Now: Even the most jaded inner neighborhood residents can't deny the beauty of this place where green lawns meet the waters of the bay. Joggers and kites and city visitors drawn to the Golden Gate Bridge are always here. The Wave Organ, at the tip of the Yacht Club peninsula, is a unique functional art installment.
Then: The Palace of Fine Arts was originally built (on landfill, over a lagoon) for the Panama-Pacific Exhibition (World's Fair), held in San Francisco in 1915. It has has housed the interactive science museum, The Exploratorium, in its exhibition hall since 1969. The rest of the structures built for the Exhibition were demolished and Marina streets (north of North Point Street) and homes were built during the 1920s.
How To Get There: The Muni 22-Fillmore line ends directly at Marina Green, and 30-line pulls around in front of the Marina Safeway (although the 30 can be a long and crowded bus ride). There are free unmetered parking lots at the Marina Green, as well as Crissy Field, just to the west along Marina Boulevard.
Marina Green, at Marina Boulevard
Yacht Harbor at the Marina
Marina Yacht Harbor, west toward Golden Gate Bridge
Crossing Lyon Street at Richardson Avenue
Palace of Fine Arts, from Richardson Avenue near Lyon Street
Sign at the entrance to the Palace of Fine Arts and Exploratorium from Lyon Street
Palace of Fine Arts, at Baker Street and Marina Boulevard
Statues at Palace of Fine Arts
Palace of Fine Arts
Grounds of the Palace of Fine Arts
Inside the Palace of Fine Arts
Wedding parties taking photos at the Palace of Fine Arts
Wedding parties at the Palace of Fine Arts
Lake at the Palace of Fine Arts
Lake and trees, looking south, at the Palace of Fine Arts
Houses at the north side of the Palace of Fine Arts
Sign at entrance to the Exploratorium
Inside the Exploratorium
Crossing Marina Boulevard, from the Palace of Fine Arts
30-Stockton buses at the terminal point of Broderick and Beach Streets
Broderick Street at North Point Street
Promenade beach, in the Marina
City view behind the Yacht Club
Wave Organ, at the east end of the Golden Gate Yacht Club peninsula
Bench at the Wave Organ
Looking south toward the city, from the Wave Organ
Crissy Field in the Marina
Promenade shore, north of the Palace of Fine Arts
Fishing pier off the promenade at Crissy Field
The Warming Hut - books, gifts, sandwiches, pastries
Promenade leading to Fort Point and the base of the bridge
The Golden Gate Bridge, from the waterfront promenade approaching Fort Point
Looking back toward Crissy Field from the promenade near Fort Point
Sign near the entrance the Fort Point, along the promenade
One of several cannons on display in Fort Point
Corridor inside the Fort Point structure
Spiral staircase inside Fort Point
Light tower at the top of Fort Point
Bases for gun turrets at the top of Fort Point
Looking up at the bottom of the Golden Gate Bridge, from Fort Point
Looking straight across the span of the Golden Gate Bridge from underneath
Column at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge, from Fort Point
Sidelong view of Golden Gate Bridge from Fort Point
Path leading up to the Golden Gate bridge from the waterfront promenade between Crissy Field and Fort Point
Looking back toward the fishing pier from the path to the Golden Gate Bridge
Tunnel on the walking path to Golden Gate Bridge
Steps leading up from the tunnel on the wallking path
Top of the path to the Golden Gate Bridge
Pedestrian entrance to the Golden Gate Bridge
View of promenade and shoreline with city view, from the Golden Gate Bridge
Suspension cables on the Golden Gate Bridge and city view
The Golden Gate Bridge is painted continuously
Sign near the emergency callbox on the Golden Gate Bridge
The south tower of the Golden Gate Bridge
Plaque at the base of the south tower
Entrance to the service elevator at the south tower
Sign on the doorway of the south tower
Looking up at the south tower of the Golden Gate Bridge
Looking south toward Fort Point and San Francisco, from the Golden Gate Bridge
Looking straight down from the edge of the railing on the Golden Gate Bridge
The shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge, cast across the bay
Looking north across the Golden Gate Bridge
Bike path under the Golden Gate Bridge
Walkway and bike path under the Golden Gate Bridge
Gift Center at the Golden Gate Bridge
Statue of Joseph Strauss, chief engineer during construction of the Golden Gate Bridge
Comment about the Marina here: