Event Information

We have a variety of samples to look at, such as plants and bugs, but we can also prepare a sample if you have something you'd like to look at. The SEM is very user friendly, come give it a try! The SEM generates incredible images using an electron beam instead of a light beam. A traditional microscope uses light and curved glass to magnify samples for our eyes to see.

The SEM uses electrons, generated from a piece of heated metal, that bounce off the sample and are then converted into a black-and-white image. Since electrons have much shorter wavelengths than light beams, we are able to see more detail and higher magnification. With a typical light microscope we can view samples up to 400x, with this SEM we have seen good images at 3,000x!

The Exploratorium's SEM is on loan from Hitachi through August 2026.

Prices:
Adult: USD 39.95,
Senior / Youth / Student: USD 29.95

Category: Arts | Visual Arts | Museum

Date and Time: Sunday June 07, 2026 at 11:00 am to Sunday June 21, 2026 at 12:00 pm

Venue details: Pier 15, The Embarcadero, San Francisco, California, 94111, United States