The Hamon Observation Tower on the 9th floor of the de Young offers 360-degree views of Golden Gate Park, the city skyline, and the Pacific — no museum ticket required, no line, no charge.

The Hamon Observation Tower on the 9th floor of the de Young Museum is free to access without a museum admission ticket — and a Reddit thread reminding San Franciscans it exists has been circulating this week for good reason. A lot of people have no idea it's up there.

The tower is at 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr in Golden Gate Park and is open Tuesday through Sunday, 9:30 am to 4:30 pm (closed Mondays), according to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. From the top: 360-degree views of the park canopy, the SF skyline east, and the Pacific to the west. No ticket counter, no upsell — you walk in, ride the elevator.

Getting there: The 44 O'Shaughnessy stops directly at the Music Concourse, a short walk from the museum entrance. The N Judah (Irving & 9th Ave stop) is about 10 minutes on foot. A free Golden Gate Park Shuttle runs every 15 minutes on weekends and holidays, 9 am–6 pm, from the park's main stops. If you drive, the Music Concourse Garage underneath the concourse charges $5/hr on weekdays and $6/hr on weekends ($35 daily max) — street parking on MLK Jr. Drive fills by midday most weekends.

The move: Weekday mornings before noon. The park shuttle doesn't run until noon on weekdays, so foot traffic from tourists is lighter. You'll have the floor mostly to yourself. If you want to stay for the galleries, Muni riders save $3 on adult admission with a valid FastPass or transfer.