SAN FRANCISCO — The Randall Museum is marking 75 years on the slopes of Corona Heights with a free four-hour Sunday celebration on Sept. 27.
The anniversary festival runs from 1 to 5 p.m. at 199 Museum Way. The museum says all anniversary activities are free, including climbing, skateboarding, archery, crafts, live music, an instructor showcase and the opening of a new Josephine D. Randall history exhibit.
What is happening at the Randall Museum 75th anniversary?
The museum's official program lists a 75th-anniversary ceremony and guest speakers, the new history exhibit, instructor showcases, children's crafts, a climbing wall, skateboarding, archery and live music.
Activities are planned at the museum and nearby States Street Playground. That makes the afternoon closer to a free family festival than a short anniversary ceremony.
Is everything free?
Yes. The Randall Museum explicitly says all anniversary activities are free. Regular museum admission is also free.
What time is the anniversary event?
Use 1–5 p.m. as the current event time. The Randall Museum's own page gives that window, and SF Recreation and Parks' formal event header also says 1–5 p.m.
Rec & Park's Mobile Rec page contains stray body text showing other times, including 10 a.m.–4 p.m. and an obvious 1 a.m.–5 p.m. typo. SF News Today is following the museum's own current schedule rather than reproducing those contradictory lines.
Why is 2026 the 75th anniversary if the museum began earlier?
The institution predates the current building. Josephine D. Randall helped establish the original Junior Museum in 1937. The museum says September 2026 marks 75 years since the current Corona Heights facility opened in 1951.
The anniversary therefore celebrates the current museum's 75 years on the slopes of Corona Heights, not the first year of the institution itself.
What can kids do?
The confirmed anniversary activities include a climbing wall, skateboarding, archery and crafts. Rec & Park's Mobile Rec program is participating as well.
The museum also plans live music and instructor showcases. Exact activity rotation or capacity rules may still change, so families who have one must-do activity should check the museum's event page before leaving.
Where is the Randall Museum?
The Randall Museum is at 199 Museum Way on Corona Heights above the Castro.
The location has a useful planning caveat: the shortest walking approaches from the Castro are steep. The museum's visitor information says the direct route via Castro, States and the States Street Playground path is short but very steep, while a longer approach via 14th Street and Roosevelt Way is less steep.
What is the easiest Muni option?
The 37 Corbett is one of the closest Muni routes for the museum and uses Roosevelt Way near Corona Heights. People arriving through Castro Muni Metro or the 24 Divisadero can also walk uphill to the museum.
For visitors with small children, strollers or limited mobility, the difference between “nearby” on a map and a steep uphill walk matters. Check the 37 Corbett first if minimizing the climb is important.
Is there parking?
Yes. The Randall Museum has a free on-site parking lot and additional parking on nearby streets, but the museum warns that the lot can fill quickly during special events.
For the anniversary, treat free parking as available but not guaranteed.
Is the museum accessible?
The museum says its main floor, lobby, deck, animal exhibit, restrooms, theater and art studio are wheelchair accessible, with elevators serving other floors. Visitors who need a low-gradient route should plan around the museum entrance or drop-off area rather than the steepest pedestrian approach from Castro.
Who was Josephine Randall?
Josephine D. Randall was San Francisco's first Superintendent of Recreation. The museum says she championed a children's institution combining science, natural history and the arts, eventually leading to the Junior Museum and the later Corona Heights building that now carries her name.
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