Cartoon Art Museum

This is such an interesting museum with so many comic books featured in it! I do think they've started expanding into more movies / stuff inspired by comic books, which I am not sure if that's the right direction. I wish you could learn more there, but I did have fun! I wrote about our experience there on our blog, Life with Jupiter and Dann.

The museum was really cool! I wish it had more information about cartoon history and society impact alongside showing a cool collection. It felt more like a massive cartoon variety collection vs an educational museum, as defined in their description. Still worth a visit though!

A fun way to spend 40 minutes to an hour, the ticket is 10$ however it’s practically free because you get these awesome humor times newspapers for free and a gift for completing the batman treasure hunt! It’s a good documentation of the evolution of the funnies throughout the years, it was fun seeing them evolve from very simple jokes then into satire then sarcasm then tongue-in-cheek. There is also a free read room and a theater room with a screen showing old WB cartoons, this room is the coolest in my opinion because it has some frames from my childhood classics. Lastly, do the Batman treasure hunt, it takes 15 minutes and if you are a fan, take some photos! Pop in if you are close to the pier or Ghirardelli square

It was ok . Two rooms with books and nice pictures. We came with free library passes so we enjoyed, but if I had to pay for it I would have been a bit disappointed . Not really much to do - and it is not a museum.. maybe a mini mini museum

Fantastic! It's quite small, but the quality of the exhibition is top-notch, So is their little comic book shop, They even have a separate library room. My favorite were the old comics based on classical literature. I didn't even know those exist! I nerded out for a few hours, and ended up buying Mom's Cancer and Chainsaw Man's Book. Kinda expensive, but feels good to support the artists.

The collection was really interesting and entertaining. The museum is small so it doesn't take long to go through the whole exhibit. The staff was nice and passionate about the vision of the museum. The gift shop is full of treasures, so many good books and art supplies!

Recently visited the Cartoon Art Museum located in Fisherman’s Wharf (San Francisco, California). The Cartoon Art museum has some of the most incredible exhibits you’ll ever see. This is the ideal location for comic book needs, superhero fanatics, and cartoon aficionados. During my visit, the misusing was featuring a Batman exhibit (which is free) and absolutely amazing. The exhibit has official replicas and actually suits worn from the movies. As one of the most iconic superheroes ever invented, if you’re a Batman fan, you’ll be blown away by this exhibit. There is also an amazing Wonder Woman and Spider-Man replica costume available on display. There is also a lot of original storyboards and color images from some of our favorite original artists. This is a must see place.

Despite how small the spaces are, there was plenty to take in and enjoy. When we visited, they were featuring Filipino komiks and The Rocketeer, which I LOVED. There were also some replica costumes from Batman movies in the next room. I especially liked reading some old comics and mangas in the reading room. If you're a fan of classic comics and some manga, I think this is worth a stop.

San Francisco is known for its art scene and it's a city of artist. San Francisco is also known to have some great museums. You can find some interesting things at different museums around the city . This one museum has art which transcends borders and countries. This art form has been passed down by generations in America. This place is hidden in the tourist trap of San Francisco. There is one place where you will see lots of pop culture and entertainment all over the museum. It's called the Cartoon Art Museum. On a San Francisco extended Summer but it's Autumn stroll on Beach ( the street not Ocean Beach) street you will find Cartoon Art Museum. Inside they have lots of arts of strips ( comic) and from television like the Simpsons and Sponge Bob. You will also see animation cartons like the classic Looney Tunes played on a television inside. You will also find Marvel and DC comic characters (in the movies) inside and some in costumes. They hold workshops and exhibitions inside. You also find a cartoon theme book store. A great place to learn and watch characters other than the ones you see IRL ( In Real Life) around Civic Center in SF. Plan a visit. Go to see good art " creation" and some "animation" which appeared on your cable television "station" a few blocks in SF were the catch and sell "crustacean" Come here on a stroll in the "afternoon"when December in San Francisco feels like everywhere else in the month of "June "and watch some characters from "Looney Tune" and see others of your favorite "cartoon "

I have been to the Cartoon Art Museum twice, once in the prior location and once at the Fisherman's Wharf venue a block from Ghirardelli Square. I recommend it. My nephew and his friend were visiting from out of town. We combined it with the eye museum down the street and the brewery. That worked well, since this is a smaller institution. I usually proceed through exhibits too quickly. I'd estimate an average visitor would take between 30 minutes and an hour. A child -- or an adult -- might spend a bit more time browsing through the many volumes in the reading room or sketching on their own with the provided materials. The shop, while tiny, also is stuffed full of interesting items. I purchased the the catalog for their Calvin and Hobbes show, a collectible of dozens of peers offering graphic homages to the Bill Watterson classic. They had a Batman show across the hall. They were presenting New Yorker contributors from the West Coast, which included a great range of funny panels, only one of which I did not understand (of a cat doctor and cat patient, the former telling the latter he needed to sleep, like, a very long time), and there was a "meta" joke of two cavemen looking at a crude painting, the one remarking he didn't get it. I love out-of-the way places that specialize, as this does. There is a cartoon museum at Ohio State University. I was invited to give a talk there before the pandemic. The highlight of the time on campus was an hour in the morning looking through what they had. They are not quite comparable, this San Francisco establishment to the Midwest, because this is not high brow (a criticism of neither; a description), and it is easier to get to. There used to be, long ago, a cartoon museum in New York City, which merged into the Society of Illustrators. That is more extensive than either. The Walt Disney museum not far away, in the Presidio, is "adjacent" in a metaphorical sense as well. By coincidence, the deYoung had a huge manga special show, and it was packed when we went that same morning. That created a theme for the day. I would say my interest in cartoons is in the normal range. I love watching the Peanuts holiday specials. I do that now, a half century after I was exposed to them, and I think it is possible I saw at least one, Thanksgiving, when it premiered (I'd be exactly the right demographic). I do not read the Sunday funnies anymore. I am not even sure they continue to be published as they once were. So to come to the Cartoon museum was a treat.

Hosted event where guests can enjoy the artwork from their childhood memories or historical masterpieces for cartoons and comics around the western world. The place was big enough to host 50 people. Facility was clean and organized. It almost felt like being at an eccentric friends house admiring his vast collection of stuff.

Every time I visit this museum gallery I feel like the one person in the gallery...it's pretty cool and has new exhibits...I visited last year and got back today. The Batman display is neat and the library has rare and different old cartoon books I hadn't seen. It seems like the California Historical Society gallery but that one closed recently...cartoon museum is different...exhibits are so fun as long as they aren't made by computers or fake because I don't like fake exhibits haha...old time displays are cool too...with your ghost friends in middle school because I am 40 until my age changes in a few months.

Perhaps I missed out on their better exhibits but I finished the entire museum in 20 minutes. Standard entry was $10 for adults but students could visit for $6. The front desk employees were friendly. Notably the restrooms were clean with multiple stalls. There was a small area for visitors to draw their own cartoons but I found that more appealing to a younger audience. There was a smaller room with translated comic books and manga. While I wasn't interested in the series they had, it could be a nice alternative to the library. Some of the books were quite tattered and greasy though. They had rotating exhibits of comics on display along with a hodgepodge of sketches in the mainstay area. I was disappointed on how disorganized the art was and it just seemed like a scattered donated collection. The room containing Batman memorabilia was the most interesting and jam packed. Personally I wouldn't go out to visit this museum given how sparse the current collection is. Yes, the admission was on the cheaper side but I didn't leave feeling satisfied.

This is a pocket museum featuring cartoons, animation stills, and comic art. It is good for a 45-minute visit, with some SF specific art, educational content, and clean bathrooms. One room walks visitors through the process of hand drawn animation. This room doesn't change, but it's set up in a way that's slapdash, like an art show at a school library. For example, art is propped on an empty bookshelf, and there are folding chairs out for watching cartoons rather than a bench or couch. The main room has some permanent displays of local cartoon strips and has some pages of classic comic book artists such as R. Crumb. There is a wall of about 5 rotating Gorey drawings. A couple contemporary artists are usually featured around a theme. There is a side room that has been featuring Batman costumes for the past few years. This location never seemed to get the museum polish that it had when it was in the arts district of SOMA. A few changes could improve the feel of it for repeat local and destination visits, but if you are in the area, it's a fine stop.

I came here on a little date with my boyfriend before heading to Ghirardelli Square. I hadn't been here before, but I either stepped in once or saw some free exhibit previously. We got in for free using the library museum pass system. At the time, they were showing an exhibit on Filipino cartoon artists, which was super interesting. There were also a variety of other exhibits featuring new artists as well as iconic and famous ones. The comic library would have been really nice for a day to just read comics if we had more time. There was also a Batman exhibit, which was pretty interesting since we were just rewatching the Batman movies. Overall, it's a really nice place to visit for any comic book or superhero nerds, especially if you use the free museum pass.

Since when are museums really fun? Here's where. They have a free scavenger hunt with a Batman theme no less--and prizes if you solve where the Riddler is keeping his hostages. I won't give it away but it was a fun scavenger hunt where even I learned new stuff about Batman. This museum has cartoons, a cool staff, prizes, and information for anyone interested in becoming a cartoonist or interested in cartoons as an art form in general. For San Francisco $10 is a steal to see a Museum. They also have rotating exhibits and if you can draw they have an organization you can join!

It is a small museum in San Francisco but worth visiting at least once, I have visited it when the exhibit was about Wonder Woman and it was interesting. Something one can stop for an hour, and the price is not too big. There are also student discounts, which drops the price from $10 to $6. I'll be coming back if I will be in the area.

We didn't actually go into the museum but visited the bookstore and completed the Batman scavenger hunt. A cool stop! The couple who owns the place was very friendly.

While I do miss the old location on Mission, I'm glad that the Cartoon Art museum is still in SF (now in Ghirardelli Square.) First, it may seem like it's hard to get to but you'd be surprised how many buses go to or close by this area. But anyway, once you're there, there's always some interesting exhibits going on. I recently saw their Batsuit and props exhibit, as well as a spotlight on younger artists. And don't forget, SF residents get a little discount! Bring your friends and family while in town or just go on your own for a little stay at home tourism.

I came here a whole ago but the memories serve me well. Very clean, nice service staff & lots of room to move around & be a comic book fan! Come here when it's a weekday so it's not crowded!

I was just here yesterday as San Francisco had a Free Museum Weekend. We checked in and were given no trouble about being admitted. There was a short 2-3 minute wait as they were being cognizant of crowding. During this trip there were about 7-8 different artists' work being displayed, including one of my all-time favorites: Edward Gorey. There was also a Batman exhibit accross the hall with Batman's different suits depending on the movie portrayal. Overall good fun and something to do after a delicious seafood meal at the Wharf.

An educational experience that highlights the art and effort it takes to make animated movies and television. Devoted fans will love and appreciate seeing the hand-drawn sketches and cels that make it all possible. A low-key way to spend an hour.

My soon to be 8 year old is a huge comic artist and I thought this museum would spark his interest. The museum is relatively small. It was cool to see the various artist available. There is a little library of comic books that was neat. There were quite a bit of old school ones. I appreciate the little table with blank comic strips for littles to draw but I think with a little more effort, this could have been better especially for a kid like mine. In a short 20 mins, my kid was inspired to draw the following strip. The batman exhibit was also neat. I can see comic fans easily spending several hours here admiring all the beautiful work and reading old comics.

Tiny museum, more like a library, so it only took me about 5 min to visit. I got a free ticket via SF Public Library's Discover & Go program (must reserve slot & print ticket). Very clean, quiet multi-stall bathrooms with communal sinks.

Fun to visit here with my daughter, who is a comic book fan, and art school student who has done "sequential art". By a stroke of luck, they had a Batman display, including both original props, and costumes replicated by some amazing cosplay artists. In addition to the featured show, they had quite a variety of original drawings and animation cels on display from early Disney, Tom and Jerry, Edward Gorey, The Simpsons and more! They have a reading room and drawing activities for the younger kids--or kids-at-heart. If you have some time to spare while in the touristy Fisherman's Wharf area, I recommend stopping by.

Recently visited the Cartoon Art Museum located in Fisherman's Wharf (San Francisco, California). The Cartoon Art museum has some of the most incredible exhibits you'll ever see. This is the ideal location for comic book needs, superhero fanatics, and cartoon aficionados. During my visit, the misusing was featuring a Batman exhibit (which is free) and absolutely amazing. The exhibit has official replicas and actually suits worn from the movies. As one of the most iconic superheroes ever invented, if you're a Batman fan, you'll be blown away by this exhibit. There is also an amazing Wonder Woman and Spider-Man replica costume available on display. There is also a lot of original storyboards and color images from some of our favorite original artists. This is a must see place.

A little treasure find. Housed near the gallery where we bought a bunch of art over the years it is a godsend to this neighborhood. Nice staff, thoughtful displays and SUPER COOL stuff. The place is neat and tidy with a clear sense of purpose. The admission is cheap and a good balance to the area after a few Irish Coffees down at Buena Vista. If you or the kid in your life loves comics this is the place to visit.

Very cute small museum . You will done seeing everything in 30-45 minutes. Funny thing : when I entered and ask the receptionist for a ticket he asked me " are you an adult?" I thought I heard wrong . I said Pardon me ? he repeated " are you an adult?" I said I am sorry ! are you asking if I am an adult? he said yes . I was just shocked with the question and I smiled and said don't you see it ? do you really have doubts that If I am an adult? he said well I need to ask well ! that was really weird to ask people such a question

Nice museum. I respectfully didn't take any photos inside.vcome see for yourself. Right off the main street around Fisherman's Wharf.

A museum devoted to cartoons and comics would seem as close to a sure thing as there is in the art curation and exhibition business. Who doesn't love a good old-fashioned comic strip or a comic book hero come to life with movie costumes? In its early years, Yelp held a party there way back when anybody could attend. However, this museum had struggled with a steep rent hike at its SoMa location on Mission near 3rd Street, and after a two-year hiatus, they reopened at Fishermen's Wharf where it probably makes more sense geographically since it's a more natural tourist magnet on Beach Street next to Ghirardelli Square. At first glance, the space felt open but a bit sparse for the $10 admission price. Then I noticed the Marvel movie costumes on display as the exhibition for "The Infinity War Pantheon of Heroes: The Art of Allan Lavigne and the Bronze Armory". Familiar costumes from "Captain America", "Spider-Man", and "Guardians of the Galaxy" were present and accounted for, but the highlight had to be T'Challa's mask from "Black Panther" (photo: http://bit.ly/2PKWhEW). Wakanda Forever! The other key exhibition running through next month is the work of Marvel Comics artist Jim Starlin who drew Captain Marvel and created Thanos, the central villain of "Avengers: Infinity War". Call me old-fashioned, but my favorite section was "A Treasury of Animation" where the museum has culled select animation cels and concept drawings from the vaults of Disney, Warner Bros., Hanna-Barbera, Charles Schultz, and other familiar sources of cartoon memories. There are over 7,000 pieces in their permanent collection, so presumably there will be plenty of rotation in this room. A separate room is devoted to kids who are encouraged to express their own artistry with crayons and coloring pages. Naturally there's an expansive gift store in front just in case you need time to mull over the admission price. The museum is conveniently located at the northern end of the 19 MUNI line. RELATED - Looking for places to eat and see around the Marina and Fishermen's Wharf? Here's a collection of places I've reviewed: http://bit.ly/2PMqIut

This museum is not big but it's really neat. I took my daughter for a special day together and it was well worth it. I think definitely good for boys and girls with super heroes as well as a comic library! It's not too expensive and worth it. I would recommend a couple of hours so you and your kids can enjoy the library without feeling rushed.

The Cartoon Art Museum is small, but they pack a lot of interesting information in a tiny package. The staff are kind, there's plenty to see and the current exhibit on Thor and Loki is super fun. Definitely encourage folks to check out and support this local museum. I didn't check out the reading room too closely but they seemed to have a lot of material to read and the costume recreations are great, including the Batman room.

Disappointed, marvel is no longer there! Also, content seems to be lacking. The highlight for me were the Archie comic displays. Everything else was mediocre. Location is on Beach street near Hyde Street Pier. Several art galleries also in the area. If you are thinking of visiting, be sure to visit more than one place to make the visit worth your while. SF residents receive discount on admission. They do have summer camp going on and it seems to be packed. Inquire within.

My cousin and I took advantage of a Groupon to visit the Cartoon Art Museum in its new location. It is past the far end of Fisherman's Wharf and the hordes of tourists. We were greeted warmly and given a brief summary of the exhibits before entering the exhibition area. You can see comics from many different decades on display. Probably my favorite items were the mounted cels from cartoons: Bugs Bunny, Peanuts, Fantasia. There was also a pencil sketch of Oswald the Rabbit I liked. The museum also has a reading room full of books and comics. I could have spent the whole day there! They offer classes for kids, and one was just starting as we left.

THIS PLACE IS COOL! Its cheap, the staff is incredibly nice and the building and bathrooms are clean! For me this is a place to go to if you have a hour to kill because it is a little small but the art they have is worth a visit!

Our children love comics. At this museum you can see a variety of cartoon art. We loved the A Graphic History of the Civil Right Movement. Nate Powells storytelling showed so much emotion. I'm personally not into comic strips but when history is retold by the use of art and so much depth is put into each piece I really appreciate that storytelling can be told in such a way. The museum is quite small. There are a few hands on areas where one can sit and draw or write. Also they have a large wall full of colorful post-it where you can write a word or draw a picture of what sister means to you. They are opened Thursday to Tursday. They are closed on Wednesday. The great thing is that they rotate the exhibits so we can come back again in the near future and can be introduced and inspired by new cartoonists.

I been to this museum when It used to be downtown next door to the the The Museum of African Diaspora. Back then I saw the Garfield and Beetle Bailey exhibits. The new space now I think is smaller but it is closer to the touristy part of town of Fishermans Wharf, which can give them more foot traffic. I would only come here if you like all 4 exhibits which I luckily did. The museum is still tiny and never felt rushed or crowded. I wish it would have more displays, but you can pretty much finish the Museum in 15 minutes if you don't read anything. If you take time to read every exhibit you can spend 30-45 minutes here and then off you go to explore the other art galleries on this same block and call it a day. I enjoyed all the exhibits. I look forward to see what other exhibits they will come out with. I already have the book They Called Us Enemy, actor, author, and activist George Takei's graphic memoir, featuring artwork by Harmony Becker, so I may pop in for another visit. Overall this is a great and only musuem that spotlights comics and drawings which is very rare and they give back to the community and brings education classes to kids and adults. Like how many places can you brings parents and kids together in a happy medium. Cartoons makes people happy and memories of childhood comes to mind.

Batman lost his fight with gravity and lost his head in the process. #StopTippin #Batman #ImBatman Bruce Wayne

Stopped by here during Litquake and Fleet Week, and the museum was an oasis amid the hubub outside. They have a fascinating exhibit with caricatures of movie stars and other celebrities. Small but well curated!

if you want a quick easy to follow history about cartoons and comics, this is a place you shouldn't miss . The staff is friendly and accommodating. and dont forget to take time in solving the Batman case..proud to say, solved it without a phone and used old-school paper and pen

When you go to ghiradellis for ice cream go downstairs to take your cartoon lovers to this new spot. Make sure you take a Groupon ticket with you especially for the whole fam. Very good education for the little ones on the internment camps without too much graphic photos. Really clean and bathrooms too! Changing exhibits make you come back again and again. Hooray for Andrew who was so helpful friendly and informative! Thanks !

We came when there was the Jim Starlin exhibit. My daughter is a superhero phase so this was the perfect place to visit. Cool place to visit if your in the area. We got to see a bunch of original art work. Seeing a the superhero movie props was something she loved. We also sat down and drew for a while since they had a station to do your own drawings. We were there for about an hour and seemed as if it went quickly so eat before you go so you energized. Will be checking to see what other exhibits they have.

One thing to know about this place is that it is small, consisting of a reading room, one large gallery room that features the special exhibit at the time, and one additional "side room" with a couple dozen animation cells. Th-th-th-th-that's all folks. It's not expensive to visit, which is good, and it's conveniently located right near Ghirardelli Square and the edge of Fisherman's Wharf. During our visit, the special exhibit was on Katsch's celebrity caricatures, which were colorful and beautiful and interesting. Some--but not most--of them had brief write-ups, making it more of an art exhibition than a museum display. We took our time poring over the caricatures. Had they not been as engaging as they were, we probably would have gone through this entire museum in less than 20 minutes. So word to the wise when considering a visit to this museum: Find out what the current special exhibit is and make sure that it is of specific interest to you. If it isn't, then this won't be a great place to visit; if it is, then it definitely would be a worthwhile stop. (A few previous reviews I see online spoke about the reviewer's lack of interest in the subject matter that happened to be on display at that time. I can see why that would be a problem for some people visiting the museum, as its name is a bit off the mark when it comes to what visitors actually get/experience when they come here.)

The cartoon art museum is in a good location where there is lots of good food (near Fisherman's wharf). The museum itself is on the smaller side, but offers many insights to comic books and cartoons. It aims to show mainly the origin and history of the art. I would only suggest one to go if they are truly interested in comic book though. For those interested in Marvel or DC, there is not much. Before going to the museum, you should always check the special exhibits to ensure you go for something you are interested in as they do not have that much.

Went there today for my mother's birthday, and it was a really good experience! Although it is small there is some good content, there's original frames from looney tunes, Disney, Cartoon Network and much more. There also was some unpainted covers for several marvel comics such as guardians of the galaxy. The staff was very nice as well, and told us plenty of helpful information regarding the artwork. I would recommend the Walt Disney Family museum if you liked the type of artwork displayed here, it also shows a lot of original work from Disney films.

This place is great! We loved the exhibits, especially the wonder woman one. We also love the batman room, keep an eye out for the lego batman!

On Saturdays the museum offers educational classes for all different youth age groups. My daughter 14, participated in the drawing/sketch and animation classes. Small student to teacher ratio and independent help if needed. She had a nice experience. We will attend again.

Original movie props, drawing area, books to read, lots of original art on walls. My kid was entranced by the original Pop Eye looping on the TV. Just wish the little gift shop sold prints. Exhibits change monthly, will definitely be back!

They have some cool original drawing of old comic books but I was expecting a lot more. There wasn't much to see and you can look at everything in less than 30 minutes. Would have been awesome to see more of a selection as there are thousands of cartoons out there.

It was an amazing place for me and for my family to spend free time. The staff was amazing and if you are a cartoon enthusiast, the museum is a great way to spend an hour. It is small, so I doubt you would need much more time. It was also inexpensive and quiet so it is a great stop to get away from all the tourist attractions. Thank you for such a fantastic place!