Bay Model Visitor Center

The Bay Model Visitor center is a hidden gem and definitely worth s visit. If you’re into engineering, scale models, the ecosystem or are simply looking for a new thing to explore in the Bay Area I can absolutely recommend going there. The staff is also very friendly and knowledgeable.

Free parking and free entrance😱👍. If you have the time drop by and learn about San Francisco Bay. Hubby enjoyed the model and I enjoyed the display/short film about Marinship yard and the important role they played in WWII.

Such a fascinating place unlike anything else in the Bay Area where visitors can learn about local waterways and ecosystems. The two employees we spoke with were kind and knowledgable. Free to the public, with ample parking. We visited on a Thursday in July, and it was nearly empty. My kinds loved exploring the model, as well as the surprisingly extensive little museum. The tall ship in the harbor outside was an additional delight.

Amazing museum and models! Literally shocked by the size of the model!

Fantastic staff and overall just a fun place.

Pretty amazing place for what it is. It's free and there is free parking. It's incredible how large this is and great that they also talk about different aspects of maintaining the bay and the model. It's more for adults than kids I would say, and more engineering and sciency than most adults may appreciate. They do a good job of recycling the guided tour books too. Bravo! TIP: You get a good view of the bay and it's not far to downtown Sausalito so it could be worth a short stop.

A wonderful little gem we didn't expect to find! Great museum on the history of the bay Run by the Army Corp of Engineers

What an amazing experience!! Joy took such good care of us. She is knowledgeable, personable and conveyed the story of the Model n such an engaging way. She has an obvious passion for Bay Area history — which is contagious! Taylor was a great counterpart, providing amazing warmth and hospitality. We are very lucky to have the two of them as representatives of Sausalito.

A very interesting exhibition. I enjoy watching the videos. The basement model was huge and even has a clean bathroom. The volunteers are very nice and friendly. It's probably a bit boring for children but if you're interested in how water is processed from the bay and the history of the bay area's water development, this is educational. I really enjoyed my trip here. It's about an hour long. Definitely recommend an afternoon here and a walk in the neighborhood plus a nice lunch afterwards.

Interested in hydraulic models? Here's your chance to walk around a model of the San Francisco Bay Delta which simulates a 24-hour cycle of tides. What blew me away was how expansive the model was! Exhibits of the area's hydrology are also found throughout the facility. Guided tours are available on Saturdays at 11AM. It's limited to 40 visitors on a first come basis. Tours are 45 minutes long. If there is more staff available, they offer tours on the hour or half hour. Tours can also be tailored to groups at various technical levels (see their website for contact information). Hours are: Tuesday - Friday: 9AM - 3PMSaturday: 9AM - 4PM They are closed on Sunday, Monday, and Federal Holidays. If a Federal holiday falls on a Monday, then they will be closed on the previous Saturday. There's a free parking lot next to the facility. Admission is free!

It's so cool. It took me a while to get over the fact that the water depths are ten times the scale of the landmasses, but once I got all that arithmetic squared away in my head, I really enjoyed the entire model part of the experience. I haven't been here in years, and it looks like they've added to the non-model parts of the visitor experience. Back in the day, it was a bunch of generic World War II nostalgia: Andrews Sisters music, Rosie the Riveter posters, war-bond facts, etc. It wasn't awful, but it wasn't terribly interesting, either, especially when compared to the model itself. I should come again.

FREE MUSEUM My son loves fishing and the tides, so when I heard about this I thought it would be pretty cool to see the actual Bay Area model. It's kind of geeky but he loves this stuff. This is a huge model that the Army Corps of Engineers used to see what the effects of dredging/pollution etc would have on the Bay and surrounding delta river system. You can see the bridges, the bay, and all the river systems. There is a pump that simulates the tides so you can see the movement of the water which is pretty cool. While this would not be on the top of my list of touristy things to do in the Bay Area, this was definitely something different and educational for the kids and we all really enjoyed it. Total time: 30 minutes. FREE PARKING FREE ADMISSION NO VENDORS bring your own food

If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, you must visit this model. It shows the tidal activities of the entire bay. Dress warmly. There is no furnace running.

The bay model is interesting. It is hood to visit once, but once you have seen it, it does not have enough to warrant a return visit. The WW2 mini museum regard Liberty Ships was cool. The overall model looks dated, but played huge role in designing flood control project for Northern California prior to computer modeling.

This place is huge. It is a bit chilly so bring a jacket. After you pay your entrance you will follow the path to the movie. Make sure you see it to get the most out of your experience. Next you walk right into the model. It's a lot to take in and I wish they had guided tours.

This is a pretty cool place! I've always wanted to come here since I saw it on Mythbusters... It's a little run down because it's run by a governmental agency, but it's still neat to see how huge this place is and to learn its history.

Amazing work by the US Army Corps Engineers. Free museum but I encourage dropping a donation in the box at the entrance, to support this wonderful place. Nicely laid out exhibits with videos, interactive stations throughout, historical information, and explanations of how the Bay model works and it's important significant role for all of us in the Bay Area. Good place for people of all ages and groups of any size.

What a great destination! Spent more time here than intended and could have stayed longer. Fun for ages 5-55 or 8-88. Perfect for families, school field trips, or even just science, environmental or geography fans. Coming back. Also, need a quick lunch? Grab snacks, sandwiches from Molly Stones grocery store just down the street.

This museum is a good place to stop by for a quick glance at the models if you happen to be in Sausalito. The museum is old and is in desperate need of renovations, but you can't really expect much to happen soon since admission is free. If you're interested in waterways and environmental sciences, this is a great place to be! There's actually a lot of good information and exhibits here if you take the time to read through some of it. When I came here, I don't think the models were running. There were all these signs pointing out how you can see the currents running on the models, but I didn't see any water moving, even with all the squinting I was doing. Instead, there were a bunch of dry patches everywhere (I thought they were trying to simulate the California drought at first lol), but I guess they had pumped out most of the water. I have to admit that I was pretty disappointed, even for a free museum.

What a wonderful, educational and fascinating experience! We went on a FREE guided tour which not only entailed the how and why the Army Corp of Engineers built the model, but a great deal of history leading up to its creation and geological references that tell the story of CA. Ranger Linda Holm took us on an engaging trip from the past to present... she's a wealth of knowledge and charm. Check out the calendar... tons of events are free too! http://www.spn.usace.army.mil/Missions/Recreation/Bay-Model-Visitor-Center/Calendar-of-Events/

The Bay Model is all that the previous reviewers said it is. Take your visitors. IT IS SPECTACULAR AND NOT TO BE MISSED! Plus, once a month the TIBURON FILM SOCIETY shows a film here for the general public . . . . from their extensive archives. FREE! FREE! FREE! FREE! FREE! Did you get that? It is FREE! Once a month a free film. No popcorn is available, but the opportunity to see films you won't see anywhere else is . . . Go to their website (www.tiburonfilmfestival) and click on the FILM SOCIETY link. If you get on their mailing list they will send you a reminder telling you WHEN & WHAT the next FREE film is going to be at the Bay Model. CHECK IT OUT!

What do you do with a gigantic replica of the bay area when you're done using it? Answer: turn it into a museum. The Bay Model is a working hydraulic scale model of the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta System. While the Bay Model is still operational, it is no longer used for scientific research but is instead open to the public alongside educational exhibits about Bay hydrology. The model is located in the Bay Model Visitor Center at 2100 Bridgeway Blvd. in Sausalito, California. The bay model museum is a cool way to spend an afternoon if you're in the area. And it's free...and in someways you get what you pay for because it's fairly run down, but still worth checking out. I definitely recommend getting a tour. It's become somewhat of a Marin tourist attraction and a reminder to many about abhorrent government planning ideas. The surrounding area outside the museum by the Bay is very cool as well. I recommend doing a stroll down the Sausalito boardwalk to check out the different marinas and beaches and into Sausalito itself. I went there with my two children and it was fun for about a half an hour or so. Next time, if I do return, I'd like to get a guided tour because just walking around the model wasn't that interesting, especially always wondering where my kids were running around.

My first trip to the Bay Model and the model is DRY for Repairs from June 26 - Mon June 30, 2008. It's closed on Mondays so you can't go then anyways. From their website: It's the only working hydraulic model (only one of it's kind in the world) of the SF Bay & Sacramento - San Joaquin River Delta System. Very cool sounding! Darn it, now I gotta go back. FREE Anyways! What I saw: Videos on the Bay Area's water Hands on things to push & read Marinship exhibit Art from local artist Dry Model!! - would be cool when they fill it up & it's running. Go Tues-Sun! Small giftshop Separate bathrooms by the model & across from main entrance. Close to Fish. (the restaurant). http://www.yelp.com/biz/fish-sausalito#hrid:df7W0hA6mOKiTzPDWwoATQ website: www.spn.usace.army.mil/bmvc

Definitely a good place to take visitors (and to visit yourself if you are local) to understand more about how the Bay works. When you walk in, it's larger than you'd expect from outside. Since I'm new to the Bay Area, this helped me to get a better idea of the geography and it's neat to see it visually in a scaled down (but accurately scaled) version. The fact that the water levels are also accurately simulated is also really cool. There's an introductory video that you watch first and then you can explore on your own by wandering through the model and reading the signs. It's really great that this place is free and open to the public!

Huge and fascinating working exhibit about water/tidal flow in the bay area and its economic and social importance. If i didnt have to chase the little ones, i'd spend a couple hours reading and listening to everything. Cant believe its completely free! No parking fee either.

WHAT? WHAT? WHAT?!? What the................... this place is HUGE! 2 football fields of the Bay model! It was so flippin awesome to see it all in mini scale. Did you know that most of the bays and estuaries are only 16 feet deep? HUH? This place is so cool AND free! Hands on exhibits, videos, etc. We spent hours and could have spent more! Be prepared though, it is quite cold inside, no heat. It is right on the bay and harbor, so pretty outside Hee hee, 5 minute walk from home :P So worth the trip, young and old alike. Myth busters went here to replicate the escape from Alcatraz from studying the currents from back then. Guess what? They escaped!

Wow - a hidden gem more than worth the time! Back in the 50's the Army Corps of Engineers built a giant model of the SF Bay and all it's related estuaries. It's the size of two football fields in an old WWII aircraft assembly building. It's a table high monster model of the water flows, complete with tides for a 24 hour day completed in 15 minutes. It was used to model pollution spills, proposed changes to Bay flows, and to study the impact of increasing/decreasing snowmelt. Computer models made this obsolete for scientists, but it's still fascinating for kids and grownups. Start with the 10 minute video that explains the whole thing then head in to see the model. The day we went it was 95 in Sausalito so it was stuffy and humid in there, but otherwise very enjoyable. Entry and parking are free. The teeny gift shop has modestly interesting things.

Good place to understand how our bay waters are studied in this well kept and interesting center. Best thing is it's free!

Well if you are not an engineer or understand all this it can be quite boring for kids. There is a lot to read and seeing the models of the Bay Area was ok but I thought they would have more demonstrations of what happens when it rains etc. the best part was the war museum at the end. It was small but it was way more interesting Jan the extra main area.

This is a great place for anyone who is interested in learning a little bit about the mechanics of water flow and tidal patterns. The United States Corps of Engineers set this up before computers were available to model development of the San Francisco area. A whole lot of great tidbits of information here. Here is a video of one of their displays. It makes sense, but I had never thought about it. The snow melts and displaces the salt water. It is a delicate dance that makes San Francisco a very unusual place in the world. https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Ox4gAeCSu9TjYjFNZezX6w?select_video=HnRXt8pEjevzagBU-0baCg&utm_source=oshare&utm_content=photo&utm_campaign=psb_sq

Glad to see the Bay Model is appreciated by a lot of folks for the unique mid-century engineering tool it was. Just to clarify a couple facts.... Always call for the latest info, as the Bay Model is made of over 200 concrete blocks that are over half a century old and have been known to crack and spring leaks. (Not to mention the fact the building itself was constructed on bay fill and the floor has settled a bit over nearly 70 years.) The Bay Model rangers and volunteer docents offer special guided tours for school and community groups who make advance reservations. They also offer weekend tours and a variety of ranger talks open to the general public at no charge. Many folks choose to "self-guide" through the model to see it at their own pace for free or with the 75 minute audio tour for $3.00. Outside the Bay Model, you can see a variety of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers boats that collect debris on the bay or survey the bay with the latest 21st century technology. While the model hasn't been used for official research for over a decade, engineers still occupy offices at this site. However, they are more likely to be spotted at a computer then wading knee deep in the model's water.

What a pleasant surprise! I didn't know this even existed. I was having brunch with a couple of friends at Le Garage after a nice long bike ride and as we were about to head out, we saw signs for the Bay Model Visitor Center. I would have to say that it's pretty cool and once you really read up on what they do at this place, it's kinda cool finding out how intricate this model actually is. It may look like a place for kids to run around during a school field trip but this place actually conducts research for the benefit of the bay. I want to come back when I have more time to walk around. Since I was cycling, it was kinda hard walking around in cycling shoes with pedal cleats.

The Bay Model was used from the 1950's to 2000 as a research center to study the movement of water around the bay, and calculate the effects humans had on it. Now, that work is done by computers and the Bay Model has been opened to the public as an education center. It's not glitzy or very exciting (unless you are really into hydraulics), but you will probably learn something when you visit. The model was built by the Army Corps of Engineers who still have the mandate to keep the real bay's floor navigable by the large ships going to Oakland's port. You see, the average depth of the bay is around 18 feet, so "lanes" had to be trudged up by the engineers to allow for large ships to go through. You'll be able to see those in this large model (two football fields large). You'll also see that there is some sort of weird roundabout near Alcatraz. The model is no longer in use for research, although they still do reverse the "tide" every 14 minutes (100 times faster than real life) so you can watch the water flow in and out. OK, I said it wasn't that exciting. One caveat, too. The time scale is not the only scale that's exaggerated, the depth scale is too. The floor doesn't drop off as drastically at the Golden Gate as it does in the model, but it's all explained at the video you see when you first walk in. It was pretty much deserted when I went and I opted for the self guided tour (free) rather than the audio tour (suggested donation, $3). I think I would have gotten more out of it if I had taken the audio tour and even more if I had gone on a guided tour. There are videos you can watch and some interactive exhibits but they are a bit lame for adults. What I enjoyed the most was seeing a bird's eye view of the bay and learning more about the way it's laid out.

This huge model is about the size of a football field and offers an awesome and unique preservative of the bay and delta. It's free and and good place to spend an hour or so.

Winner of the most random local spot that I never knew anything about until I stumbled upon it recently last weekend! Nestled behind Mollie Stones in Sausalito is an interesting piece of history for Marin and the San Francisco Bay Area. Back in the 1950's, the US Army Corps of Engineers constructed this 2 acre model of the San Francisco Bay Area to see what effects we have on it as a whole. For example...adding another runway to SFO (and thus filling in a significant portion of the SF bay as a result)...what effect would that have? The Bay Model answered that question for several decades, although now I am sure that computers do that just as easily...which is why they have opened this exhibit to the public. Make sure you check out their 10 minute video in the small screening room before entering the HUGE room where the model is in back. Recently I heard that the Bay Model will be receiving $8.8 million in Federal stimulus funds, which should hopefully serve the project well. My best suggestion for the money would be to pay some artists to construct small models of each of the different areas of the San Francisco Bay to make the exhibit more interesting. It is good to call ahead of time or look at their website for their hours, as they change during the Summer or Winter seasons. Admission and parking is free! As for the gift shop, the ladies behind the counter were boring and more interested in complaining about how the fax machine didn't work. The fact that I asked them questions about the exhibit only warranted complaining about how little they were paid; Grandma Thelma was obviously more interested in returning to her crappy romance novel than she was to talk about the interesting exhibit she was hosting. Stimulus dollars desperately needed to pay for a more enthusiastic staff. Oh, and a fax machine, I guess?

Went here for a field trip with my geography class. To begin with, the view from the outside is amazing. You can see across the water to Tiburon (the people who work here don't know how lucky they are). If you're interested to learn about the San Francisco Bay Area, and the bay itself, you have to stop by here at least once. They have a model of the whole Bay Area itself along with charts, pamphlets, and videos, among other things, to allow you to learn about the history of the Bay. Do yourself a favor, take yourself, your significant other (if you have one), your kids (if you have any), and some friends (if you have any), and stop by here. You won't regret it. 5 stars all the way

I'm a big fan of the Bay Model. I brought my kid here on a rainy day, and we had a blast. My daughter was a little young to really understand what this place is about, but she had a great time running around and looking at everything. I really got into it, growing up here means your life revolves around the Bay- literally. Although some of the displays and the condition of the model can be a bit run down, it is a government run entity, and it's free to get in so I can't really complain. The Army Corps Rangers are very well informed and will talk your ear off about how the model works, if you geek out on it like I do. The day we went, a big chunk of renovations had been completed, so they had a huge spread of lunch and drinks laid out as a celebration. So not only did we have a good time, but we got fed for free. And I had a couple of glasses of free wine as well, which smoothed out the rest of the toddler management day. Now that's how I like my taxes to be spent! Thanks for a great time, Army Corps of Engineers! Keep up the good work!

I am absolutely a fan of the Bay Model Visitor Center. I have sent tens of families there over the last few years and they all come back happy and smiling. Not only is it a great *gasp* educational place for kids, it actually is fascinating and amazing to me as a "grown" adult. They have lots of little stations to stop and learn about how the different tides and canals work, plus the giant display of bodies of waters show real currents and water depths. As an added bonus they have a side room full of displayed items about WWII

I used to come here as a kid and now coming here as an adult this is still an amazing site to see. The entire Bay area waterways laid out to scale - BIG scale! Also, this is a great rest stop on a Saturday when riding your bike from Pier 39 across the GG Bridge to Tiburon. Stretch your legs have a snack, use the bathroom.

The Bay model is quite amazing. It is really big and takes quite a while to see everything. The tide goes in and out every 15 minutes so you can see the pattern of the water. It is free and a great place to spend time if you are out in Sausalito. Great place to take kids and adults too. It gives a great perspective on how big our delta, and several bays connect in our area.

Worth a peek if you're in the neighborhood or looking for something different to do when you're in Marin. We ended up here after eating ice cream on the main Sausalito drag and wandering around looking for free stuff to do. It's like a cool science fair project made by giants! I actually learned a lot about the bay- the tides and such. Did you know that when it's high tide at the Golden Gate Bridge it's actually low tide in areas like the far corners of the Delta? That's how big the bay is! Who knew? The guys who built the model did. Also, in the summer there are sometimes jazz performances on the patio outside the visitor center and we were able to listen to some jazz and sneek a few appetizers from an obviously private event when no one was looking!

Being new to the Bay Area, this was a handy way for me to learn about the local climate and ecology. The Center's educational movie got me up to speed on the last 30,000 years in about eight minutes. I didn't realize how much the Gold Rush miners remade the landscape--and not in a good way--with destructive hydraulic mining methods. The big show is the huge working model of the Bay, which scientists used before computer models could do everything better. There was a '50s/'60s vibe to it, which makes sense given it was built then. I can imagine Mad Men-era scientists having wild parties in there, dispensing cigarette butts and wildly inaccurate predictions about climate change. It was pleasant to stroll around on a weekend, when it wasn't too crowded, and a good introduction to the area.

It's free; but wait, there's more! This is on the A-List of non-touristy things to do with your tourist friends. It's large, and it's odd. A Full scale working model of the Bay Area's waterways, and a bunch of information on plaques (as you'd expect). Ride bikes to the place and then take the ferry home from Sausalito! It's a really easy ride from SF. What sets this place apart from other info museums is the expansive space -- the giant warehouse and all the twisty ramps gives you license to let loose in a way you can't at, say, the Natural History museum.

The whole thing's built to scale. They use it to simulate things like oil spills and dumping of toxins in tributary waterways. (They do this by dropping dye in the water at selected points, and observing its propagation.) I haven't been there in years, but remember being impressed by the (lack of) depth of the water: it's like one inch deep, versus a football field of Bay. Bonus: It's good to know that experience playing with train sets as a kid can lead to a fulfilling career! P.S. Someone here said, "There's no City at all." They used to have a bunch of cardboard buildings. If that thing is gone, I've got three words for you: Beach Blanket Babylon.

From the website: The Bay Model is a three-dimensional hydraulic model of San Francisco Bay and Delta areas capable of simulating tides and currents. The Model is over 1.5 acres in size and represents an area from the Pacific Ocean to Sacramento and Stockton, including: the San Francisco, San Pablo and Suisun Bays and a portion of the Sacramento - San Joaquin Delta. From my own experience: What an incredible model. Truly fantastic oldschool. And terrifying to think that the Golden Gate Bridge straddles an abyss. Ride you bike over here and have a great time. Ask around, you'd be surprised how many people you know have already experienced this.

Always worth a visit with kids when going to Sausalito. I combined this visit with a Call of the Sea sail charter. The docent we had , Andre, was spectacular, he was patient with a large group of kids and kept them involved.

Free. Historic. Dull. I love it, but I have to admit, most probably don't geek out on it as much as me. Closed on Sunday and Monday - check to be sure it's open before you go. Showed up many times without checking first - that was even more dull. Our daughter likes the little fish tanks in the front more than the model.

The size of two football fields, you can explore the whole bay area in model form. It is still fully funtioning. They move the water in and out of the "bay" to simulate 24 hours of water motion in the bay, every few minutes. I thought it was pretty amazing and they must have put in so much work to get it to this point. The only reason it is not still used for research is that computers are cheaper and faster now.

This by far one of the coolest things I have seen in the California! I wish they could take this idea and incorporate it into a natural history museum of the Delta and Valley! I will always take visitors here whenever I am in the area.

Holy Mother-effing Crap. For my Oceanography class I was told to come here to view a model of the San Francisco Bay. I really did not understand the magnitude of this model and was completely blown away by it. This is a gigantic full scale, working model of the San Francisco Bay area. The model cycles through a day in 14 minutes and you can watch the water levels change just about every three. Its really cool walking along the edge looking at where different cities are pinpointed and how the waterways work near those areas. Really neat!

Pretty random and cool thing to see for any Bay Area resident or tourist. A full scale model of the bay set in a huge building with many things to explore. Run by the Army Corps of Engineers, built in the 50s and looks like it hasn't been remodeled since the 70s, but that's part of what makes it awesome. They have guided tours but maybe only for school groups. Really good trip for anyone learning about Bay history or studying it nowadays to learn about how difficult it was to do so back in the day. Took a whole team of engineers and football fields of space to do what one computer can do today. Built right next to the bay and if our lucky you can see some huge boats outside including the dredgers run by the Army Corps that clean our Bay of tons of debris every year- logs, metals, old tires, etc.

My husband stopped in on Monday to purchase a senior State Park Pass. Make a note they are closed on Monday, however door was open and an extremely old, rude lady was at desk. She said "can I help you??" In snarky tone..my husband said "I see you are closed however I only want to purchase a pass and since your door was open, I thought I'd stop in and ask"..she snapped back at him and said "No! We're closed!!" Someone needs to be reminded how we treat customers and to be polite and helpful...

Excellent overview of the bay area! Science in motion! Beautiful! And free, too!

amazing exhibit! I enjoy the art exhibits that happen from time to time as well. It's so informative/educational to see what the bay really looks like from above as well as to se how the tides work.

Great place! Hidden, but it shows the way the water flows in the bay. Did I mention that it's free...

Very fun. More inside than you think. Video wasn't that good but the model is so big. You can walk around the Bay Area and see city names. A few landmarks and all the after pathways. Makes you realize how big the bay really is. Great for kids and dates (if you like nerdy things). Definitely go. It takes about an hour and it's Free.99!

Of course it's five stars. It's amazing and free. Insightful, nerdy wonderfulness awaits you the next time you're in Sausalito, trying to avoid the crowds. You are guaranteed to learn something, but if you're not in the mood for educational musuem-style displays, just fast forward to the part where you're standing in a massive wooden warehouse with a funky-yet-super practical functional model of the entire Bay Area's waterways complete with active tides. The endless maze of the Delta's complexity is particularly eye-opening, and the whole thing feels like a delightfully giant swimming pool art project with an engineer's precision.