The best free SF exhibitions to catch this month

It feels good to get a bit of culture! And it feel even better when it's free. Here are our favorite SF exhibitions going on this month (which you can enjoy without the price tag) and where to find them.

Photo: Kari Orvik, San Francisco Camerawork

"Geneva" at San Francisco Camerawork

Under the radar San Francisco Camerawork is one of San Francisco’s hidden art gems. Founded in 1974, this gallery showcases new and emerging photographers from SF and the surrounding areas. 

What: Through December 20, you can check out the free exhibition Geneva,  a photographic series by San Francisco photographer Kari Orvik focusing on the SF Outer Mission neighborhood at the corner of Mission Street and Geneva Avenue. The exhibition features the people and architectural sites of the area looked at through new eyes on materials including metal, glass and digital portraits and landscapes.

Where: 1011 Market Street, Mid-Market, San Francisco, 94103

Photo: Kari Orvik, San Francisco Camerawork

"5 Artisti" at Museo Italo Americano

The Museo Italo Americano was the first U.S. institution dedicated to Italian art and culture when it first opened its doors in 1978 and it’s gone from strength to strength since then. The intimate collection includes both contemporary and historical Italian and Italian-American art and the latest exhibit doesn’t disappoint. 

What: "5 Artisti" showcases the work of 5 Italian and Italian-American artists working in a range of different mediums. Running through February 2 2020, you can catch “Mind Maps” by Sofia Carmi, which explores fantasy and mind travel through abstract and expressionist painting, the stunning photographs of Art De Fabio’s “Faces and Places of Umbia” (a beautiful little region referred often to as the “Green Heart” of Italy) and the architectural, geometric designs of Robert La Rocca in his “Beyond the Edge.”

Where: 2 Marina Boulevard, Marina District, San Francisco, 94123

Photo: Art De Fabio, Museo Italo Americano

Chinese Historical Society of America Museum

The Chinese Historical Society of America Museum was also the first of its kind, being the first museum in the country to highlight the contributions of the Chinese in the U.S when it opened in 1963.

What: The new permanent exhibition, “Chinese American: Exclusion/Inclusion,” is a must-see for anyone interested in the history of Chinese in America, as it traces the history of Chinese immigration to the states and the lives of Chinese-Americans as they changed from the late eighteenth century to now, including exlusion laws and discrimination and well as inspiring stories and little known facts.

Photo: Chinese Historical Society of America

Where: 965 Clay Street, San Francisco, 94108