Embarcadero Skyway and Art Tour
Neighborhood: Embarcadero Center
Description
How do you move a shoreline? That was the question faced by city planners as they attempted to transform Yerba Buena Cove from tidal flats into a bustling port and a growing immigrant city. The answer: a whole lot of work and a smorgasbord of odd materials, including sand and abandoned ships that were repurposed as buildings to meet a growing city’s desperate need.
However, by the 1950s, the Embarcadero area fell into disrepair, its once-busy waterfront dominated by a decaying infrastructure. In response, a transformation was urgently needed. What followed was a visionary revitalization that has turned the area into a modern urban oasis, a stunning example of San Francisco’s ability to reinvent itself.
Today, the Embarcadero is no longer just a relic of San Francisco’s maritime past, but a symbol of transformation that blends modern commerce, art, and history. At its core is the Embarcadero Center, an impressive business district framed by the world-class Embarcadero Center Art Collection, curated by the Rockefeller family. Many of the sculptures in the collection reflect themes of transformation, change, rebirth, and new beginnings—powerfully echoing the waterfront’s own journey from a tidal cove to a bustling port, and now, into a modern urban space.
Join us to explore this revitalized shoreline, where modern art reinforces the story of the city’s evolution!
Next Tours
Schedule
Check Calendar for schedule
Notes
Lots of stairs; wheelchairs/walkers not advised.
Tour Length: Approximately 1-1/2 to 2 hours
Location
Meet in front of 400 Sansome Street (at Sacramento). Lots of stairs; wheelchairs/walkers not advised.
Please note: Private group tours required for groups of 8 or more.
