Plan: Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some questions we have received regarding the Exploratorium’s proposed move to Piers 15/17. We hope that the following answers also address your concerns. If not, feel free to  contact us  with your question, and we’d be happy to answer it.

Why is the Exploratorium moving?

We have outgrown our home at the Palace of Fine Arts. By relocating to Piers 15/17, we will have more room to showcase exhibits and conduct our related educational mission, including teaching educators how to teach science. We also expect that by relocating the Exploratorium to a central location in the City, one much more accessible to public transportation, we will better serve all of San Francisco and the Bay Area —particularly our diverse audience of local visitors.

Is the Exploratorium closing soon?

No, the Exploratorium will remain in operation at its current location at the Palace of Fine Arts until the project at Piers 15/17 is completed, projected for 2013.

What will the project look like?

Piers 15/17 will be renovated to preserve the historic fabric of the buildings on the San Francisco waterfront. The Exploratorium will be housed at the Pier 15 shed, creating a vibrant, open setting for learning. The space between Piers 15/17 will be a courtyard and an outdoor exhibit area that will bring the public closer to the Bay.

What will happen to the exhibits?

The Exploratorium has been adding new exhibits to its collection every year since its founding. The signature exhibits for which the Exploratorium is world famous will continue to be central at the new location. Our move to the waterfront will no doubt spark some interesting new exhibits related to our closer relationship to the water. 

Who is leading the project?

Wilson Meany Sullivan, the firm that developed the Ferry Building, is managing the development of the project in close collaboration with the Exploratorium’s Executive Staff. Escherick, Homsey, Dodge & Davis (EHDD) Architecture is designing the project. EHDD Architecture is well known for its work on the Monterey Bay Aquarium as well as other maritime and institutional projects around the world. Page & Turnbull will provide historic architecture and conservation expertise as part of the project team. Page & Turnbull worked on the Ferry Building, Piers 1, 3, and 5.

How will people get to Piers 15/17?

The northeast waterfront is served by several public transportation systems, including light rail, trolleys, ferry, BART, and bus. Muni’s F-Line stops right in front of Piers 15/17 and provides easy connections to Caltrain, BART, and ferries. Ferries to and from Sausalito, Tiburon, Larkspur, Harbor Bay Isle, and Alameda/Oakland dock at the Ferry Building nearby, and the Embarcadero BART station is an eight-minute walk away. Bus lines 1, 10, 12, 30, and 82 also run with stops close to Piers 15/17. Paid hourly parking will be provided at Seawall Lot 321.

Eventually, the Port hopes to operate a water transit system along the waterfront using the water taxi landing to be located at Pier 15 and other piers.

Are you sure that, as a nonprofit, you will be able to undertake such a costly project?

It’s true that the project will be costly, from retrofitting Piers 15 /17 to construction of the museum. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors reviewed the financial terms of the Project and determined that the project is fiscally feasible and responsible.