Palace of Fine Arts Theatre

Palace of Fine Arts Theatre

Palace of Fine Arts Theatre
4.5
6:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Monday
6:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Tuesday
6:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Wednesday
6:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Thursday
6:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Friday
6:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Saturday
6:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Sunday
6:00 AM - 9:00 PM
About
Designed to look like a Greco-Roman ruin, this structure was originally built for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition. It's now a prime events venue.
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Marina District
Beautiful homes, beautiful people, and a beautiful backdrop of the Golden Gate Bridge welcome visitors to the Marina. Originally the location for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in 1915 (whose remnants can be seen at the Palace of Fine Arts), much of the land was filled and flattened to accommodate a world’s fair. That ample space has given way to a jogger’s paradise at the northern edge of the city. With the picturesque bay setting as its backdrop, it’s no surprise that the area has hosted numerous movie productions. Daytime activities focus on café culture and boutique shopping, while the evenings turn this neighbourhood into a party-going hotspot.
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See what travellers are saying
  • Nico Samneil Sy Salado
    Newport, Vermont1,999 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Mesmerizing
    A really relaxing place. Feels like you are in greece or somewhere European! The redwoods are pretty amazing as well. No entrance fee. Parking has a minimal amount to pay. See images and videos for further information.
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 4 May 2024
  • Sara G.
    Saint Louis, Missouri968 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful Walk!
    The Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco is captivating. And right in the bustling city. The walk through the grounds is visually stunning and alive with the presence of various critters. Originally built for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, the structure was meant to be temporary, yet its beauty and cultural significance have ensured its preservation. The architecture is inspired by Roman and Greek styles in 20th-century design and dedicated to the arts. Absolutely beautiful and a must do.
    Visited August 2024
    Travelled on business
    Written 10 August 2024
  • Vanessa P
    Calgary, Canada1,465 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Panama Pacific exposition! Free and must to see
    What a beauty! It was built for the Panama Pacific exposition, it is a promenade with a tall rotunda and colonnades by a lake. Very pretty! A sight to see, it was saved by local efforts and it is a must to see if you like history and architecture. Also beautiful gardens in its surroundings. Free!
    Visited August 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 23 August 2024
  • Lynne C
    Carshalton, United Kingdom440 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Stunning architecture
    The Palace of Fine Arts is definitely worth a visit. You can get the hop on hop off bus there. Spend time, walk around. It's beautiful architecture on a grand scale. It's peaceful and you'll recognise parts of it from certain movies like Venom or So I Married an Axe Murderer. There's not much around it as it's a residential area so we couldn't find a cafe or anywhere to grab a drink. Go round then jump back on a bus.
    Visited August 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 7 September 2024
  • Eva T
    United Kingdom5,875 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Not what I expected
    We've been on guided bus tour and made a short stop at this place. It was totally different what I expected, not a gallery or theatre in general meaning of these worlds. It was like big monument with lake and lots of trees. Our guide told us to look at the statues at the top and then we realized that all are turned with the back to outside world. How odd but also interesting.
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 18 September 2024
  • The_Concierge_8
    Trinidad and Tobago3,817 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Ought to be on a list of the Modern Wonders of the World! No photos do it justice!
    This was a stop on our Grand city tour of San Francisco. We got 20 minutes to walk around here but you do need some more time. We saw couples having their wedding photos taken here. Seems a popular thing to do and the same reason why it was a popular film location for dozens of movies. Don't let the name fool you. It's not a Palace in the real sense of the word but it is in scale and grandeur! Can't believe that these amazing structures were built for an International Exposition! (Similar to the Eiffel Tower). It's funny how we no longer build statement-making structures that can last hundreds of years to celebrate milestones or achievements any longer. The architecture is stunning and massive! I felt like we were in a land of giants! I saw locals sitting on the lawns and on benches looking at the water. It's a very serene place. If you have the opportunity do go have a look. It will take your breath away!
    Visited September 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 6 October 2024
  • dustythoughts
    Manchester, Connecticut2,259 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Breathtakingly gorgeous open-air theatre
    This breathtakingly gorgeous theatre only goes to show that art isn't just limited to a typical art museum - you can find beauty anywhere! It's an open-air theatre with beautiful architecture and places to sit and reflect. It was busy when we were here, but it didn't get noisy or crowded, as there was plenty of space.
    Visited October 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 17 October 2024
  • WIKITRAVELPEDIA
    Miami Beach, Florida618 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Free activity in San Francisco
    A nice place to spend a morning or afternoon strolling the grounds. One of the many free activities to do in San Francisco. Best part, there's no entrance fee to walk around the compound.
    Visited November 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 4 December 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles4,519 reviews
Excellent
2,927
Very good
1,303
Average
248
Poor
34
Terrible
7

FunBoyOne
London, UK529 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Couples
A friend recommended this slightly quirky place and we visited in the morning of our last day in San Francisco and we were very glad we did. It’s on the edge of the bay with a good view of the bridge, located in an upmarket area and it is very well maintained. Lovely garden and lake with herons, turtles etc. Lots of photo opportunities with the lake, bridge and buildings. There was a poor guy spending time composing his photo of the lake with a tripod who kept getting interrupted by the instagrammerati.
Written 2 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

andyh67186334
Coalville, UK11,316 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Solo
To think that this monument could have been demolished, would have been a travesty. The Palace of Fine Theatre is located away from the city centre near the San Francisco Yacht Club and Marina area of the city.
A picturesque area to walk around, which is surrounded by water and some impressive houses. It's free to enter and is illuminated at night.
Written 21 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Tina Montinola
Makati, Philippines458 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
June 2022
This place is beautiful. The lake with the ducks is so serence and relaxing, you can just sit somewhere and kill time while watching the ducks. You can walk your furry pets around here, be sure to pick up after them. You can also have photo shoots especially pre-nups since the structures are so nice here. My niece had her civil wedding here as well.
Written 14 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Czar Emmanuel
Manila, Philippines10,221 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2023 • Friends
Perhaps less visited compared to the Golden Gate Bridge and Pier 39, the Palace of Fine Arts Theater is also worth-visiting. There you'll see a reconstruction of some structures built in 1915 on the occasion of the Panama-Pacific international exposition. They are neoclassical structures of Greek and Roman inspiration. There are also lovely gardens in the area. The whole place is very relaxing, but there's really nothing much to do here except taking pictures, watching birds and exploring the gardens.
Written 29 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

GitchSup
Duluth, MN1,400 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2022
This absolutely beautiful structure is done in Beaux-Arts style architecture that was popular in the early 1800s, meaning there are a lot of both french and baroque influences making it super ornate and stunning to look at, every detail is a marvel. There are Grecian women looking over the edge "into" the theater, greek urns on the ledges, latticework in the rotunda, stunning columns in a russet red color, shell and floral stonework at the top of the pillars; everywhere you look there is something more to see. If you love architecture you should allow at least an hour to see this stunning sight.
Written 5 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

JostVonDyke
Washington Crossing, PA617 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2021 • Family
The Palace of Fine Arts is a beautiful site to take in breathtaking architecture and impressive landscaping. Walking around the site is free. Tours are also available for a reasonable price. There are plenty of other tourists and photographers walking around, but everyone seemed very respectful.

The palace was built in 1915 for the Panama Pacific Exposition then completely rebuilt from 1964-1974. I was impressed most by the rotunda. The site is very convenient near the marinas along the bay.

If you’re in the area, stop by and spend a half hour or an hour taking in the beauty. It’s a great spot for some photos of an iconic San Francisco site!
Written 20 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

WayneTech
Mississauga, Canada264 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
June 2022
Look, it's a beautiful building, and that's it. If you want to go take pictures, this is a nice place to do it. Apart from that, there's noting of interest here. When I went, at least, the inside was pretty much warded off. There were these cylindrical viewing spots where you could look into and see the history of this building. Worth it? Not to me.
Written 30 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Connie R
Iowa253 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2021 • Couples
The Palace of the Fine Arts in the Marina district of San Francisco is an iconic site visible from many parts of the bay area. If you find yourself in the city and you have some time to wander, it is well worth your time to visit this beautiful location. I recommend reading a little bit about the structure’s history before you go. There’s a nice pond and a grassy area which would be perfect for a picnic lunch. Or you could just stop by on your way to somewhere else as my husband and I did, and wander through this lovely location.
Written 17 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Reed
Orlando, FL2,504 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
June 2021 • Friends
Often times large public parks/structures like this can be overhyped in tourist cities, but this legacy building from the 1915 Panama-Pacific exhibition is exceptionally impressive. It’s beautiful to walk through and amazing to photograph from any angle, especially when you have nice weather. We were lucky enough to see a band perform in the center for a few minutes, but make sure you take the time to walk around the whole grounds and look at all the details. As with most tourist areas in San Fransisco - DO NOT LEAVE ANYTHING IN YOUR CAR AT ALL.
Written 2 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ehlly
Macau, China358 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020 • Couples
One of my favorite place in SFO. Good for couples, group of friends, family or even solo. Love walking here very calm and the view is stunning. Architecture is amazing feel like I'm back in old times. Best to come during sunset for me :) If you want some peace of mind you can just seat in the grass or in some bench available and watch the beautiful lake with ducks and birds flying.
Written 27 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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