San Francisco’s Palace of Fine Arts is one of the city’s most captivating landmarks, if not for its stunning architecture then for its cameos in movies and TV. How much do you know about this free attraction in the Marina?
A Brief History of the Palace of Fine Arts
When and why was the Palace of Fine Arts built?
The Palace of Fine Arts was built as a temporary exhibition space for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, a world fair that gave the city a chance to celebrate the construction of the Panama Canal as well as SF’s recovery from the 1906 earthquake.
Architect Bernard R. Maybeck designed the Palace of Fine Arts as a decaying Roman ruin situated in a semicircle around a manmade lagoon. The Neoclassical structure’s most prominent feature is a 162-foot-tall open rotunda which is flanked on each side by large colonnades. The colonnades are topped with statues of weeping women with their backs turned, meant to evoke a sense of melancholy and contemplation among the hustle and bustle of the fair.
When the fair ended, prominent philanthropist Phoebe Hearst helped to preserve the beloved Palace structure and saved it from demolition. It went on to house a continuing art exhibition; eighteen lighted tennis courts; WWII military trucks; city department supplies including tents and flags; a telephone book distribution center; and a temporary fire department.
The original structure was composed of a metal frame, wooden reinforcements, and a plaster and burlap mix — Maybeck intended for it to naturally fall into ruin, which it eventually did in the 1950s. However, in 1964, the palace was completely rebuilt as a permanent concrete structure thanks to a $2M donation from philanthropist Walter S. Johnson.
What other works were shown at the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exhibition?
Artworks and pieces on display included the Southern Pacific Railroad’s first steam locomotive, the Liberty Bell on loan from Philadelphia, and the 435-foot-tall Tower of Jewels, which was adorned with thousands of sparkling glass gems.
The 9-month exposition also provided an interesting snapshot of the public’s attitudes towards indigenous populations at the time, which had begun to change from “savage vanishing Indians” to “doomed noble ‘first Americans,'” as explained by ethnohistory researcher Abigail Markwyn. One famous artwork on display was a plaster version of James Earle Fraser’s The End of the Trail, a statue which depicts a weary Native American man slumped over his horse. It’s meant to represent the trauma and exhaustion suffered by indigenous people in the United States, while staying in line with fair organizers’ rhetoric that the native population was destined for extinction.
What movies were filmed at Palace of Fine Arts?
The Palace of Fine Arts made famous cameos throughout the years in films like Vertigo (1958), The Rock (1996), Bicentennial Man (1999), and The Room (2003); and in series including Monk and Sense8.
Visiting the Palace of Fine Arts
Does it cost money to go to the Palace of Fine Arts?
No, the Palace of Fine Arts is completely free to visit. Many visitors to the Palace enjoy taking a picnic to eat on the grass surrounding the lagoon.
Does the Palace of Fine Arts have events?
The palace is known to host a variety of art exhibitions and events year-round. The Palace of Fine Arts Theatre brings a variety of exciting events including dance performances, live music, and comedy.
It’s also a popular spot for photoshoots, and can be rented out as a wedding venue. Within the past year it debuted some new free pickleball courts.
Where is the Palace of Fine Arts?
📍 Location: Find the Palace of Fine Arts at 3601 Lyon Street on the eastern edge of the Presidio in San Francisco, CA.
🚗 Parking: There is parking available on-site, and you can find additional nearby lots at Crissy Field and Marina Green.
🕜 Hours: The palace is open night and day at all hours.
🌐 Learn more: Visit the Palace of Fine Arts website.