Palace
of Fine Arts Conceived as a grand classical ruin, the Palace of Fine Arts was originally designed by architect Bernard Maybeck as a temporary structure for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exhibition. The romantic lagoon, Romanesque rotunda and elegant colonnade evoke a sense of joy and timeless beauty. Even after the other structures were torn down, the public clamored to preserve the Palace. It was rebuilt in near entirety in concrete in 1966, after crumbling for over 50 years. The Exhibition Hall now houses one of the most unusual museums in the world, the hand-on science Exploratorium, conceived by physicist Frank Oppenheimer, and an adjacent 1000-seat theater hosts events and concerts. Marina district. SFCVB photo by Phil Coblentz. |
 |
 |
 |