What to Do

While the Bay Area is known for its natural beauty, hiking trails, and coastline, it also offers a wealth of cultural and historical attractions that appeal to visitors with academic and artistic interests. From Stanford’s own world-class museums to San Francisco’s iconic art institutions, there are countless ways to explore the region’s history, creativity, and innovation.

Below is a curated list of museums and historic sites — including both major destinations and more unusual gems — that provide rich perspectives on art, science, technology, and culture. All are open to the public and easily accessible from Stanford and the surrounding Bay Area.

For those who prefer time outdoors, the Bay Area offers equally rewarding experiences in nature. Within minutes of campus, you can walk the Stanford Dish Trail for sweeping views of Palo Alto and the surrounding foothills. A short drive leads to Foothills Nature Preserve or the redwood forests of Huddart Park and Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. For coastal scenery, Half Moon Bay and Pacifica provide oceanfront walks and fresh air — all easily reachable in under an hour.

The museums below highlight some of the Bay Area’s most distinctive offerings in art, history, science, and culture. But the region also has many other fascinating collections to explore if time allows. For example, the Beat Museum in San Francisco celebrates the writers and artists of the Beat Generation, while the GLBT Historical Society Museum documents the Bay Area’s pivotal role in LGBTQ+ history. The Tenderloin Museum provides an unconventional look at one of San Francisco’s most storied neighborhoods, and the Museum of Russian Culture preserves artifacts and archives from the émigré community. Together, these “hidden gems” offer conference visitors a chance to discover aspects of Bay Area history and identity that are as eclectic as they are enlightening.