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An engineering marvel, the Bay Bridge opened for traffic in 1936, and currently carries an average of 280,000 vehicles a day. The west span features four suspension towers, while the east span features a cantilever design. Construction of a replacement for the east span officially commenced on January 29, 2002. The contemporary suspension design of the new east span (shown to the right in a nighttime view) will harmonize well with the existing west span as well as the Golden Gate Bridge.

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Originally built for the San Francisco Giants (MLB), Candlestick Park has been the home of the 49ers since 1971. Talk of building a stadium in the San Francisco area first began in 1954, when the mayor George Christopher promised to build a stadium if a major league team would move to the area. Later in the year, a $5 million bond was issued to build a stadium. Along with the Brooklyn Dodgers (MLB), the New York Giants (MLB) decided to move to the west coast after the 1957 season. The Giants moved to San Francisco, while the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles. Two locations for a new stadium in San Francisco were discussed. One in downtown, and one at Candlestick Point. The site at Candlestick Point, located near the San Francisco Bay, was chosen because of the price of land. Construction on the stadium began in August of 1958. Immediately after construction began, problems arose. Neighbors complained about numerous things, grand juries investigated irregular funding in the stadium, seats were delayed being installed because of a Teamster strike, and the stadium was called a fire trap. However, the stadium was completed. The stadium was named Candlestick Park, after its location. The Giants played the first game ever at Candlestick Park was on April 20, 1961. When it opened, Candlestick Park had around 45,000 seats. While the Giants were playing Candlestick Park, the 49ers were playing at Kezar Stadium. The 49ers had played at Kezar Stadium since 1946. After only several years of existence, Candlestick Park began to deteriorate. At one point the mayor of San Francisco proposed that a new $50 million stadium be built in the downtown area, but his idea was dropped. However, the city spent $16.1 million in 1971 to improve and make the stadium multipurpose, where the San Francisco 49ers (NFL) would also play. Candlestick Park was enclosed, increasing the seating capacity to 59,000, retractable seats were added in right field to allow the conversion to a football field, and the grass field was replaced by Astroturf. The 49ers played their first game at Candlestick Park on October 10, 1971. Very few changes have taken place since 1971 at Candlestick Park. In 1979, the Astroturf was replaced by grass. In 1995, Candlestick Park was renamed 3 Com Park after 3 Com Corp. bought the naming rights. After the 1999 MLB season, the San Francisco Giants moved into Pacific Bell Park. Since then the 49ers have had the stadium to themselves. After the 2001 NFL season, 3 Com Park was renamed Candlestick Park. The 49ers continue to sell out every game. However the team hopes to move into a new stadium in the future.

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Grace Cathedral here is one of the biggest hunks of sham-Gothic architecture in the US. Construction began soon after the 1906 earthquake, but most of it was built, of faintly disguised reinforced concrete, in the early Sixties. The entrance is adorned with faithful replicas of the fifteenth-century Ghiberti doors of the Florence Baptistry.

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On the corner of Hyde and Market Streets in San Francisco stands the Orpheum Theatre. From the day, over 75 years ago, that its magnificent carved doors first opened to the public, until now, Orpheum audiences have seen an illustrious array of American theatrical entertainment pass across its stage and screen. From vaudeville, to movies, to musical comedy, this official city historical landmark has held them all! The visual beauty of the theatre, kept wonderfully intact by its current owner, Shorenstein Hays Nederlander Theatres, is a delight to behold, and a show in itself.

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A nonprofit multidisciplinary arts organization, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts offers its state-of-the-art facilities to individuals, corporations, associations and nonprofit organizations for a variety of events. All venues are wheelchair accessible. Yerba Buena Center for the Arts consists of two landmark buildings—the Galleries and Forum Building designed by Fumihiko Maki and the Theater by American architect James Stewart Polshek. Both stylish contemporary buildings are located along the west side of Third Street between Mission and Howard in downtown San Francisco and are adjacent to the beautiful urban oasis of Yerba Buena Gardens and Moscone Convention Center.

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Coit Tower stands at the top of Telegraph Hill. It offers some amazing views of San Francisco and is a monument built in honor of the city's volunteer firemen, with an observation deck that provides a great view of San Francisco. You can see all points of the city and both main bridges. The Coit Tower was built in 1933 with funds from Lillie Hitchcock Coit, an eccentric personality who was best known for her support of the local firemen. She left a portion of her fortune for the beautification of the city. The result was the Coit Tower, which is both a memorial for Lillie Hitchcock Coit and for the San Francisco firemen. The concrete tower was constructed by Arthur Brown Jr., who also built the beautiful City Hall.

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Eight years after a Pacific storm with winds of over 100 mph severely damaged San Francisco's Conservatory of Flowers, rehabilitation of this Victorian jewel is nearing completion. On Saturday, September 20, 2003 the Conservatory officially reopens to the public with a grand celebration for both residents and visitors. Opened in 1879, the wood and glass greenhouse is designated as a city, state and national historic landmark and was one of the 100 most endangered sites of the World Monuments Fund. It is a civil engineering landmark as well, serving as one of the few examples of a Victorian-era prefabricated building (it was a kit of parts). From Borneo to Bolivia, the 1500 species of plants at the Conservatory represent unusual flora from more than 50 countries around the world. Perhaps the most intriguing group of plants at the Conservatory is the famous collection of Dracula orchids, regarded as the world's best public collection. These monstrous beauties will be a primary feature of the HIGHLAND TROPICS exhibit, where the Conservatory's world-famous collection of high-elevation orchids will be displayed for the first time, along with mosses, ferns, vines and stunted trees of tropical mountaintops.

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Pacific Bell Park is the home of the San Francisco Giants Major League baseball team. On April 11, 2000, the Giants played their first regular season baseball game at Pacific Bell Park. The ballpark is located in downtown San Francisco, in the China Basin area. Construction consists of steel, concrete, and brick ballpark began on December 11, 1997. Naming rights were sold to Pacific Bell for $50 million over 24 years, thus getting its name Pacific Bell Park. Pacific Bell Park has become an excellent place to watch a baseball game because of the of the beautiful views of the Bay and the surrounding area. From the SF Ferry Building it is a very scenic 1 mile stroll along the Embarcadero to the new ballpark.

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Located just across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. In Sausalito, you can find world class hotels, numerous restaurants and a diverse selection of shopping opportunities, galleries and retail fashion shops. Sausalito has gained an international reputation for its unique charm and character, visitors from all over pass through, and some of them stay. Residents today, for the most part, are imbued with the same spirit of involvement and participation that has always characterized Sausalito. The town retains most of its first-generation commercial buildings and residences. Geographically Sausalito closely resembles the open land forms of William Richardson's time.

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As featured on A&E's America's Castles' "Castles by the Bay," this exuberant Queen Anne-style Victorian was built in 1886. It is the only intact private home of the period that is open regularly as a museum, complete with authentic furniture and artifacts. The House has elaborate wooden gables, a circular corner tower and luxurant ornamentation. Volunteer docents lead tours through the House and explain the Victorian architecture of the exterior. A display of photographs in the downstairs supper-room describes the history of the home and the family that lived here until 1972.

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Out in the middle of the San Francisco Bay, the island of Alcatraz is a world unto itself. Isolation, one of the constants of island life for any inhabitant - soldier, guard, prisoner, Indian, bird or plant - is a recurrent theme in the unfolding history of Alcatraz. Alcatraz Island is one of Golden Gate National Recreation Area's most popular destinations, offering a close-up look at a historic and infamous federal prison long off-limits to the public. Visitors to the island cannot only explore the remnants of the prison, but can also learn about the Indian occupation of 1969 - 1971, early military fortifications (the first U.S. fort on the coast), and the West Coast's first (and oldest operating) lighthouse. These structures and the island's many natural features - gardens, tide pools, bird colonies, and bay views beyond compare - are being preserved by the National Park Service which is working to make it accessible to visitors, preserve its buildings, protect its birds and other wildlife, and interpret its history.

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Located near the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park, this garden is a marvel of the landscape architects art. This traditional Japanese garden covers five acres. Several paths take you by an authentic pagoda, a monumental Buddha, a miniature waterfall, and over an acutely arched bridge that no kid can resist. Overlooking the gardens koi-filled pond is a Japanese-style tea house, which in spring is covered with a cascade of wisteria. The gift shop sells souvenirs with a Japanese flair. Tickets: USD $4 Adults; USD $2 Children/ Senior; Free on the first Wednesday of the month.

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After extensive renovations in 1993 - made to accommodate the five year engagement of Andrew Lloyd Webber's mega hit musical, The Phantom of the Opera - the Curran Theatre continues to thrive under the direction of Carole Shorenstein Hays and Scott E. Nederlander. Their Best of Broadway series brings the highest quality musical theatre productions and award-winning plays to the Bay Area. Over the years, Best of Broadway subscribers have enjoyed everything from the Tony Award-winning play Fences to the spectacular historical musical Les Miserables. This year the Curran Theatre will host the 2001 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play Proof in its first stop on its North American Tour. Not merely a memory or a monument, the Curran is still what it was intended to be - a living piece of history and enjoyment in San Francisco.

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Metreon, a Sony Entertainment Center is a first-of-its-kind entertainment and technology marketplace. Covering 350,000 square feet on four levels, Metreon houses 15 movie theatres, an IMAX•theatre, three interactive attractions, nine restaurants and world-class shopping. At Sony’s Metreon complex in San Francisco, the circus never stops, though it changes constantly. But whatever you do, leave your expectations of a normal shopping center at the door when you enter. Besides Loews, Metreon anchors include the Discovery Channel Store and Sony Style, an electronics store where visitors are invited to test-drive the company’s latest audio and video gadgets. Metreon is open every day from 10am-10pm.

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The Palace was the last of the major buildings of Panama Pacific Exposition of 1915 to be started; construction began December 8, 1913. The original columns and Rotunda were framed in wood, and covered with "staff", a mixture of plaster and burlap-type fiber. It was the largest building ever to be made of that material. When the ashes of the Exposition were cleared, all that was left was the Palace of Fine Arts. Then, in the late 1950's, a group of dedicated citizens, led by philanthropist Walter S. Johnson, initiated a drive to rescue the Palace from planned demolition and restore it to its former glory. On July 20, 1964, a contract was awarded and the reconstruction began. Workers carefully removed original design elements from which molds were made. The rotunda, colonnade and all except the steel framework of the gallery were torn down and replaced with concrete castings. In September, 1967, work was completed of a stripped-down version of the original. The addition of the remaining original colonnades was completed in January, 1975 - a gift from Walter S. Johnson to the city and the people of San Francisco. The gallery area now houses the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre and the Exploratorium. The theatre, which seats 1,000 in a continental-style configuration, was added in 1970. The Palace of Fine Arts Theatre is operated by the Palace of Fine Arts League, Inc., a non-profit corporation.

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Angel Island is a hilly, grass and forest-covered island, the largest in San Francisco Bay. It is located one mile from the Tiburon Peninsula. The park covers 740 acres and is 788 feet high at the top of Mt. Livermore. It provides spectacular views of Marin County, San Francisco, and the Golden Gate, and the entire Bay Area. In addition to recreational facilities (hiking, biking, camping, boating), it is rich in historical significance. For over six thousand years, it was used by Miwok Indians as a fishing and hunting site. For almost 100 years - stretching from the Civil War to the Cold War - the island housed a variety of military installations, including supporting troops on their way to and from the Pacific Theaters in WWI and WWII. It also played a major role in the settlement of the West, serving both as a Public Health Service Quarantine Station, and an Immigration Station. Today, trails and fire roads provide easy access to the whole island, including many historic sites and breathtaking views. Tours are available at many of the historic sites, especially on weekend days during the high season from April to October or November.

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PIER 39 is San Francisco’s #1 Attraction – a festival marketplace with more than 110 stores, 11 full-service restaurants with bay views and numerous fun-filled attractions. PIER 39’s two-level design complements one of San Francisco’s most unique shopping districts, featuring everything from high fashion leathers to jewelry and imported chocolates. Activities and fun are endless. The 45-acre complex is located in San Francisco, two-blocks east of Fisherman’s Wharf at Beach Street and The Embarcadero. Convenient parking is located across the street and access areas are available for the disabled. For further information, please phone PIER 39 at 415.705.5500.

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The Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption, known familiarly as St. Mary's Cathedral, in San Francisco has become a landmark that annually draws thousands of people to this sacred structure, which combines the rich traditions of the Catholic faith with modern technology. The existing St. Mary's Cathedral is the third such church that has served the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Old St. Mary's, built in 1854, is located on California Street at Grant Avenue. A second St. Mary's Cathedral was built on Van Ness Avenue in 1891, but this structure was destroyed by fire in 1962. The current church's ground was broken in August 1965 and Apostolic Delegate Luigi Raimondi blessed the cornerstone on December 13, 1967. The building was completed in 1970. The new cathedral was formally blessed on May 5,197 1, again with Cardinal Raimondi presiding, and ceremonies completing its dedication took place on October 5, 1996 with Archbishop William J. Levada presiding. More than one hundred priests and half-a-dozen bishops have been ordained at St Mary's Cathedral. Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass at St. Mary's Cathedral during his visit to San Francisco in 1987.

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Today's JapanTown was formed after the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and fire and occupies an area of the Filmore district that is within the confines of California Street to the north, O'Farrell Street to the south, Fillmore to the west and Laguna to the east. The heart of Japantown is Japan Center, a five-acre complex of hotels, shops, theaters, sushi bars and restaurants at Post and Buchanan Streets. It is crowned by a five-tiered pagoda, a symbol of eternal peace. Locals call this sector "J-Town." More than 12,000 residents of Japanese descent call it home. There is much to learn from this small slice of Japanese life

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The Asian Art Museum is one of the largest museums in the Western world devoted exclusively to Asian art. Its holdings include nearly 15,000 treasures spanning 6,000 years of history, representing cultures throughout Asia. The museum’s new home is the result of the rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of the city’s former Main Library, a 1917 beaux arts–style building. Renowned architect Gae Aulenti oversaw the dramatic transformation of the building—now featuring 40,000 square feet of gallery space—allowing the museum to better fulfill its mission of leading a diverse global audience in discovering the unique material, aesthetic, and intellectual achievements of Asian art and culture.

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Housed within the walls of San Francisco’s landmark Palace of Fine Arts, the Exploratorium is a collage of over 600 interactive exhibits in the areas of science, art, and human perception. The Exploratorium stands in the vanguard of the movement of the “museum as educational center.” It provides access to, and information about, science, nature, art, and technology. This unique museum was founded in 1969 by noted physicist and educator Dr. Frank Oppenheimer, who devoted his efforts to it—and was its director—until his death in 1985. Dr. Goéry Delacôte, a renowned French scientist, science educator, and public servant, was named executive director of the Exploratorium in February 1991.

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Complementing its aesthetic charm, Civic Auditorium has long been recognized for its versatility. Whether your event is a corporate meeting, sporting event, concert or tradeshow, Bill Graham Civic Auditorium offers a unique versatility unparalleled anywhere in the Bay Area. San Francisco's Civic Auditorium is a landmark in the Civic Center neighborhood, San Francisco's special events district. The Civic Center neighborhood is located on Market Street halfway between the city's downtown Financial District and the stylish Castro neighborhood. Civic Center is a short distance from the Union Square neighborhood. Civics' immediate surroundings include beautiful buildings of classic proportions and exciting contemporary structures in a lively, urban setting. Illustrious neighbors include the Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall, the War Memorial Opera House, the New Main Library, the Asian Art Museum and San Francisco City Hall.

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The Steinhart Aquarium is an aquatic world of 165 individual tanks exhibiting the interactions of more than 6,000 representatives of diverse underwater environments. Visitors come face to face with nearly 600 species of fishes, large invertebrates, reptiles, amphibians and even black-footed penguins. Each of the aquarium's tanks are painstakingly created to reflect the natural environments of the inhabitants. Thanks to the wide range of expertise and constant care of the aquarium staff, visitors can explore the underbelly of the Amazon, the muddy floor of the Mississippi River, the California kelp forest, a Hawaiian coral reef, a Sierran trout stream, an African lake, a Himalayan stream, or even a fisheye view of our own backyard – the San Francisco Bay. Highlights of the aquarium include the Fish Roundabout where visitors stand in the middle of a 100,000-gallon circular tank filled with fast swimming, open ocean fishes. The Touch Tidepool gives visitors a "hands-on" experience with sea stars, anemones, hermit crabs and urchins. The 6,000 gallon Coral Reef shows dazzling reef fishes swimming in a complex mini-ecosystem composed of green fuzzy mushroom anemones, brown zoanthid soft corals, and hard corals like opalescent bubble corals, pink treelike octocorals, and golden-yellow and flourescent green reef-building stony corals. In the Shark Tank visitors can view sleek, beautiful, tropical reef sharks as they glide through the warm waters and coral caves of this 46-by-21 foot environment. The living coral reef tank shows the true intricacy of living coral and colorful tropical fish, usually only seen by snorkelers and scuba divers. Children and adults enjoy watching the adorable Black-Footed Penguins waddle, swim, and gulp down fish at daily feedings.

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For thousands of years, Native Americans called the Ohlone managed and harvested the natural bounty of what is now the Presidio. In 1776, Spanish soldiers and missionaries arrived, forever disrupting Ohlone culture and beginning 218 years of military use of the area just south of the Golden Gate. The Presidio served as a military post under the flags of Spain (1776-1822), Mexico (1822-48), and the United States (1848-1994). As a U.S. Army post, the Presidio protected commerce and trade, and played a logistical role in every major U.S. military conflict over the last 150 years. World events and those on the home front - from military campaigns to the rise of aviation, from World Fairs to natural disasters - left their mark here. On October 1, 1994, the Presidio became part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Since 1998, the Presidio has been jointly managed by the National Park Service and the Presidio Trust. The Presidio Trust is a special public-private governmental agency tasked with managing most of the buildings of the Presidio and making the park financially self-sufficient by 2013. Today, visitors can enjoy the history and beauty of the Presidio. Within its 1,480 acres are more than 500 historic buildings, a collection of coastal defense fortifications, a national cemetery, an historic airfield, a saltwater marsh, forests, beaches, native plant habitats, coastal bluffs, miles of hiking and biking, and some of the most spectacular vistas in the world.

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The Strybing Arboretum & Botanical Gardens beauty and value as a major cultural resource are the result of a successful public/private partnership between San Francisco's Recreation and Park Department and the Strybing Arboretum Society, a non-profit corporation. Escape to a unique urban oasis of extraordinary beauty. Enjoy Strybing's world of gardens, excellent horticulture library, bookstore, and education programs. Open 365 days a year!

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Comprised of the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park and the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park, it is the largest public arts institution in the City of San Francisco and one of the largest art museums in the United States. The de Young Museum is located in Golden Gate Park and is San Francisco's oldest museum. Its collections include American paintings, decorative arts and crafts, and arts from Africa, Oceania and the Americas, as well as western and non-western textiles. Long known as the City's Museum, the de Young is particularly recognized for its many educational arts programs for children and adults. The de Young will re-open in Golden Gate Park in Summer 2005. The de Young Art Center is the interim education facility for the Fine Arts Museums during construction of the new de Young. The Center offers a variety of free arts programs for children, families, school groups, educators and the general public. It is located at 2501 Irving Street (at 26th Avenue). For more information, please contact cinaba@famsf.org , 415.682.2485. The Legion of Honor was built to commemorate Californian soldiers who died in World War I. The Legion of Honor is a beautiful Beaux-arts building located in San Francisco's Lincoln Park, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Golden Gate Bridge and all of San Francisco. The Legion is most noted for its breathtaking setting. Its collections include Rodin's Thinker, which sits in the museum's Court of Honor, European decorative arts and paintings, Ancient art, and one of the largest collections of prints and drawings in the country.

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The Contemporary Jewish Museum presents engaging exhibitions and programs that explore contemporary perspectives on Jewish culture, history art and ideas.

On view through April 29 is The Jewish Identity Project: New American Photography, featuring 10 photography, video & multi-media projects by 13 artists who explore the diversity of contemporary American society through a Jewish lens.

On view May 10-20, 2007 is Exposing Identities, featuring new works by local teen photographers who were inspired by The Jewish Identity Project to create their own photographic exploration of personal identity.

The Museum is currently building a new facility in the heart of the Yerba Buena Cultural District. Designed by renowned architect, Daniel Libeskind, the new CJM will be a lively and welcoming space that brings together people, art, and ideas to celebrate the culture of the Jewish experience. Please visit www.thecjm.org for more information about the new building and save the date for our opening in late spring 2008!

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Since 1853, the California Academy of Sciences has dedicated its efforts to research and education about the natural world. The Academy of Sciences is the oldest scientific institution in the West, founded after the California gold rush to survey the vast resources of California and beyond. Today it has grown to be one of the ten largest natural history museums in the world, including Steinhart Aquarium and Morrison Planetarium, and is an international center for environmental research. The California Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit institution, supported by donations from corporations, foundations and individuals, by admission fees, store and cafeteria concessions, and by the City and County of San Francisco specifically for the operation of Steinhart Aquarium. The California Academy of Sciences, which includes Steinhart Aquarium, Morrison Planetarium, and the Natural History Museum-all under one roof-is open 365 days of the year, including Mondays and all holidays. Hours are 10 am to 5 pm, with extended summer hours from 9 am to 6 pm Memorial Day through Labor Day.

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THE CANNERY is one of San Francisco's most treasured places. Located near Fisherman's Wharf, and originally built in 1907, THE CANNERY was once the largest peach cannery in the world.Today, THE CANNERY is a vibrant waterfront marketplace featuring one-of-a-kind shops and restaurants, live entertainment, and a world-class jazz club. The brick warehouse was converted into three levels of winding walkways, balconies and bridges surrounding an inviting courtyard with 130 year-old olive trees and several outdoor cafes. THE CANNERY's European charm, unique shops and restaurants, and award-winning architecture make it one of the finest shopping and dining experiences in the world. Shops are open daily at 10:00 a.m. and Sunday at 11 a.m. except for Christmas and Thanksgiving which are optional business days. Hours of operation vary according to the season, and are extended each summer. Restaurants open at 11:30 a.m. The CANNERY is located at 2801 Leavenworth St, at the foot of Columbus Street overlooking the San Francisco Bay. 415-771-3112

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The Legion of Honor, San Francisco's most beautiful museum, displays an impressive collection of 4,000 years of ancient and European art in an unforgettable setting overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge. Built to commemorate Californian soldiers who died in World War I, the Legion of Honor is a beautiful Beaux-arts building located in San Francisco's Lincoln Park. Overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Golden Gate Bridge and all of San Francisco, the Legion is most noted for its breathtaking setting. Its collections include Rodin's Thinker, which sits in the museum's Court of Honor, European decorative arts and paintings, Ancient art, and one of the largest collections of prints and drawings in the country.

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It was the invention of the cable car that made high-society life on San Francisco's hills possible and practical. Since 1873, these little trolleys have been an integral part of life in the city, thanks to Scots-born Andrew Hallidie's concern for horses. Having watched a team struggle and fall, breaking their legs on a steep San Franciscan street, Hallidie designed a pulley system around the thick wire rope his father had patented in England. A transportation revolution followed. At their peak, just before the 1906 earthquake, over six hundred cable cars traveled 110 miles of track throughout the city; over the years, usage dwindled and, in 1964, nostalgic citizens voted to preserve the last seventeen miles (now just 10) as a moving historic landmark. Today there are three lines. Two of them, the Powell & Mason and the Powell & Hyde lines run from Hallidie Plaza off Union Square at Powell and Market streets to Fisherman's Wharf. The Powell & Hyde is the steepest, reaching a hair-raising 21-degree grade between Lombard and Chestnut streets. The oldest route, the California line, climbs Nob Hill along California Street from the Embarcadero, rattling past the fanciest hotels in the city. The cars fasten onto a moving two-inch cable, which runs beneath the streets, gripping on the ascent then releasing at the top and gliding down the other side. You can see the huge motors that still power these cables in the Cable Car Museum and Powerhouse , at 1201 Mason at Washington Street (free; daily 10am-6pm; ).

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The San Francisco Art Institute has been a magnet for forward thinkers for the last 100 years. The integration of our academic and public programs creates a unique laboratory where artists can experiment with original ideas and create new work. Discover the leading art of our time by engaging in thought provoking experiences on site, off site and online. The Walter and McBean Galleries are the campus’ primary exhibition venue and consistently provide innovative programming. In support of the Art Institute’s overarching mission to advance contemporary art and artists the galleries’ year round schedule places an emphasis on newly commissioned work and guest curated exhibitions featuring local and international visiting artists. The Diego Rivera Gallery is a student directed, year-round showcase that features weekly exhibitions of San Francisco Art Institute student work. The public is invited to weekly openings each Tuesday from 5:30 until 7:30 pm. The gallery is also home to "The Making of a Fresco Showing the Building of a City" created by the famed Mexican muralist Diego Rivera in 1931.

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Fisherman’s Wharf is San Francisco’s most popular destination. Known for its historic waterfront, delicious seafood, spectacular sights and unique shopping, Fisherman’s Wharf offers a wide array of things to do for everyone. Its' fabulous location in the 'City by the Bay', puts you within minutes of the Maritime Museum, Alcatraz, Coit Tower and everyone’s favorite, the world famous San Francisco Cable Car lines. Fisherman’s Wharf offers some of the most incredible views of the San Francisco Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge and the cityscape. You’ll find our climate equally as interesting as our geography with periodic blankets of fog and the most breathtaking sunsets in the world. Summer temperatures range in the high 60’s to the mid 80’s; winter temperatures average 10-20 degrees cooler.

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This unique Park, located at the west end of San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf, includes the fleet of historic vessels at Hyde Street Pier, the Maritime Museum, and the Maritime Museum Library. Board turn-of-the-century ships, tour the Museum and learn traditional arts -- like boatbuilding and woodworking The Park offers history, music and craft programs for all ages, and provides unique opportunities for docents, interns and volunteers to become part of history!

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The mission called Dolores was founded October 9, 1776. The padres chose a site for Mission San Francisco de Asís beside a little inlet called Laguna Dolores. The nearby pueblo was named Yerba Buena. As time went by the town took the name of Saint Francis, while the mission more popularly became known as Dolores. Time seems to stand still at old Mission Dolores. The oldest building in fabulous San Francisco, the mission church came through the great earthquake and fire of 1906 unscathed. Its interior differs little from its original appearance. Decorated redwood ceiling beams remain as created by Indian workmen. Wooden columns remain painted to resemble Italian marble which they are not. Outside the church, only the old cemetery is as in yesteryear. Modern Mission Dolores Basilica and the teeming city by the Golden Gate crowd around the venerable church, which is the only remaining mission building.

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The town of Tiburon is a wonderful place to live and a tourist's delight, just a short drive or ferry ride from San Francisco. The town is home to a number of great restaurants and some of the best sailors in the world. Angel Island, a historic landmark and a fun place to visit, looms large to the east of downtown, as Belvedere rises above to the west, just a bit closer than the Golden Gate Bridge.

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North Baker Research Library, museum galleries, and museum store. Thanks to generous funding provided by a Library Services and Technology Act grant from the California State Library, the North Baker Research Library has begun the second year of their project to catalog a large part of our Photography Collections. Expanded library hours, instituted in February 2002, will continue: the library is open and free to the public from noon to 4:30pm, Wednesday through Saturday. see: Doing Research Beginning September 3, 2003 the Library is open Wednesday though Friday, from noon to 4:30pm. Serving over 4,500 people a year, the North Baker Research Library provides an extensive collection of manuscripts, maps, posters, printed ephemera, books, and pamphlets. The CHS Photography Collection contains over 500,000 images including works by Eadweard Muybridge and Ansel Adams. The Education Department offers regular lectures, family programs, booksignings, and school programs. The CHS Fine Arts Collections encompass roughly 5,000 works of art reflecting all aspects of California History. Over 4,500 dedicated members belong to the Society. CHS keeps an active exhibition schedule, and publishes California History, a quarterly journal.

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Known as the "crookedest" street in the world, the steep, hills and sharp curves of this one-way road pass by grand Victorian mansions and attract millions of tourists each year.

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Fort Mason Center, located in the historic piers and buildings of Lower Fort Mason, offers a variety of activities of the highest quality at minimum or no cost, suitable for all ages and interests. This former military base offers the opportunity to experience diversity in a unique environment, focusing on the visual and performing arts, humanities, education, ecology, and recreation. A National Historic Landmark and part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, the Center houses more than 40 nonprofit organizations and is the setting for more than 15,000 meetings, conferences, performances, and special events, attended by 1.5 million visitors each year.

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Ghirardelli Square is a historic San Francisco destination, offering shopping San Francisco style, waterfront dining near Fisherman's Wharf, art galleries, family events, walking tours and more. Find out why we're one of San Francisco locals' favorite fun things to do in San Francisco and why San Francisco visitors love Ghirardelli Square! As the first successful mixed-use redevelopment project in the country, Ghirardelli Square has been a San Francisco landmark for more than 30 years. It officially opened as a multi-level restaurant and retail destination on November 29, 1964. Filled with history of the Ghirardelli chocolate family dating back to the mid-1800s, Ghirardelli Square was the original site of the family's chocolate, cocoa, mustard and box factories as well as home to many of its employees. Its concept and design pioneered a restoration movement around the country and served as a model for Boston's Faneuil Hall Marketplace and Harbor Place in Baltimore. Today, Ghirardelli Square is a popular destination for visitors and Bay Area residents who want a unique shopping and dining experience. Always striving to stay ahead of trends, Ghirardelli Square continues to update its merchant mix with new, one-of-a-kind shops and culinary experts from around the world.

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The Transamerica Pyramid is located at 600 Montgomery St and was the tallest building in the United States west of the Mississippi River from 1972-1974. The building has 48 floors, 3,678 windows and was built in 1972. The largest floor is the 5th floor, with 21,025 sq ft, while the 48th floor is the smallest, with only 2,025 sq ft. Transamerica wanted a taller building but the city planning commission would not approve it because it interfered with precious views of San Francisco Bay from Nob Hill. The eastside wing contains elevators and the westside wing has a stairwell and smoke tower. The "spire" is the upper 212 feet.

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In 1984, a group of cartoon art enthusiasts began organizing exhibitions by using art work from their own collections. For several years, the Cartoon Art Museum was a "museum without walls", setting up shows in local museums and corporate spaces. In 1987, with an endowment from Peanuts creator, Charles M. Schulz, the museum established residence in the heart of San Francisco's new vibrant art center, Yerba Buena Gardens. In the museum's fifteen plus years of existence it has produced over 90 exhibitions and 20 publications, all focusing on the myriad of cartoon art. The museum's key function is to preserve, document, and exhibition this unique and accessible art form. Through traveling exhibitions and other exhibit related activities such as artist-in-residence/lecture series programs and outreach activities, the museum has taken cartoon art and used it to communicate cultural diversity in the community and the importance of self expression. The Cartoon Art Museum is the only museum in the United States dedicated to the preservation and exhibition of cartoon art in all its forms. This unique institution houses approximately 6,000 original pieces in its permanent collection; a complete volume research/library facility is located on the museum's premises. In addition to seven major exhibitions a year, the museum has a classroom for cartoon art and a bookstore.

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The first museum on the West Coast devoted solely to 20th-century art, the San Francisco Museum of Art opened in 1935 under the direction of Grace L. McCann Morley. The Museum, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1985, rose to international prominence under the leadership of Henry T. Hopkins (1974–86). “Modern” was added to the Museum’s title in 1975 to describe its purview more accurately. Subsequently, SFMOMA undertook an extremely active special exhibitions program, both organizing and hosting traveling exhibitions. In January 1995, SFMOMA opened a new museum facility in the burgeoning South of Market district, designed by renowned Swiss architect Mario Botta. Ross steered the museum through an unprecedented period of growth, during which time the Museum’s membership grew to more than 44,000 people and the permanent collection to more than 22,000 objects. He was particularly interested in artists exploring the intersection of art and technology, a theme carried out in such exhibitions as Bill Viola, Seeing Time: Selections from the Pamela and Richard Kramlich Collection of Media Art and the groundbreaking 010101: Art in Technological Times. Neal Benezra succeeded David Ross as director in August 2002.

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The Morrison Planetarium is named after Alexander Francis Morrison, a San Francisco attorney and philanthropist who lived from 1856 to 1921. Mr. Morrison became a member of the California Academy of Sciences in 1906 and a patron in 1916. After his death in 1921, his widow, May Treat Morrison, became an Academy member and Trustee and eventually bequeathed a substantial sum to the Academy for the construction of a memorial to her husband. The Morrison Planetarium's dome is 65 feet in diameter. The Planetarium's main instrument - the large star projector at the center of the theater - is 13 feet long, weighing approximately 5000 pounds, and projects a field of 3800 stars. The main light sources for the projector are two 1000-watt tungsten halogen lamps. It was controlled from a console with hundreds of switches, knobs, and faders. In addition to the star projector, the Planetarium is equipped with two video projectors and 49 permanently-installed carousel slide projectors in the following configurations: two 12-projector panorama systems, two 6-projector all-sky systems, five fixed-position dissolver pairs, two projectors with programmable slewing mirrors, and a zoom. Numerous other customized special effects projectors vary in number and specific function from show to show. All projectors, star projector motions, house lights, and tape cues are controlled using SPICE, a theater automation system for planetaria designed and built by Sky-Skan, Inc. of Nashua, NH.

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Fort Point was constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers between 1853 and 1861 to prevent entrance of a hostile fleet into San Francisco Bay. The fort was designed to mount 126 massive cannon. Rushed to completion at the beginning of the Civil War, Fort Point was first garrisoned in February of 1861 by Company I, 3rd U.S. Artillery Regiment. The fort was occupied throughout the Civil War, but the advent of faster, more powerful rifled cannon made brick forts such as Fort Point obsolete. In 1886 the troops were withdrawn, and the last cannon were removed about 1900. The fort was then used for storage and training purposes for many years. Between 1933 and 1937 the fort was used as a base of operations for the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge. During World War II, Fort Point was occupied by about 100 soldiers who manned searchlights and rapid-fire cannon mounted atop the fort as part of the protection of a submarine net strung across the entrance to the Bay. Fort Point is the only third system brick fort on the west coast of the United States. It became a National Historic Site on October 16th, 1970.

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The Moscone Center is San Francisco's premier meeting and exhibition facility. From the very core of a vibrant and active downtown district, it anchors the City's commitment to a vital tourism industry. Today more than 2 million square feet of building area include over 700,000 square feet of exhibit space, up to 106 meeting rooms, and nearly 123,000 square feet of prefunction lobbies. With the completion of Moscone West, today's Moscone Center is a collection of facilities covering more than 20 acres on three adjacent blocks. It anchors the 87-acre Yerba Buena Center redevelopment district in a neighborhood of hotels, theaters, restaurants, museums, galleries, housing, parks and urban recreation centers. Developed and owned by the City and County of San Francisco, it is privately managed by SMG.

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You've probably seen a photograph of the six beautifully restored Victorian houses against the backdrop of the San Francisco skyline. It's one of the classic images of San Francisco. From 1850 to 1900, 48,000 houses in the range of styles that we now call "Victorian" were built to accommodate the city's burgeoning population. Many of these houses were lost in the great fire that followed the 1906 earthquake, and others were torn down over the years to makes way for new development. However, thousands of these elegant homes still grace the streets of San Francisco just waiting to be discovered and admired. Because the westward spread of the 1906 fire was halted at Van Ness Avenue, the neighborhoods west of that line, including Pacific Heights, the Western Addition, the Fillmore, and the Haight, offer the best opportunity for finding the surviving jewels.

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This electric neighborhood of 100,000 people is not to be missed, and it's not hard to find: listen for the clack of mahjongg tiles and nose out the salty spicy squid.

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The San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center, one of the largest performing arts centers in the United States, covers seven and one-half acres in San Francisco's Civic Center Historic District. Opera, symphony, modern and classical dance, theatre, recitals, plays, lectures, meetings, receptions, special screenings and gala events all have a place at the Center. Each of the Center's facilities is unique and has special characteristics that enhance every event.

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The orange towers of the Golden Gate Bridge , perhaps the best-loved symbol of San Francisco, are visible from almost every high point in the city. The bridge, which spans 4200ft, had taken only 52 months to design and build when it was opened in 1937. Some quarter of a million people turned up for a sunrise party to celebrate its fiftieth anniversary in 1987; the winds were strong and the bridge buckled, but fortunately did not break. Driving across is a real thrill, racing under the towers, while the half-hour walk across allows you to take in its enormous size and absorb the views. It's also a favorite with the suicidal - in a typical year dozens jump to their deaths. Those jumping are said to hit the water at a speedy 80mph - few have survived the leap.

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The Chinese Historical Society of America, conceived in San Francisco in the fall of 1962, was incorporated as a not-for-profit organization on January 5, 1963. The Society is the first such Chinese American historical society in North America. Its first major publication, A History of the Chinese in California: A Syllabus has become a classic resource book used by students, historians, educators, and scholars in their research and writing about the Chinese in America. To accommodate our expanding programs and exhibitions, CHSA opened the Chinese Historical Society of America Museum and Learning Center in the historic Julia Morgan Chinese YWCA building in November 2001.

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Four different variations of the Cliff House have stood on the cliffs overlooking Seal Rocks, at the Northwest corner of San Francisco. Two earlier versions were rather modestly small in size, especially when compared with the elaborate eight-story Victorian building which stood on that spot from 1896 to 1907 as the third Cliff House. And when that ornate version of the building burned down, the fourth version to be built was designed more like the first two: simple, and made to blend in with the ocean and cliffs surrounding it. That fourth version is still standing today. The Cliff House has held restaurants, dance halls, gift shops and vista points. From the windows of the building, a person could see for miles down the coast. They could also sit at their table and watch any ships that might be sailing in or out of the Golden Gate. Regardless of which incarnation of the building a person was visiting, they always had a spectacular view.

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The San Francisco Zoo has a long and glorious history, and has been a civic treasure since the City’s heyday during the first part of the 20th century. In this historical highlights section, you’ll learn how the Zoo got its start, and meet some of the people who created it, such as Herbert Fleishhacker, the man who built the Zoo, George Bistany, the Zoo’s first director, and Monarch, the grizzly bear who started it all. The new Zoo is becoming a reality. In Summer 2002, the new Lipman Family Lemur Forest opened along with a whole new main entrance experience for visitors. The lemur forest features five different species of these amazing primates from Madagascar in a large outdoor setting. And not only will you find the main entrance facing the Pacific Ocean, you’ll find all new services just for you! The Friend and Taube Family Entry Village offers a new gift shop, restrooms, and membership and information booths. It will be a central place for you to meet up with friends and family. You’ll also enjoy the new Leaping Lemur Café that offers an indoor dining experience with a wide variety of food choices and the intricate restoration of the famed Dentzel Carousel. All these exciting new additions join the recently expanded Children's Zoo, the new Connie and Bob Lurie Education Center and new Koret Animal Resource Center.

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The Wax Museum has added 6 Superstars, Keanu Reeves and Robin Williams now appear among the dignitaries, celebrities and villains at the Wax Museum at Fisherman's Wharf. Also appearing are Julia Roberts, Britney Spears, Jim Carrey, and Ricky Martin! Admission Rates: Adult Child (4-11) Senior (55+), $12.95 $6.95 $10.55. Hours of Operation: Weekdays 10am-9pm, Weekends 9am-11pm. Open every day of the year. Hours subject to change without notice. Please note the box office closes one hour prior to the museum closing. Call for specific Holiday Hours. Admission Rates: Adult Child (4-11) Senior (55+), $12.95 $6.95 $10.55. Hours of Operation: Weekdays 10am-9pm, Weekends 9am-11pm. Open every day of the year. Hours subject to change without notice. Please note the box office closes one hour prior to the museum closing. Call for specific Holiday Hours.

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The Museum of Craft & Folk Art promotes the understanding and appreciation of human expression, ranging from utilitarian objects to contemporary art. This is accomplished through innovative exhibitions of craft and folk art from cultures past and present, educational programs, and publications. MOCFA is located at San Francisco's historic Fort Mason center, between Fisherman's Wharf and the Golden Gate Bridge at the intersection of Buchanan Street and Marina Boulevard. Fort Mason Center offers an excitng mix of galleries, shops, restuarants, cafes, and live theater. Parking is available in the complex. Bus lines: MUNI/28 & 30.

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In 1922, when the Golden Gate Theatre first opened, its president Martin Beck stated, "The Golden Gate is a good theatre. It will stand where it is for a long time. It is built of the best materials and it will be conducted to please the people who patronize it." On March 22, 1922, the Golden Gate Theater opened with much fanfare, including lines that wrapped around the block. Protocol necessitated that gentlemen wear top hats and that ladies be dressed in formal gowns when attending the Golden Gate. The grand opening was a highlight on the social calendar in San Francisco. As a key player in the Best of Broadway seasons since 1979, the Golden Gate Theatre has hosted show-stopping musicals like A Chorus Line, which re-opened the theatre on December 27, 1979 followed by Camelot with Richard Burton, Sweeney Todd with Angela Lansbury, My Fair Lady with Rex Harrison, Bette Midler, Liza Minnelli, Woman of the Year with Lauren Bacall, 42nd Street, Cabaret, Zorba with Anthony Quinn, Fiddler on the Roof with Topol, Stomp, Grease, Tap Dogs, Chicago and Rent, among many more. A theatre with a grand and complicated past has survived numerous renovations and uses to emerge as a house full of theatrical memories.