The Esse Purse Museum in the SoMa neighbourhood is exactly what it says: a museum dedicated to the history and design of women's handbags, covering every decade of the 20th century. It sounds like a novelty, but the curation makes it genuinely interesting — each decade's display includes not just the bags but the contents typical of the time, which adds up to a social history of American women told through the small things they carried.
The collection was assembled by museum founder Anita Davis over thirty years. The building is a converted warehouse; the gift shop sells vintage and vintage-inspired bags.
Admission charged. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays. 1510 S. Main St.