The Bayview Opera House at 4705 Third Street is the oldest theater still standing in San Francisco. The Masons built it in 1888. It survived the 1906 earthquake and fire while most of the city did not. Architect Henry Geilfuss designed it, which matters if you care about 1880s San Francisco architecture. If you don’t, the curved facade and vintage marquee still look like what a neighborhood theater is supposed to look like.
What It Is
Now operating as the Ruth Williams Memorial Theatre (its formal name since 1989), the Opera House is a working arts center run as a nonprofit. Despite the name, opera has never actually been performed here. The original bookings were political rallies, fraternal society dances, masquerade balls, and touring vaudeville acts. Today’s programming is art exhibitions, dance, theater, community concerts, and youth arts education. Tickets for shows typically run $10 to $25 and many events are free.
The building sits on a plaza that was rebuilt in recent years as part of a $5.7 million renovation. The renovation added ADA access throughout the landmark and turned the adjacent space into a community gathering area used for programming year-round.
Visiting
Office hours are Monday 9am-7pm and Tuesday through Friday 9am-5pm, closed weekends for drop-ins. Event hours are separate and listed on the calendar at bvoh.org. Call ahead before visiting outside event times if you want to see the interior. The building is a protected historic landmark, so access is managed carefully.
Getting There
The T Third Muni Metro line runs right past the Opera House and stops at Oakdale/Palou, two blocks south. From downtown, it’s about 25 minutes on the T. Street parking in Bayview is easier than most of the city. If you’re driving, there’s usually space within a block.
