The Guide to

San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts

The Palace of Fine Arts is located on Baker Street in the Marina, right at the eastern edge of the Presidio. It's two-and-a-half miles west of Fisherman's Wharf and three miles northwest of Union Square. You can reach the Palace of Fine Arts via Muni by riding bus lines 22, 28, 30, 41, 43 or 45. It is open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

The Palace dominates a small neighborhood park that features lawns to picnic on and a tranquil lagoon populated with fish, birds and turtles. The Palace is the only remaining structure from 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, a historic World's Fair-style event that put San Francisco back on the map as a major global city after the devastation of the 1906 earthquake and fire.

Its Greek-style colonnades and soaring central rotunda make it one of the most singular and recognizable features of San Francisco's northern skyline. Up close, the scale of the structure is truly breathtaking. Don't be surprised if you find yourself having to carefully avoid appearing in the background of more than one happy couple's wedding photos when you visit.

From the Palace of Fine Arts, it's a quick, half-mile walk to Chestnut Street and Union Street, two streets lined with shops, restaurants and bars favored by neighborhood residents. You could also continue west into the Presidio, or walk east along the waterfront and gaze upon Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge on your way to Fort Mason.