This guide is for blind and low-vision visitors to San Francisco — where audio description, a touch tour, a Braille map, or a descriptive app can open up a museum, a show, or a garden you’d otherwise only get part of. The city’s strengths here are specific and worth seeking out: an AI describe-anything assistant, descriptive audio tours, tactile Braille maps, and a fragrance garden built from the ground up for blind and low-vision visitors.

It’s built in two halves. First, the city-level playbook — audio description, tactile and Braille access, and how to get oriented and guided. Then the standout venues for vision access in each category, with a link to browse the rest.

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Audio Description & Descriptive Tours

Audio description — narration of the visual action or artwork — turns up across San Francisco when you arrange it. The Museum of Craft and Design goes furthest with an AI “Ally” assistant that describes any piece you point your phone at; SFMOMA offers audio descriptions of its collection; and Alcatraz has an audio-described version of its acclaimed cellhouse tour. At the theater, the Golden Gate and The Curran deliver audio description through the GalaPro app, and the Castro Theatre uses Dolby devices for audio narration. Book audio description ahead — like ASL interpreting, these are scheduled, not on-demand.

Braille, Tactile & Large Print

Tactile and Braille access is real here. Braille and large-print materials appear at SFMOMA, the de Young, the Asian Art Museum, and Alcatraz. Tactile experiences let you explore by hand: the Exploratorium keeps tactile maps at its Information Desk, Crissy Field has a tactile 3D map of the Presidio with Braille labels, and the Garden of Fragrance at the Botanical Garden is a garden in a class of its own — built for scent and touch.

Getting Oriented & Guided

Many venues will provide a staff sighted-guide or escort — from the entrance to your seat, or through the galleries — if you ask ahead; the big stadiums do this from the accessible entry. Service animals are welcome everywhere. For a specific touch tour, audio-described date, or guided visit, contact the venue’s accessibility or education team when you book.

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Museums

The richest vision-access category — audio description, Braille, tactile, and a describe-anything AI assistant:

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Beaches, Parks & Gardens

Some of the city’s most distinctive vision access is outdoors — including a garden built to be explored by scent and touch:

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Performing Arts

Audio-described tours and narration at the theaters:

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Kids & Family

The hands-on science centers are touch-driven by design — some of the most engaging stops for blind and low-vision kids:

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Landmarks & Sights

Audio-described tours and narration at the marquee sights:

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Sports & Event Venues

Touch-and-scent gardens and tactile maps lead the way outdoors:

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More SF Guides

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