The Children’s Creativity Museum (originally Zeum) was founded through a downtown San Francisco community redevelopment effort in the 1990s. Our 20+ years operating at the cross-section of art-and-technology infuses a “look – and please touch!” experience rarely found in museums. By providing a safe environment for children to engage in play-based learning, explore their curiosities, and tackle hands-on design challenges, we build essential creative confidence and collaboration skills.

We serve as a gathering place for families from diverse backgrounds and our Yerba Buena neighborhood is one of California’s 14 cultural districts (SOMA Pilipinas Filipino Cultural Heritage District). Our museum has always been led by a director of color, and people of color are equally represented on our board and staff. When our community gathers to play, creativity and collaboration follows regardless of race, ethnicity, religious affiliation, or income.

We infuse all educational programming with our Imagine-Create-Share creativity cycle. Staff are trained to deepen learning experiences, as we know that early exposure to art-and-science – often known as STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) – charts a course for a child’s future. From animation, crafting, and theater games to science experiments and design challenges, our suite of play experiences encourages children to explore their passions, express their emotions, problem-solve, work together in teams, and develop their own sense of agency to support lifelong learning.

We provide on-site museum experiences and facilitated programming, field trips for schools and youth-serving organizations (including many Title I schools), and outdoor programming for children and families. We also operate the historic LeRoy King Carousel on the corner of 4th & Howard Streets in San Francisco.