Palace of Fine Arts
The Verdict
"Free and open daily. Expect wedding photographers and picnickers on the lawn. Check the theater calendar for current shows."
What you need to know
The Palace of Fine Arts is the surviving structure from the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, the fair that marked San Francisco’s recovery from the 1906 earthquake. Architect Bernard Maybeck designed it in temporary materials meant to last only the fair, and the city kept it standing.
The Building
The original deteriorated for decades; a reconstruction from 1965 to 1974 replaced the temporary plaster with reinforced concrete, recreating the rotunda and colonnade from Maybeck’s drawings, and a seismic retrofit completed in 2009. The design draws on Roman and Greek classical sources, with the rotunda dome rising about 162 feet over the reflecting lagoon. The grounds are open daily and free, the lagoon attracts ducks and geese, and the lawns are open for picnics. The Palace of Fine Arts Theatre, behind the main structure, hosts concerts, lectures, and performances.
Getting There
The Palace sits in the Marina near Baker and Beach. Street parking fills on weekends, and the 30 Stockton stops nearby. Walking from the Presidio or Crissy Field takes about 15 minutes.
Explore Nearby
Surisan
Great Korean and great breakfast option, If you're staying in Fisherman's Wharf
Scoma’s
Seafood goes from dock to kitchen with no middleman.
Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture Matt Passmore: Tied/Untied
Contemporary art exhibition by Matt Passmore exploring themes of control and freedom....
Buena Vista Cafe
The bar that brought Irish coffee to America, perfected here in 1952.
Upcoming Events
Pro tips
The last surviving structure from the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition. Walk around the lagoon for the classic reflection shot. Swans often nest here. Pair with a walk to Crissy Field or the Marina Green.
