San Francisco Columbarium
The Verdict
"Free and open daily. The personalized niches are the real attraction, with Giants gear, whiskey bottles, and handwritten letters left for the dead. On Anza Street near Arguello in the Inner Richmond. Allow 30 minutes."
What you need to know
A Hidden Beaux-Arts Monument to the Dead
The San Francisco Columbarium was built in 1898 by the Odd Fellows fraternal organization as a place to house cremated remains. It’s a neoclassical rotunda with a copper dome, four radiating wings, and over 8,500 niches holding urns of ashes. The building survived the 1906 earthquake, decades of neglect, and a 1934 citywide ban on burials. It’s now the only place in San Francisco where you can still inter remains.
What Makes It Worth It
The architecture alone is worth the visit. The central rotunda rises three stories under a stained glass dome. Mosaic floors, ornate plasterwork, and painted murals cover every surface. It was nearly demolished in the 1980s before the Neptune Society restored it.
What makes it unusual (beyond the obvious) is how personal the niches are. Families have decorated them with everything from miniature cable cars to Giants memorabilia, bottles of whiskey, and handwritten notes. Some niches tell entire life stories in a few square inches. It’s moving without being morbid.
The columbarium is also remarkably quiet. You might be the only visitor. There’s no admission desk, no crowd, no audio tour. Just a beautiful building and a few thousand permanent residents.
Skip this if the concept of visiting a mausoleum doesn’t appeal to you. It’s exactly what it sounds like, and it’s not for everyone.
Visiting
Address: 1 Loraine Court, Inner Richmond
Hours: Monday – Friday, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Saturday – Sunday, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM. Free tours available on Saturdays.
Cost: Free
Best time to go: Saturday morning for the free guided tour, or any weekday morning for a quiet solo visit.
What to know: The entrance is tucked at the end of Loraine Court, a residential cul-de-sac off Anza Street. Easy to walk past if you’re not looking. Be respectful. This is an active place of remembrance.
Getting There
Transit: Muni 38-Geary or 38R to Stanyan, then a short walk south on Anza. The 33-Ashbury/18th also stops nearby.
Parking: Street parking on Anza and surrounding residential blocks. Usually available on weekdays.
Walking: Close to the edge of Golden Gate Park and the Inner Richmond commercial stretch on Clement Street.
📍 Location: This activity is in The Richmond. Explore the neighborhood →
