
If you live in San Francisco, you’ve probably seen several large heart sculptures, each painted in a unique way, around the city. Some of the more famous sculptures on display include the one at the Lyon Street Steps and another proudly displayed in Union Square.
While it’s not uncommon to see the unique heart sculptures throughout the city, they’re more than just beautiful art. The hearts first made an appearance 20 years ago and are part of a project called Hearts in SF, started by the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation. The hearts are placed in public places for San Franciscans to enjoy and are auctioned off to support the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center. In its first year, the foundation raised $3 million through the program, and it has since become an annual project.
Local artists create sculptures of various sizes, including large, tabletop, and mini. For 2025, 22 local artists were commissioned for the project. Bids for the large hearts start at an impressive $40,000, but they are known to sell for much more. If you want to skip bidding, you can purchase one outright for $100,000. The tabletop hearts start at $10,000, and the minis at $5,000.
Each heart has a unique theme, often in connection to the Bay Area. Isabelle Hung’s heart, titled Japanese Tea Garden, depicts SF’s beloved tea garden in Golden Gate Park with bold colors and beautiful detail. Other hearts feature abstract paintings, koi fish, floral scenes of San Francisco, and more.
The program culminates in a glamorous Gala on February 6, 2025, complete with a cocktail hour and a dinner with a live auction. Then, the night finishes with an afterparty featuring a DJ.
You can now see this year’s hearts on display in the Ferry Building until February 3. You can also find a map of the hearts in San Francisco on the foundation’s website.