Cartoon Art Museum, Bay Area Travel Guide

The Cartoon Art Museum (CAM) in San Francisco stands as a unique institution dedicated to the art of comics and cartoons. Founded in 1984, the museum has evolved from organizing exhibits in various locations to finding a permanent home and becoming the only museum of its kind on the West Coast.Located in Fisherman's Wharf, a block from Ghirardelli Square and across from Aquatic Park, CAM offers a dynamic experience with rotating exhibitions. These exhibitions showcase a wide range of cartoon art, including comic strips, comic books, anime, political cartoons, graphic novels, and underground comix. The museum's collection includes original animation cels, comic book pages, and early newspaper comic strips.CAM's mission is to ignite imaginations and foster the next generation of visual storytellers by celebrating the history of cartoon art and its role in society. Visitors can view original art, create their own comics and animation in classes and workshops, conduct research in the library, and connect with cartoonists. The museum typically hosts several major exhibitions each year, along with classes for children and adults, lectures, and a bookstore.The museum has moved locations several times since its founding. It first had no fixed location, then found a home in the South of Market (SoMa) district in 1987 with support from Peanuts creator Charles Schulz. After a period at 655 Mission Street, the museum reopened in its current Fisherman's Wharf location in 2017.