678 Mission Street
(near 3rd Street)
415-357-1848
The physical artifacts of
California’s tumultuous history serve to illustrate the
state’s defining moments and movements to a visitor to the
California Historical Society. The Society has a long story of
its own, traced as far back as its founding in 1871, up through
its recent relocation to the Mission Street building in 1995. As
the official historical society of the state, The Society runs a
museum, research library and bookstore at its site in the Yerba
Buena Gardens district in the South of Market neighborhood.
The Society organizes
exhibits designed to give the visitor a window into the annals
of the Golden State. Historic individuals are depicted,
groundbreaking cultural movements explored, local organizations
examined, and entire periods outlined through the careful
selection of objects from The Society’s permanent collection.
One may find a five hundred year old explorer’s map, a
commercial illustration selling peaches from the 1800’s, or a
painting depicting turn of the century Chinatown used to portray
a distant moment from the past. As the docent may say as she
greets you at the door, "Welcome to the history of
California."
Hours:
Tuesday – Saturday: 11
am – 5 p.m.
Closed Major Holidays
Admissions/Fees:
Adults: $2
Students/Seniors: $1
Children under 6: Free
Free the First Tuesday of
the Month
CALIFORNIA
HISTORICAL SOCIETY
ATTRACTIONS
