Cartoon Art Museum

I fortunately got to check this place out before they closed to move. They had an excellent Erik Larsen/​Savage Dragon exhibit at the time, which is what brought me there. They also had a great little exhibit of art by the guy who does the «Darth Vader & Son» books.
Definitely check out their website for when they find their new permanent space. I also believe they are doing mini exhibitions at other museums for a few months in early 2016.

Loved the exhibits, made me wish there was more. Re-​sparked my interest in comics/​animation. The gift store could be better.

Place was dope. Sad to hear they’re closing down soon.

Overall: if you like comics, this is a must go! It gives you a little history but mainly show cases a few galleria of the features artist. They also have a section of cool marvel costumes and old comics from different eras.
Pros: there is some quality displays with great comic art! If you like comics, you can enjoy reading some of the classic strips which is entertaining by nature! Heh also have a fun store to the side that is accessible without membership as well. They have student discount so it would run you $ 6!
Cons: I wish it was a bit bigger! With that there isn’t as many things to display as wanted… Especially marvel stuff! If you are in a hurry though, it won’t take up more than 1.5 hours of your time.

What a wonderful hidden gem of a museum that’s tucked away in between SOMA and FiDi areas. I seriously have walked by this location multiple times and thought it was just a bookstore. I read in the Chronicle that the Cartoon Art Museum was planning on moving soon and thought it would be a perfect time to visit before they left. If you have an hour to kill in the area, come check this out! I came in with a couple coworkers during our lunch break.
Cool stuff too look at:
+ Erik Larsen’s Savage Dragon drawings
+ Old school newspaper comics (Garfield, Peanuts, Cathy, The Family Circus, etc.)
+ Life-​size Captain America
+ Infamous SF hearts

This was something different to do while in San Francisco. Entrance fee of 8 dollars wasn’t too bad. Pretty small museum with a few exhibits. I say it took us about a hour to get through all exhibits and watch a nice portion of a pretty cool art skit on a flat screen TV. Best part for me was all the old comic strips before exiting this place. It sure brought back plenty of fun filled memories. If you know how to enjoy the simplest things in life this is the place for you.

This was so much fun! The $ 8 to walk the museum was well worth it. They take you from concept to actual. I was there when they had the darth vadar kid books.
I also loveddddd the marvel movie costumes. It was a highlight to see actual costumes and Thor’s hammer.

I love the uniqueness of this museum. It is so interesting to see the evolution of cartoon art. There are some very unique pieces here. This is a fairly small museum so it didn’t take us very long to see it. There are frequently special events here so if you are into comics or cartoons, check back regularly. For me, it wasn’t really worth it, but it was an interesting experience and perfect for those who are really into graphic art.

Pretty interesting museum as they go through the history and different cartoons that made an impact to our culture today. On Tuesday’s you pay what you want even though for adults it is $ 7 any other day.
As a cartoon enthusiast I wish they had more though. Growing up watching cartoons for most of my childhood I expected more. I liked how they highlighted political cartoons in today”s society. They also had a random wall featuring Batman cartoon television series in the back along with The Simpsons. They also had a random case of Ninja Turtle collectible action figures in a glass case.
Their are a wide variety of cartoons that have been made since before the 1900’s but if your going to have a museum on cartoon art you got to do it right. Meaning, their should be more sh*t on Peanuts, Archer, Simpsons, Marvel & DC, (not just Erik Larson even though his stuff was cool), and early 2000’s stuff. There are so many cartoons that can be highlighted that the small book store inside the museum isn’t as big as the stores in New York City with quality content.
Looking at past Unilocal Reviews the museum changes its galleries once in a while but they should have some material that is always featured and some that changes to keep it interesting.
I would come here again but more likely on a Tuesday.

Came here for the Erik Larsen exhibit yesterday and it was a blast and a half. I’ve been a huge Erik Larsen fan for years, so I’m not going to pass up a chance to hear Erik talk about Savage Dragon for a few hours.
We didn’t buy tickets in advance so we were directed by Andrew the curator to head to the front desk to buy them there which we did. Andrew was a HUGE part of bringing this event together as he’s somewhat of a local celebrity when it comes to the world of cartoon/​comic art. He even posts on the JB forum which I also frequent. He’s a swell guy and I’m glad he put this event together. However, when we were walking into the exhibit room, I guess he didn’t recognize us and asked if we checked in and when we said we actually bought tickets in the counter, he seemed a bit dubious about our words. Still, no biggie as he let us in.
The actual displays in this place were great. Very well structured and there is plenty of breathing space between pieces. Lots of great pieces of art that everyone in the comic field should invest a few minutes to check out.
The actual event was great as well and there were snack provided. Yes, snacks for all! You can’t go wrong with free snacks.
This is a very well organized place and it wouldn’t be anything without Andrew. Good job buddy, last night was a blast.

Do you love cartoons, comics or graphic novels? Then get your butt over to the Cartoon Art Museum! For the extraordinary price of $ 8 you will have a ton of amazing artwork to feast your eyes upon. I probably spent over an hour checking out everything as my mom sat around waiting for me (awesome for me, not so much for her).
The exhibitions were varied and there’s bound to be something here that will appeal to you. An M. K. Brown exhibit, political satire, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle and a history of comics going back to the late 19^th century were all on display when I visited.
The gift store, however, was a bit of a letdown. There were a ton of graphic novels, comic books, manga, etc. for sale. However I wonder if they only stock new items as I didn’t see anything there by many of my favorite authors (notably Alison Bechdel, who, as far as I’m concerned, should command at least an entire section in every bookstore on the planet).

The Cartoon Art Museum came to be in 2000. The gift shop, in 2008. But, it’s not uncommon to overhear patrons say they had no clue this place existed until someone pointed it out or they were specifically invited.
The collection is modest and heavy on political satire and newspaper comics. I was immediately drawn to the hilarious early 1900s comic strips and original storyboards throughout the decades with the ink and pen markings visible. Tickets are 8 $ for general admission. It’s a great idea for all ages. If someone says they don’t bother with such juvenile things as comic strips, animated or stop-​motion cinema, unfriend them immediately. What kind of maniac are you?! C.S. Lewis said, ”When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.” Ursula Le Guin says, ”The creative adult is the child who survived.”
Don’t ever be afraid to be creative and curious.
The bookstore inside is worth the time. You’ll stumble across all sorts of graphic novels, comic books, manga, prints, stickers, toys, trinkets and books. The space is a collection of five small partitions devoted to changing themes and topics. Gallery 4 includes their permanent collection gallery. Currently, the LAIKA film, The Boxtrolls is on display in Gallery 1. The film plays as you peruse the digital prints.
A highlighted exhibit includes Stranger than Life, the Cartoons and Comics of MK Brown showing until February 15, 2015.
I wish they would host a piece on DC Comics’ The Janissary!
Important notes:
*They are open Tuesday through Sunday from 11a to 5p. They are closed Monday and all holidays.
*Children under 6 are free. Other ticket prices range from 4 $ to 8 $.
*First Tuesdays are ”pay what you wish” day.
*Check their website (
) or call their telephone line 415-​Car-​Toon for details on book signings, cartoonists-​in-​residence, classes and workshops offered in illustration and design. They also offer private event rentals.
One downside, that I tried to ignore, but after a bit of thought, irked me: the young man who was to be opening the museum at 11a on the Tuesday I visited, decided to go for a coffee and breakfast break at opening time, and was 20+ minutes late opening, whilst a group of patrons waited for him outside. When he arrived he was annoyed and disgusted we were there, and even proceeded to cut his eyes at another family that joked, ”Yay! He’s here!” Then he struggled to even open the front door from the inside with his master key, as if he had never opened it before. It was awkward, and after paying, he didn’t hand any brochure or offer any direction on the galleries, he was so busy trying to ignore our presence, he forgot to hand me back my bank card. I had to ask for it back and then purposely go and look for the flyer with details. When the visiting family asked about the displays, he grumbled, in a pissed voice, ”yeah, go there,” with no further words, and then rolled his eyes. I felt really embarrassed for the tourists, as they’ll remember how they were treated simply visiting a local, small museum in San Francisco. It’s unacceptable, unnecessary and unprofessional.

Pretty interesting place, especially for the teenage mutant ninja turtle fans as other reviews mention, they have first editions and how it was made into the cartoon. Very Kewl process to see.
It’s a small place but really enjoyed it! Recommend for comic and cartoon lovers, not really for kids but kids at heart to reminisce their childhood.
Value ³⁄₅
Atmosphere ⁴⁄₅
Service ³⁄₅
Quality ⁴⁄₅
¹⁴⁄₂₀

August 5, 2014 …
What a neat find — all original artwork from some of the strips I used to see when I was very young. Their main exhibit at the time was a full on story of Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles. Quite interesting. The frames displayed for the older strips and artists were quite interesting and brought back some fond memories.
I agree with an earlier review that thinks the space should be called a gallery. It is quite small and the full admission price of $ 10 is a little steep for what you get, but the bookstore is crammed with every kind of cartoon artwork imaginable.

They had all of the original art from the first issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (the original series). I got to read the first issue, front to back, from the original Eastman and Laird art. It was a religious experience for me.
The space also had a bunch of other TMNT stuff, a Mike Zeck exhibit, an exhibit on female artists (including work from Ms. Fury!) and more. This was my second time visiting. It’s small, but the space is used well. I spent a couple hours browsing, and probably could have lingered for another hour, except I came too close to closing time. This is on my must list for every time I visit San Francisco.

This gallery is one of the several that I visited during that free admission day (which is the first Tuesday of every month) all San Francisco museums and similar attractions have.
Not much to say about this place though. There’s precious little to see and, quite honestly, I’d be hard pressed to pay full admission here. You’d think for a hip place like San Francisco that there would be more artsy stuff to look at.
There are a few walls covered in comics, concept sketches and historical factoids. It wasn’t bad, but probably not worth nearly $ 10 admission on a regular day.

Checked out the Cartoon Art Museum, this time on Th 3÷20÷14. I never heard of the current exhibit:
Searle in America — interesting art
Grains of Sand: 25 yrs of the Sandman — never heard of the Sandman.
Sam & Max: Swift & Mirthful Justice The Art of Steve Purcell now thru 4÷20÷14 — kinda interesting art, I liked it. There was a cartoon to watch too, but it was way too long for me, saw a bit of it.
Some art we could take pics No Flash, others we couldn’t.
They have bathrooms in the back. Small giftshop I didn’t look at this time. Some books near the front 75% off, but nothing I wanted.

I hoped… oh I SO hoped… I would get the opportunity to stop in here. Yes!!!
This was a MAJOR highlight from my business trip. I can’t tell you how many times I walked past this place on the way to my conference and hoped… oh so hoped… that I would get to stop by this magnificent little wonder that called out to me every day. With complete excitement we ended early one afternoon, and I made it in here with 10 minutes of viewing time to spare and 30 minutes of bookstore shopping time.
Of course my advice would be to come here with more time for viewing. I was extremely lucky to catch the current exhibition with Searle in America, Sam & Max and Mirthful Justice The Art of Steve Purcell, and Grains of Sand: 25 Years of the Sandman. I didn’t really know what to expect. I literally walked in, dropped off my bags, and headed into the exhibition hall. It was much bigger than I had initially thought, so it was obvious that I would have to give it the big overview. A fantastic mix of live media and print. Just to give you an idea as to the quality of the exhibitions, the Searle in America exhibit was the first career retrospective of his work, curated by Aardman/​Pixar story artist Matt Jones. From TV Guide illustrations, Life, Travel and Leisure, Searle was a cultural icon from the 1950’s and 1960’s. The exhibit continues through March 30^th, 2014 if you get the chance to see it.
The bookstore was fantastic, and I wanted to purchase everything in it. I enjoy illustrating, so I soak up inspiration from everywhere. They have a great Ed Gorey collection of goods here, and I even told them about the Gorey exhibit taking place in Chicago right now (note: the manager is now flying out to see it!). I ended up purchasing a bunch of goodies for my kids: Spy vs Spy buttons, key chains, drawing books, cards for inspiration, pencil bags, etc. The puzzle collection was fantastic! I’m a huge fan, and sadly traveling with a suitcase and coming in here is a serious bummer. With more planning I might have considered shipping myself a personal package with more books and gifts from here.
When you enter, don’t forget to take note of the original animation camera in the front lobby and that giant cartoon painted heart! For those who don’t know, this is the only museum in the western U.S. with a year-​round exhibition schedule dedicated to the preservation and celebration of all types of cartooning. It’s home to over 6,000 pieces of original cartoon and animation art and five galleries of exhibition space. They also offer classes! Note, it is also funding in part by the Charles M. and Jean Schulz Fund. Snoopy!

If you are a cartoon fan, this is a must. It’s not huge, but they have a great collection of cartoon art from historical pieces to contemporary illustrations. Just like any other museum, you get the details on the artist and the piece and a little history. They have some rare special exhibits and events. You can breeze through in an hour or less. It’s nice because it’s next to other museums so you can do more than one in a day.
Check out the book store on the way out, it’s impressive.

This is a very cool museum. I love that it’s a specific niche, catering to the art of cartoons. Although the museum is small, so are cartoons, so there’s actually loads to check out!
They offer free admission the first Tuesday of the month and is a nice addition to a First Tuesday art museum crawl including MoMa when it reopens after their renovations and YBCA.
It’s also a very awesome spot to throw an event. I’ve been to a bunch of private events hosted here and the space is really unique and accommodating. It works really well and I think it’s a really hip, unique spot for parties. Although, it could use with a bit more seating to work as a event space.
Absolutely check it out if you’re into cartoons, or come on the first Tuesday to browse. You could spend 5 – 10 minutes here up to about an hour depending on how many cartoons you plan to read. Bring glasses if you need them as the font is standard cartoon size.

Whenever I think of museums, I usually think of science museums, art museums, or historical museums. However, a cartoon museum is definitely a new take.
The Cartoon Art Museum is very small with only one floor and about five «rooms», so you’ll probably spend no more than an hour in here. Adult admission is $ 7. The exhibits change every few months, so if you’re a true fan, you’d come back two to three times a year to check out what’s new.
I came by two weekends ago, when this museum had an exhibit on Chuck Jones, who was one of the animated artists and directors for Looney Tunes. (And the exhibit will continue until May 5, 2013!) There were original sketches of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Wile E. Coyote, as well as several episodes of Looney Tunes on the TV. They were five short minutes of fun and laughter. I would’ve sat there all day long if seating weren’t limited. The museum also had Blondie, Garfield, Peanuts, For Better or for Worse comic strips… basically your comic section in the Sunday copy of SF’s Chronicle, but framed and mounted on the wall.
I would come back the Cartoon Art Museum, but first I’d check their website to see which new exhibits are showcased. Anything from the 90’s would encourage me to re-​visit.