For a separate admission, there is an adjacent building that displays a changing exhibition. The entranceway to the main museum allows you access to a small cafe and of course a gift store. I will admit that this is one of the better Disney gift stores because the merchandise is dominantly related to the creativity of the Disney legacy and even the usual T-shirts and mugs are specially designed for the museum with more tasteful graphics and designs. To reaffirm this point, there are art supplies branded without the mouse logo and just intended to encourage creative expression. They even have a nook devoted to the artist, Eyvind Earle, one of the many talented artists who had a distinctive style in the Disney canon (the background art for Sleeping Beauty) and who has a celebrated reputation with his fine art paintings and serigraphs (the museum showcased his work in the changing exhibition space this past year).

Children will be entertained with all the toy memorabilia and the loops of animation shorts. Many of the displays are interactive with touch screens and if one room doesn’t sustain your interest, the next room awaits you. My preferred pace is generally not to linger very long in one place at museums but 2 hours went by quickly in the main museum and easily could have been longer.

This is not your usual marketing of all things Disney but focuses on Walt’s creativity and visions. I felt the museum was well-designed and engaging without having trademarks and characters behind every display. As a boomer I grew up with Disney, as did our adult children, but am not drawn to the mega-corporation that it’s become (nor it’s super-hero universes). I do appreciate the innovation Walt brought to his projects and the tremendous influence he’s had on entertainment and ultimately our culture (for better or worse). There’s a lot to absorb here and well worth spending the time learning, appreciating, and reminiscing with everything that is on display.

Go! You’ll be sure to have a great time!

Wonderful Museum

By Matt |

A really great exhibit showcasing the man that created the company that launched a media empire. The emphasis is on Walt’s personal involvement in his projects and his family. Really well done, with plenty of interactive exhibits. Loved it!

Wow! Disney in the city?

By JPMStanLAX |

I walke by and went inside to look. It had alot of good disney historical pieces. It reminded me of my child hood

AWESOME EXPERIENCE

By Frank O |

A must see for any Disney fan. loaded with one of a kind memorabilia from the Disney family. great views of the bridge and cliffs.

Excellent experience

By Elena W |

Does saying we spent 5 hours here tell you enough. This is a fabulous museum. The displays are beautiful and thoughtfully done. We added the special exhibit and it was also worthwhile. Additionally, the location and orientation couldn't be better.

A marvellous place to visit.

By paul r |

What a marvellous place it is. We were amazed at the huge collection of material showing the history of Walt Disney himself. It took hours to soak it all in. We would definitely visit again. Thank you to the Disney family for creating this wonderful place and for letting us discover more about the man and his family.

Super

By Les Giles |

Was an excellent exhibit and very informative especially Walt's family photos and history. There was also a free bus going back into town.

Enjoyable, and special for Disney and films fans

By BarryandJackie |

You can take a quick walk through in about 60, maybe 90, minutes or stay several hours, depending upon your interests and patience. There is lots to read, which can get to be somewhat bothersome if there are lots of people on the same pace as yourself. All in all, though, we enjoyed learning about Walt Disney (with some appreciation for the biased viewpoint -- after all, this is a tribute from his family), and especially the movies and how they were made.

Amazing and Informative!

By JetSetterRobb |

One of the coolest museums that I've ever been to. The setting of it is the historic Presidio inside a restored and re-purposed military building. If you want to learn about the complete history of the amazing visionary, Walt Disney, this is the place to go. So much history and so many historical Disney artifacts. Walt's daughter founded the museum in his honor and filled it with personal Disney family items. You won't be disappointed.

By PNW Life |

We were excited when we arrived in SF. Then when we checked their website and it said Closed! What? We purchased our tickets in advance on TripAdvisor before we flew down and they shut. We need a refund.
How do we go about getting our money back? Please advise.

An informative and nice museum

By Wilma1922 |

I visited the museum as a big Mickey Mouse fan accompanied by 4 friends who don’t care much for Disney. We were all delighted by the museum. More for adults than kids it chartered Walt and his brother’s history and that of the company.
There was also an excellent exhibit on the life of Mickey Mouse - how he started and what he became. The museum is packed with history and laid out nicely. Takes a good few hours to get round. It’s only down side - no public transport near by and limited signs pointing the way. We got there on foot with google maps- they could advertise more and include transport links. All the staff are super friendly (other than the cafe who appeared under stress and concerned that everyone lined up correctly for service - not sure what that was about 😳).

A Good day out and the price was about right.

The birth of the Disney Empire... a 4.5 +

By lwj |

The Disney Family Museum is located on the grounds of the Presidio in San Francisco.
The museum is an interesting look into the Disney family and the genesis of the Walt Disney Empire.... it chronicles the life experiences that influenced the creativity, business practices and visions of Walt Disney and the development of his company.
Not everything always went smoothly... when he lost control of his first cartoon character to a business associate, Disney fought to regain control of Oswald Rabbit but failed. He also went to work on creating a better and newer character, Mickey Mouse.... and so the empire was then poised to take off and make history.
From short cartoon subjects to full length animated movies, amusement parks and resorts, television, movies, music.... the Disney corporation has continued to grow.
All parking in the area is metered... $2.00 to $2.50 per hour.
Our visit lasted almost 4 hours....

By Jodi307 |

True to all things Disney, this museum is very well done, down to the tiniest detail. It tells the story of his life primarily from a professional perspective although it also shares some about his family. Visiting this museum is like walking through a visual and audio biography of Walt Disney. The huge model of Disneyland was my favorite part. We also ate lunch at the cafe - overpriced but wow the food was good! And being located at the Presidio is a huge plus! We parked at the museum (not free) and then after our museum visit we walked about two minutes to the transit center and got on the PresidiGo shuttle (free) and went to the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center (10 minute ride). There we found paths to amazing views of the bridge and could have walked right across the bridge. You can easily spend a full day in the Presidio with this museum as just one stop.

Fabulous museum, should not be missed!

By C. C |

If you are a Disney fan, especially from when the park in Anaheim opened, you will love this museum. Great for young people and adults that want to know about Walt Disney's life and how things got started and created - so fascinating! I did see a number of people with younger children here, and in my opinion, I would have found this place boring before age 10-12 years. We were going to spend 2-3 hours and ended up being there 5+ hours, so come at opening time to give yourself time if you end up being into it and don't want to rush through the exhibits. There is a lot to see and learn there! There is also a coffee shop with food that is reasonable in the building, but you can go in and out with your ticket. Parking seems easy. You may want to call ahead to be sure there aren't any school field trips during your visit.

Very nice visit

By Eugene L |

A lot of information for Mr Walt Disney and his early life, also a lot of information about Walt Disney company. Valuable exhibit.

By Lena K |

Being huge fans of Disneyland, we wanted to visit the Walt Disney Family Museum. It was great to read about and see photographs of Walt's childhood, his beginnings as an animator, his family and all the wonderful movies produced while he lived. A gift shop has a variety of souvenirs of many things Disney (but only those movies that were around while Walt was alive). The Museum is located in the Presidio and a huge lawn area is across from it, where people have picnics, children can run and play.

Walt Disney Museum

By nancyrose2016 |

This was an unexpected pleasure. I didn't realize this museum was there and I am so glad we found it. We spent five hours there and could have spent more time. It was great.

By Kitty_luxe |

It really is all about Walt Disneys life, there is a lot of information and it’s a lot of reading! In fact most of the exhibition is reading.
I don’t know why the museum is located here but it’s ok, although if you never went to visit it, then you wouldn’t be missing out.
I was taking a photo of the model and the staff are jobsworths and told me to not lean over so far even though there was no sign.
It’s good but not amazing or wow.

Great Museum for Disney Fans

By sca6 |

The place didn't look too big from the outside so we figured 1 - 1 1/2 hours might do it. We spent about 2 1/2 hours and had to rush near the end since they were closing. Take the time to put on headset and listen to imagineers, family, and Walt himself talk about stories of his life and work. The miniature of Disneyland was wonderful.

The amount of information is overwhelming

By Don'tWaitForRetirement |

This is a quality, thorough and interesting museum, however we experienced INFORMATION OVERLOAD!

There is a LOT of reading and after a while we were like 'how much more?!!' Despite finding the story about Walt's life and how Disneyland came to be interesting, I started to feel delirious and skipped bits after about three quarters of the way through.

A couple of interesting aspects that stood out were a model of Walt's apartment, an early model of Disneyland and samples of paint colors that are used. (Do not however, hover your camera/phone above the Disneyland model as you will be told off by a staff member!)

The museum is housed in a lovely brick building with a cafe and a gift shop. Staff are dressed in formal red and black uniforms and are polite, just like you'd expect at any Disney experience.

We purchased our timed ticket on-line before our San Francisco trip and arrived at the museum a few minutes early by ride share. Due to the timed ticket, the galleries weren't too busy. I would suggest going early in the day since there's so much to digest.

I would not recommend this museum for children younger than 12, due to the sheer amount of detailed reading and information.

I can't fault the museum, but I can't really say I overly enjoyed the experience since there was so much to take in. I feel it could be greatly simplified.

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A massive dose of Disney history.

By Hewitty15 |

This visit was a lot of fun. We were all older and grew up as the Disney properties were being established and the Disney television activity was in its infancy. The Disney Family Museum managed to pull up many memories and at times the old folks were giddy at the recollections. Highly recommended for young and old.

Mickey and Walt All Over!

By Joan E |

As an avid Disney Fan I truly enjoyed my visit to The Walt Disney Family Museum. The admission price of $25 and then an additional $10 fee for the Mickey Mouse Exhibit was a little pricey but well worth it if you are a Disney fan (Who isn't?) I enjoyed the presentations, the video clips and some of the Disney music that went along with the clips. The biographical information of Walt and his family was very interesting and the history of Mickey in general put a big smile on my face. I was able to get through the whole museum and the exhibit in less than two hours. I even participated in a discussion group about the origins of Minnie and Mickey.

If you like or love Disney, you gotta go there!

By mjbncc1701 |

It's an excellent museum. Starting with rooms housing all the awards Disney won to Walt's origins up to his passing.

Well Worth a Visit!

By Steve R |

My wife insisted we go and I was a bit surprised by how big and complete it was and I loved it which also surprised me. Being able to see how Walt Disneys brilliance and vision unfolded was really amazing.
I was flooded with memories and emotions walking through and seeing the making of and scaled plans and layout for Disney Land was very cool.
He was a genious.

For Serious Disney Fans

By P&K USA |

Being such big Disney fans, we couldn’t not visit The Walt Disney Family Museum on Montgomery Street, when on our 13 mile walk around San Francisco on August 10th 2023.

It was card payments only, so we paid the $50 general admission for two adults on our card.

We spent a leisurely 2 hours inside the museum, exploring the galleries. It wasn’t too busy so we were able to see and read all the displays we wanted to without feeling pressured.

The museum was very thorough, charting Walt Disney’s life and success, and it was was full of some very exclusive and rare items.

One gallery had a wall filled with 348 frames of animation from Steamboat Willie (the first Mickey Mouse cartoon with sound from 1928), primarily the work of artist Ub Iwerks, and representing around 15 seconds of footage. Shockingly impressive!

We also got to see/enjoy:
- The Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs Academy Award and seven accompanying miniature awards;
- The earliest known drawings of Mickey Mouse (graphite on paper), Minnie Mouse and Oswald the Rabbit;
- Early artwork by a young Walt Disney;
- Film cells, posters and rare artefacts from Walt’s life;
- Original Mickey Mouse merchandise;
- The Lilly Belle Train from Walt’s garden railroad at his Holmby Hills home;
- The revolutionary Multiplane Camera;
- The original model of Fantasyland Castle by Fred Joerger, 1953;

But the pièce de résistance was waiting for us towards to end of the trail and that was the enormous and detailed Disneyland Model. We spent a good while scrutinising it and comparing it to our recollections from our very recent visit to Disneyland in Anaheim a week or so earlier.

The last gallery was called ‘Walt’s Legacy’ and of course covered his death in 1966. By this point you were so agog with admiration for Walt’s achievements that it was upsetting to read about his death and the worldwide reactions.

As always, you exit into the gift shop. It was very expensive and sadly this restricted us on what we bought there. It was pricier than the gift shops in Disneyland, but we managed to pick up a reproduction retro Mickey Mouse soft toy for only $27+tax.

As we continued the rest of our lengthy walk around San Francisco, with the next stop being the fog-cloaked Golden Gate Bridge, the cumbersome boxed Mickey Mouse collectible came with us. We had to hold on tightly in the wind!

The Walt Disney Family Museum was a pricey visit, but if you’re a serious fan of Walt Disney then it is a must-visit destination when in San Francisco.

Lovely experience

By Brandon F |

I grew up as a Disney kid through and through...this Museum took me back to so many memories and brought new appreciation for concepts and processes that I knew could not have been easy but did not know the depths of prior to coming. Well displayed, easy to follow without being overwhelmed and nostalgia inducing. I'd recommend it to anyone who appreciates what the brand has done over the decades.

Disney fans

By Analu Sante |

Attention all Disney fans! You absolutely have to visit this museum! Prepare to be amazed by the incredible attention to detail and stunning beauty that awaits you. Trust me, it's an experience you won't forget!

All About Walt

By Angela Y |

Great experience if you want to know more about Walt the man and his history. Be sure to schedule at least 2 hours. And you can explore the Presidio too.

A must see for every Disney Fan

By Dawn H |

This museum was incredible! I am a huge Disney fan and this museum let me enter the life of the man who created it all. It was so cool to see the first drawing of Mickey Mouse. The space that the museum is in is just as cool.

Nice museum

By lucycan |

Like all things Disney this place was well run, clean, and not cheap. But you get what you pay for. Great place to learn the history of the man.

Great Day at the Walt Disney Family Museum

By Cynthia E |

Thoroughly enjoyed seeing all of the history of Walt Disney on these walls. It was a truly unique collection that reveals so much about Walt, his family, and his journey. The artwork alone is enough to keep you occupied for hours. The staff is extremely friendly and helpful. There is also a great museum shop with some unique Disney treasures to take home. Buy tickets in advance and entry is timed.

A must-see for any Disney fan

By Angel05 |

Loved the Walt Disney Family Museum! You can tell this was created with such love and care. The exhibits were so interesting- my favourite was the model Disney park- could have looked at it for hours!
We also caught the current Mickey Mouse exhibit which was just wonderful. Highly recommend and would definitely go back

Great curated exhibit

By Petecwilson |

This wonderful museum is a pleasure for all ages. Inspiring and full of connections to our shared memories.

Very Well Done

By Michaela D |

This museum is extremely well laid-out and informative. It takes you through the life and work of Walt and his empire. You learn about the ups and downs of his life and career that brought about the studio and parks. Lot's of cool old pictures and animations. Would definitely recommend to anyone who has the time.

Awesome

By Laura F |

I love that we get to see how Walt Disney grew up. Getting to see his family and how they lived. It was nice to see his early sketches on some of my favorite movies.

Great museum

By Bill S |

This is an excellent museum that gives you glimpse into the life of Walt Disney. It has lots of memorabilia from his life as a cartoonist, to his studios, Disneyland and of his death. There is lots of reading and I would allow 2-4 hours easily to go through if you read all about his history. Enjoyed our time there and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the museum to Disney fans.

Absolutely wonderful!

By Libby L |

Fabulous experience, highly recommended for Walt Disney fans. It's much bigger than it looks so give yourself at least 2 hours, I was there for 3. Learning more about Walt's family history was fascinating as well as how Mickey came to be, and of course the early movies and the creation of Disneyland. There's also a wonderful gift shop. I went on a Sunday and it wasn't too busy so very comfortable to walk around and see everything well.

Exploring Disney’s History

By Nicole A |

The Walt Disney Family Museum is must see attraction for any fan of Disney. This museum was started by one of Walt’s daughters to preserve their family history and tell his story. They do a fantastic job of combining art, trinkets, family heirlooms, and interactive exhibits.

You can go at your own pace, but know that if you want to read every little item and see each part of the 17 rooms plus the extra paid exhibit, you will need 2+ hours. We paid for both the main exhibit of 17 rooms plus the extra exhibit on Mickey Mouse that is being featured through January 2020.

We spent about 45 minutes to an hour in the Mickey Mouse exhibit and then took a break to go grab lunch down the street at The Brixton. After lunch we came back and spent a good 1 1/2 to 2 hours in the 17 room exhibit. It’s great that they let you come and go as needed once you have a ticket. Prices are reasonable too! If you have a student ID bring it! I got a discount with my Graduate School ID. I won’t share too much about the exhibits as not to ruin it but I have shared some photos.

Great for Disney Fans

By donnajholloway |

My adult daughter and throughly enjoyed our time here on a rainy San Francisco afternoon. Seeing all the oscars and learning more about the main behind the mouse was interesting.

Extremely Entertaining!

By jmsmas |

I highly recommend visiting the museum. Don't skip the extra building exhibit, it is well worth the extra money. The pictures and memorabilia are wonderfully preserved and displayed. They have the friendliest staff around. We ended up needing a quick bite to eat and the chili and potato leak soup were excellent. The cafe staff was awesome!

Good experience

By manlytahiti |

It was interesting to learn the life of Walt Disney.
As we love all Disney animated films, we were glad to have visited the museum.
It was great. We’ve really appreciated the visit
We suggest people should visit the musem

Extraordinary Collection

By Gitanjali S |

This museum is a treasure trove of memorabilia from Walt Disney’s personal journey. A must-visit pilgrimage for those who want to get to know the man behind the empire. It’s not a place for young kids but great for history’s buffs and true fans of Disney. Put aside at least 3 hours to enjoy the complete tour. Lovely little coffee shop on site if you want to take a break.

Disney Fans, don't miss this

By MtngirlKim |

Waht a great tribute to a remarkable man from humble beginnings. This interactive museum does a great job chroniciling Walt's life and accomplishments. There are daily movie showing and usually other hands on activities. Somethings for all ages.

Nice stroll down memory lane

By AaronB13 |

Interesting walk through the history of Walt Disney. Thought there could be more but some was really cool. Was warm in there, so wear light clothes.

Rich and varied treatment of Walt's life and career

By ElvisAndrus |

Seems bigger inside than out. Lots of artifacts and a lot of great interpretation and clips. A great sense of how "hands on" Disney was - not just a figurehead. Almost too much. You would be there all day if you read everything and maybe two days if you watched everything. I did not find it relaxing, due to the pretty big crowd and the amount of displays in a small space. Not many opportunities to sit and cleanse your mind but definately worth going, especially if you like seeing Oscars like I do. Good chance you will have a nice choice of food trucks if you hungry before or after going.

Very interesting

By Betts53 |

This museum has so much to see and learn about Walt Disney...from his beginnings all the way thru. I went with my 7 and 9 year old grandsons and they were fascinated throughout!! Allow yourself plenty of time to really see everything and save time by having tickets already purchased when you arrive. A must see!!

By Kellylouisegibson |

Absolutly loved learning about Walt & his family.

I got abit emotional at the Bambi section!

There is lots to read and see and it's a lovely museum. It's alot bigger than we thought.

A Wonderful Museum about a Wonderful Man

By C Crowley |

We visited the Walt Disney Family Museum at the Presidio. It was a great history of Walt Disney and all the magic he brought to all of us. It takes about an hour and a half to see everything with lots of audio exhibits in Disney's own voice. It was amazing to see all of the thing he created. This is a great place to visit with reasonable parking very close by.

A must see for any Disney Fan

By Jennifer R |

A visit here is a must for all Disney lovers. It is located in a great area - the Presidio, from which you can see views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. The museum's staff are so helpful and take time to answer any questions you may have. Special mention needs to go out to the guy on the front desk and the guy in the gift shop. The museum has so much information about Walt, his family and his work.If you want to read everything and see everything make sure you leave at least 1/2 a day to visit (there is a lot of reading) The only negative is the limited places to get food round the area. You are really limited to what is at the expensive cafe (and the day we went they seemed to have run out of most things on the menu). You can even catch a free bus from out the front of the Museum to the Golden Gate Bridge, which is really handy.Our family of 5 loved the time we spent here and feel we have gotten to know Walt Disney so much better.

Full of interesting facts

By Richard W |

This is not a typical Walt Disney experience, but an informative life history of how Walt Disney came about and the company developed with plenty to keep you entertained along the way with films of the family, clips from TV and films and artwork and models. We went expecting to fill a few hours but we stayed nearly the whole day and we didn't pay the extra for the Mickey Mouse exhibit! We went there when a Disney Cruise ship was in town so it was busier than normal but I can't say it was crowded. It is not difficult to get to with the FREE PresidiGo bus from Downtown almost to the door.

Worth a visit

By David E J |

Interesting museum. Lots of really good detail and info about the family and Walt's life. Lots also about the animation and film process - if you're not into that, it might be a little much. Worth a visit. Took the shuttle from downtown to the Presidio.

Surprising Good

By Gene K |

Not sure what we expected but was very glad that we went here. Excellent museum dedicated to the family aspect of Walt Disney. Many exhibits on his life and the creative process behind his films and the establishment of Disneyworld.

By Jen |

If you want to learn more about Walt the man, his life and his legacy, this is the place to go. It’s hard to understate the impact Walt had on our culture, but this museum is a great and fun way to see and experience it.

The museum is housed in the historic Presidio park, which is immaculately maintained and lovely. The museum itself is actually quite beautiful and immersive and each room is laid out in a creative way that keeps things interesting. There are many videos and recordings of Walt telling his story in his own words, including a room that has some really clever animated scenes of his early life that are narrated by his interviews.

The exhibits span from his birth to his death and include the difficult years when he and Roy were struggling to get the studio off the ground and all the way up to Disneyland and the beginnings of the planning for Walt Disney World, right before his death in 1966.

The museum also has a really great museum shop filled with books, works of art, clothing and souvenirs, many of which continue the educational experience and are a higher caliber than you find in most entertainment venue gift shops.

For any Disney fan, this is a must-do experience while in San Francisco. Highly recommended.

A must see for all Walt Disney fans!

By Go11986 |

A very informative and in depth look at the Disney family. So glad we did this, and would recommend it to others.

Disappointing

By GoGatorsWayne |

They don't tell you on the website you MUST have a reservation, so boy were we surprised when we showed up 40 minutes before opening and were told we could not get in until we got on the phone and made a reservation. Plus, the staff seems to have a chip on their shoulder. Many were pretentious and acted as if they were superior to the guests. If you are expecting Disney-like hospitality here, you will be disappointed.

By P&K USA |

Being such big Disney fans, we couldn’t not visit The Walt Disney Family Museum on Montgomery Street, San Francisco. It was card payments only, so we paid the $50 general admission for two adults on our card when we called by on August 10 2023. We did not have a reservation or online ticket.

We spent a leisurely 2 hours inside the museum, exploring the galleries. It wasn’t too busy so we were able to see and read all the displays we wanted to without feeling pressured.

The museum was very thorough, charting Walt Disney’s life and success, and it was was full of some very exclusive and rare items.

One gallery had a wall filled with 348 frames of animation from Steamboat Willie (the first Mickey Mouse cartoon with sound from 1928), primarily the work of artist Ub Iwerks, and representing around 15 seconds of footage. Shockingly impressive!

We also got to see/enjoy:
- The Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs Academy Award and seven accompanying miniature awards;
- The earliest known drawings of Mickey Mouse (graphite on paper), Minnie Mouse and Oswald the Rabbit;
- Early artwork by a young Walt Disney;
- Film cells, posters and rare artefacts from Walt’s life;
- Original Mickey Mouse merchandise;
- The Lilly Belle Train from Walt’s garden railroad at his Holmby Hills home;
- The revolutionary Multiplane Camera;
- The original model of Fantasyland Castle by Fred Joerger, 1953;
But the pièce de résistance was waiting for us towards to end of the trail and that was the enormous and detailed Disneyland Model. We spent a good while scrutinising it and comparing it to our recollections from our very recent visit to Disneyland.

The last gallery was called ‘Walt’s Legacy’ and of course covered his death in 1966. By this point you were so agog with admiration for Walt’s achievements that it was upsetting to read about his death and the worldwide reactions.

As always, you exit into the gift shop. It was very expensive and sadly this restricted us on what we bought there. It was pricier than the gift shops in Disneyland, but we managed to pick up a reproduction retro Mickey Mouse soft toy for only $27+tax.

As we continued the rest of our lengthy walk around San Francisco, with the next stop being the fog-cloaked Golden Gate Bridge, the cumbersome boxed Mickey Mouse collectible came with us. We had to hold on tight when we crossed the very windy bridge (twice)!

The Walt Disney Family Museum was a pricey visit, but if you’re a serious fan of Walt Disney then it is a must-visit destination.

The Story of Walt Disney, Expertly Told

By craig1086 |

Me & the wife visited the museum, as she's a HUGE Mickey Mouse fan. The museum was done very well. It's more for lifelong fans, as it tells Walt and his brother’s history and that of the Disney. Pay the extra $10 and do the exhibit on the life of Mickey Mouse. It takes about two hours to get through it all. The only down side is that there is no BART train station near by and limited signs pointing the way. An upside is that the Golden Gate Bridge is right around the corner. All the staff are friendly and will guide you around.

Amazing History!

By Barrie E |

For lovers of Disneyland, this museum is a must see when you are in San Francisco. Such a wonderfully put together museum that was both amazing and enjoyable to walk through. Certainly shows the life story of one of the most amazing human beings who have ever lived. A must see!

If you like Walt

By PhoenisSunDog |

The museum is well put together and follows his life with interactive displays and items all the way thru his death. If you like Disney this is worth while. Takes about 2-3 hours. Has gift shop and cafe.

Great Museum with friendly staff

By FADoug |

I visited on July 20th and included the feature exhibit. Both the museum and feature exhibit are well curated. The staff were friendly and this was consistent throughout from the pleasant security lady at the front to the gentleman in the store.

WOW!

By Keysha P |

I grew up loving Disney and admiring Walt Disney for his creativity. He was one of my father's heroes and his grandfather's as well. Naturally, when visiting San Francisco I just knew I had to go. I went back in 2016. No matter how high my expectations were, this experience surpassed them. The timeline, the pictures, the history...it was simply spectacular. Highly recommend even if not a Disney fan as this museum is so well thought out and has the process of one of the biggest business in the World.

Not to miss if you are a fan of creativity!

By Curious traveller |

The experience overpass my expectations as it is an atractive and fluid exhibition across Watl Disney Path. The temporary exhibition at that time was about the nine old men. Fantastic! I want to come back for sure. Beautiful site that includes a view over the Golden Gate Bridge.

Well worth it

By GrandTour34398601256 |

This place is fabulous. We had no problem getting tickets the same day. Lots of people but it was not crowded. Handicap accessible. Bonus, beautiful views of Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and the Presidio.

What a surprise

By BlueTravels |

This little gemstone of a museum was quite a surprise treat. We have a membership at a museum local to us that allows us to visit certain out of town museums for free. I found this one on the list and having been to San Fran a bunch of times and seen all the attractions, said "Why not."

The first room contains Walt Disney's many many awards. It's more interesting than it sounds but don't get hung up here because the good stuff is further on. Learn the story of how Disney got started, and the work he did on the way to becoming a household name, and just how Micky Mouse got his start. We only allowed about an hour to see the museum and we were sorry as we needed at least twice that. We will definitely go back.

really interesting

By jeffrey k |

The name says 'family', but this is not really a family museum, where you will bring children. Currently, the museum is in two parts, and the one relating to Disney animals could be of interest to some children. They had some activities, such as coloring a prepared drawing that might keep a kid happy. Children might react to the various Disney animal characters they have seen in movies or on the TV.

But....this is really an adult museum in two parts. The animals are familiar to almost everyone, and the points of interest are how they portrayed the characters and how they animated them. The main museum is a totally comprehensive analysis of the Disney family, focusing on its origins, on Walt, and on the accomplishments of Walt, his relations, the studio, and others. There are some 15 exhibition rooms, not counting the space devoted to the animals. We allocated around 3 hrs total, and we had to cut our visit short. Likely we could have spent 5 hrs overall, given the huge amount of material.

Also, this is a museum that relates what Disney and his studio did to society at large. Some painful issues were developed (the strike in the early 50's, the studio's relationship to the HUAC) more than others (almost nothing abut Song of the South). You come away from this experience realizing that Disney was the right person in the right place at the right time to make and to take advantage of some of the best technology of the 20th century and, in some senses, to shape our society as a whole. One comes away amazed at just how much the Disney 'system' has affected our lives.

Walt Disney Museum: SF’s hidden gem!

By teachtoread |

Wow! What a detailed explanation and presentation of Walt’s life BEFORE Disneyland! He had a life full of accomplishments. (Yes, they included Disneyland also). Loved the Academy Award of his on display for the Snow White movie! Touching treatment of him at the end of the displays. Very well done! Stayed there three hours but could have stayed more. Loved the gigantic architectural model of the original Disneyland. Loved Walt’s voice explaining what we were seeing at each display. Loved the sweeping rising/lowering floors that were taking viewers to new levels in the museum (plus the elevators).

By PipPaul W |

What a great museum.
Reception told us visits were usually around 2 hours. We took longer and still didn't read or listen to everything.
Good interspertion of Walt's family live and that of the company, and pleased that it ended at his death rather than the ongoing history of the company

Loved the experience

By KMM |

a lot of information, A nice day. You could easily spend 3 hours or more in the museum if you read everything. Presidio was beautiful.

Wonderful!!! A Must See!!

By Natasha |

We could have easily took another day to get through the museum! So many things to see and read and discover!! Probably not the best for small kids. There's some interactive pieces to the museum. Maybe better for older middle school kids and up. It's in a beautiful setting! Not many places to eat close nearby, so maybe eat beforehand. We ubered there and then walked around, so if you have a car, that shouldn't be an issue. The cafe inside left a little to be desired. Expensive for what you get.

VISITORS and LOCALS: please visit this amazing venue in San Fran

By FabInSanFran |

I live in San Francisco and visit this Walt Disney Family Museum annually but THIS YEAR rocks - it's the history of Mickey Mouse! We went in August and were in awe as we are in the Family Museum. Mickeys display ends in early 2020 so GO GO GO ! Reminder: this is not Disneyland , it's the amazing collection of awesome things from the family of Walt Disney. Just go and revel in it. BUY your tickets early.

Excellent Museum for Disney Fans!

By Cowhead4 |

If you are a Walt Disney Fan, then this is the stop for you! Huge collection (from Walt's family collections) of memorabilia, and the life of Walt himself -- created by Walt's Daughter. Very well done and excellent displays. Strongly recommended for all true Walt Disney Fans. Cost is a bit steep vs. many museums ($25 at the time of this writing), but it is a private museum, and worth the $$ if you enjoy the Disney history!

By Brad |

Great, classy museum on the life of Walt Disney. Great for any Disney fan. We took 2-3 hours to complete it. Very enjoyable.

House of Mouse

By William M |

Coming here was one of the best times I’ve spent with the world of Disney. Family history provides insight into his incredible inventive mind. Come here, bring the kids and your inner child. Time well spent.
Enjoy!

By 524hiroshim |

From the entrance, it's unimaginably wide inside, and there's a lot of stuff.
You can really feel the life of Walt Disney.
Even if you're not interested in Disney, you can enjoy it because there are many movies that everyone knows!
Japanese audio guides are also available for free, so you should rent them.
Just be careful, the place is in a hard place to get to.
The cafe inside is a lot of stuff, so be careful. lol

Encyclopedic review of WED life

By Michigan Tourists |

Very extensive review of WED life incl early years, developing company (studio and Disneyland), family life and death. Plenty of info for adults and kids. LOts of info and artifacts.

Went there for vacation and was amazing at how much information and good stuff

By trenoz M |

I was astounded by the wealth of knowledge and wonderful things that Walt Disney had left behind when I went there on vacation. Nearly all of his honors, including Oscars, were on exhibit, and a two-story museum showed off his early years. The Oscar for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was my favorite moment. adored the historical account.

A fun afternoon

By mjjpower |

I decided to visit the Walt Disney museum on a Sunday afternoon while I was waiting for my husband to finish up at a conference he was attending. The entrance fee is a bit steep I think ($25) but since it was just me I went ahead and visited...I think there are discounts to be found but I had not looked ahead of time. The museum has been lovingly thought out and was very interesting as my family has been a huge fan of all things Disney. I do not think there was enough there to entertain younger children as quite a bit of the exhibits involve reading and listening to displays. I enjoyed going through at my own pace and was surprised at how large the museum was! I spent about 2 hours meandering through and enjoyed my time there. I also had a pastry and tea from the concession stand which was nice. I looked around at the gift store but nothing struck my fancy so I did not purchase anything. The location in the Presidio was gorgeous and the views of the Golden Gate Bridge were stunning.

Beautiful tribute to a real innovator

By Marleyfarr1101@yahoo.com |

Beautifully done. Beautifully situated in the Presidio. I enjoyed the exhibition, learned a lot about his inspirations leading to his innovations

Very interesting history of Walt Disney

By xsteves |

I found the history of Walt Disney and his early endeavors (he had many comic characters before Mickey Mouse) very interesting. I spent so much time in his early years, I didnt have time for some of the later achievements, like Disneyland. The information is presented interestingly, naturally using animation in many exhibits.

By Vida de paulista por Alberto Parada |

For the size and importance of Walt Disney, the museum should be much better, is old and outdated compared to the best thematic museums, the attractions are outdated and little attract the visitor, has a lot to read and little to see, hear and interact.
I would not visit again

Walt Disney was a genius

By TrevorD628 |

This museum lives up to all the excellent reviews. Walt Disney was an innovator and continued to push the film medium throughout his lifetime. He also wanted an amusement park that was clean - thus the Disney Parks were born. We were privileged to sit through a talk, there are many throughout the day, on the movie 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and we learned a lot. If your a Disney fan - this is a must stop. If you're a film fan - this is a must stop.

An interesting life story told well...

By London_Andy |

I was visiting San Francisco with a friend, and he suggested the museum. I wasn't sure what to expect, but really enjoyed the experience.

It is, as the name suggests, focused a lot more on the Disney family background and the life of Walt Disney himself, but clearly you can't tell the story of the man without covering the many films he made and his theme parks. I hadn't realised that he produced so much before dying so young.

An interesting story that was well told, with a good balance of films to watch and artefacts to see. The only reason for knocking a point off is that many (most?) of the artefacts were replicas, rather than the originals.

The staff were all really friendly, particularly those in the shop.

A must for Disney lovers

By Robbie A |

Having been to many Disney parks around the world, this museum is the real deal. It’s mainly about Walt Disney himself and has exclusive artifacts obtained by his family. Not giving anything away but the museum is pretty impressive. Don’t judge the place by the outside or even the lobby. I can’t even begin to imagine how dull of a person is would go all the way there, refuse to pay an entrance fee, and complain the free things in the lobby are boring. Don’t be that guy, actually go in. Totally worth it.

Great way to spend 2 hours

By Henrietta L |

Had a wonderful time visiting this museum which had a fascinating history about the start of Walt Disney and animated cartoons. There is lots to read or watch and understand how the films we know and love first began. The museum is in a truly picturesque area so just outside you will find a beautiful park which gives you wonderful views of the sea and Golden Gate bridge. You can walk along the sea front and access the beach or just amble along and admire the yachts and seafront houses.

The cafe is a bit small and limited in offering but there's a lovely gift shop.

By PenistoneTraveller |

We are both Disney fans so it was great to get a insight into Walt Disneys early life and work and indeed the railroad exhibits.

It took us 4 hrs to tour all the galleries all very well presented

By Vegard S |

Just to be clear, this is not a activity attraction for kids. But it’s a great display telling the story of Disney, from his family and early life to the story behind Disney company and the movies. The details are amazing with private letters, notes and photos. Really recommend the special exhibits in the building next door.

Great Experience

By Scott Watanabe |

Great experience, and would definitely recommend! Friendly staff and immersive exhibits brought the history of the Disney legacy to life. So many things to see, and very engaging audio and video exhibits.

Worth a visit if in the area

By Nicola_W_0108 |

Used Go City passes to access the museum. There was lots of interesting information, too much to read properly. Several of the other visitors were quite inconsiderate e.g. being in the way, blocking displays so others couldn’t see them so that impacted on the experience. The staff were friendly and welcoming. Had to rush around the museum in order to access the Jungle Book exhibition in a separate building, however we hadn’t been informed that our Go City passes weren’t valid for this due to the exhibition having an extra charge. This wasn’t really a problem caused by the museum staff, although they hadn’t mentioned this when we’d asked earlier about accessing the exhibition. They kindly offered to let us look around the Jungle Book exhibit and explained they would contact Go City to ensure this was communicated clearly to future visitors. We didn’t purchase anything from the gift shop as it was quite pricey.