One SF resident recently shared that they'd swapped their screen time for the SF Ballet's Mere Mortals and came away "totally captivated." Which prompted an excellent question: what other cultural memberships are actually worth your money in this city?

Turns out, quite a few — and for a city where everything costs a small fortune, the value proposition on cultural memberships is surprisingly solid.

The SF Ballet is gearing up for next season, and as one local arts enthusiast noted, "they are doing Balanchine's Jewels next season which I'm sure will be fantastic." The de Young Museum regularly rotates exhibitions that go beyond your standard gallery fare — their recent history of manga show was a perfect example of creativity with edge.

But here's where it gets interesting for the budget-conscious among us. Film memberships at the Roxie, Film SF (covering the Balboa, Four Star, and Vogue theaters), and the Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley are, frankly, a steal. You're supporting independent cinema and saving money over time — fiscal responsibility meets cultural enrichment. That's our love language.

And for the under-30 crowd especially: the Big Brain Lecture Series hosts weekly talks in bars around the city, reportedly sells out constantly, and costs a fraction of what you'd spend mindlessly tapping "add to cart" at 11 PM.

Here's the broader point. San Francisco has world-class cultural institutions that most residents walk past every day without a second thought. We spend enormous public dollars subsidizing arts programs in this city — you might as well get your money's worth as a taxpayer. These memberships are one of the rare cases where spending a little upfront genuinely pays dividends, both for your wallet and your sanity.

Doomscrolling is free, sure. But it costs you more than you think.