One excellent reason to book an international flight through San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is the opportunity to visit its rotating museum exhibitions. Here’s a summary of what’s on display at the airport over the coming months:
International Terminal, Departures Level 3, Pre-Security (through Nov. 12)
“Stepping Out: Shoes in World Cultures” examines the history and function of footwear across regions and eras. The exhibition highlights how shoes were designed to serve practical needs—from cowboy boots and athletic shoes to stilts and platform footwear used in wet environments to keep feet dry. The display features examples from the 19th and 20th centuries, representing a variety of countries and cultural traditions and showing how footwear reflects local materials, climates, occupations, and social customs.
International Terminal, Departures Level 3, Pre-Security (through Dec. 10)
“At Home with Arts and Crafts” focuses on the Arts and Crafts Movement that began in 1880s England and later spread to the United States. The exhibition includes furniture, textiles, metalwork and ceramics that illustrate the movement’s emphasis on craftsmanship, simplicity, and natural materials. Featured pieces include Gustav Stickley textiles, Dirk van Erp copperwork, and examples from Rookwood and Paul Revere Pottery. The show also highlights the important role women played as designers and decorators within the movement.
T2, Departures Level 2, Post-Security (through Jan. 28, 2018)
“The Typewriter: An Innovation in Writing” traces the evolution of the typewriter, a machine that transformed how people composed documents by offering speed and efficiency compared with handwriting. The collection showcases a range of typewriters from different periods and places, emphasizing design and aesthetics. Among the items are examples of Asian typewriters with large character sets, illustrating the technical adaptations required for non-Latin scripts.
T3, Departures Level 2, Post-Security (through March 4, 2018)
“Flying the Main Line: A History of United Airlines” presents a comprehensive retrospective of United Airlines’ development, tracing its roots to the 1931 consolidation of Boeing Air Transport, Pacific Air Transport, National Air Transport and Varney Air Lines. The exhibit includes more than 300 artifacts and covers the airline’s progression from early biplanes and piston-engine aircraft through the jet age to recent innovations such as United Polaris service, offering historical context about airline technology, passenger experience, and corporate growth.
If you have a connection at SFO, consider arriving early enough to visit one of these exhibitions. They offer a concise, well-curated glimpse into diverse cultural and technological histories, and make for an engaging way to spend time between flights.