With hands-on animation, sound and video production, performance, and visual art - Zeum offers a spin on the creation side of the museum experience.
Also, be sure to check out the carousel (from 1906) at the corner of 4th and Mission.
Within a block, the Contemporary Jewish Museum is across Mission street, the MOMA is across 3rd street - and the Cartoon Art Museum is another half block down Mission past 3rd street.
On the other side of town, the Exploratorium offers additional touch-first adventures oriented more towards the natural world.
Address: 221 Fourth St, SF, CA
Website: http://www.zeum.org/calendar/index.php
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeum