San Francisco is reaching a historic milestone today, April 15, celebrating its 175th birthday. As part of the birthday celebrations, arts nonprofit Illuminate has set out to highlight one of SF’s iconic buildings with their signature lasers. Tonight, San Francisco City Hall will be lit up with beautiful lasers for the first time once the sun sets.
A total of 9 battery-powered laser space canons inside a mobile sprinter van located in UN Plaza will create a light show on the dome of the iconic building.
“San Francisco is the City of Awe. It’s not just a declaration of who we are—it’s a call to who we must become,” said Ben Davis, Illuminate’s Founder and Chief Visionary Officer. “As we shape the future, this identity should guide us: a city meant to inspire the world with our optimism, our creativity, and our unshakable hope.”
The show will start after the sun sets and continue well into the night, so you have plenty of time to see it at some point tonight. Organizers recommend that the best viewing spots will be Market Street through UN Plaza, Fulton Plaza, and Civic Center Plaza. Illuminate is responsible for many major art and light installations throughout the city, including the beloved Bay Lights, which are currently being re-installed.
Other major projects from the nonprofit include Grace Light, a beautiful installation in Grace Cathedral where you can stand under a stunning shaft of light. Plus, Illuminate is responsible for the ongoing light display at the Conservatory of Flowers and for working on the Golden Mile in Golden Gate Park.
You can see the light show to celebrate 175 years of SF tonight at SF City Hall. The show will start once the sun sets, so at approximately 8 pm tonight.