San Francisco Columbarium

What you need to know

A 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 the city’s ban on new burials, in effect since 1901. It’s now one of the few places in San Francisco where you can still inter remains.

What’s There

The central rotunda rises three stories under a stained glass dome. Mosaic floors, ornate plasterwork, and painted murals cover the surfaces. The building was nearly demolished in the 1980s before the Neptune Society restored it.

Many niches are personalized by the families who use them: miniature cable cars, Giants memorabilia, bottles of whiskey, handwritten notes. The building is generally quiet; you may be the only visitor.

Visiting

Hours: Monday-Friday, 10:00 AM-1:00 PM. Saturday-Sunday, 10:00 AM-3:00 PM. Free tours on Saturdays.

Cost: Free

What to know: The entrance is at the end of Loraine Court, a residential cul-de-sac off Anza Street. This is an active place of remembrance; visit quietly.

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 Golden Gate Park and the Inner Richmond commercial stretch on Clement Street.