Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
A 90-Minute Walk around South of Market
Once a grubby warehouse district, SoMa is a model of urban
revitalization. The name SoMa is derived from the contraction
of “South of Market.” This was once the “wrong side” of the
Market Street cable car track when Gold Rush-era immigrants
worked in the factories here. Today, a four-block square area
surrounding the Moscone Convention Center is packed with
major art and history museums, high-rise hotels, trendy
galleries, and shops. On this walk you will encounter vestiges
of the city's lively past among its dazzling 21st-century
architecture, as well as trendy cafés and bars.
the museum store for art books,
jewelry, and children's games.
Plan to return for a full tour of
the displays of contemporary
art. On either side of SFMOMA
are skyscraper hotels, the St.
Regis Museum Tower and W
San Francisco. At the base of
the St. Regis, a turn-of-the-
century building houses
the Museum of the African
Diaspora (MOAD), where
multimedia displays
present such
2
Powell Street
Station
The SoMa skyline with its mix of old and new architecture
Mission Street
Begin at St. Patrick's Church
1
,
a soaring brick landmark built in
1851. Notice the green open
space of Yerba Buena Gardens
across the street, and the variety
of vintage and contemporary
buildings that characterize this
diverse district. Walking in a
northeasterly direction will take
you past the Contemporary
Jewish Museum
2
(see p115)
,
housed in a former power
substation. The museum's
breathtaking interior was
designed by the architect Daniel
Libeskind. Continue on to the
California Historical Society
3
(see p115)
, where the colorful
story of the Golden State is told
through art and photography.
You might like to return here
another time to delve into
manuscripts in the library, or
to sign up for narrated history
walks. Step into the Cartoon Art
Museum
4
to see exhibitions
of comic book super-heroes,
great women cartoonists, or
the work of Charles Schultz, the
Peanuts creator - it depends
on what is on display at the
time. Stroll up to Second Street
and turn left to find the
Alexander Book Company
5
, an
old favorite, that is unassuming
on the outside with
three floors of
treasures inside.
0
SFMOMA
Retrace your steps to
Mission Street and
walk south two blocks
to Third Street. Across
from Yerba Buena
Gardens, admire the
cylinder of the San Francisco
Museum of Modern Art
6
(see pp120-23)
, one of the
architectural wonders of the
city. The architect, Mario Botta,
described the tilting skylight as
“the eye for the city.” Browse in
subjects as celebrations, slavery,
art, and origins. At the sleek W
Hotel, take a look into the
“Living Room,” the octagonal,
three-story lobby that's walled
with glass and flowing drapes.
Here, you can rest with a drink
or a coffee.
Yerba Buena Gardens to the
Old United States Mint
Cross Third Street to enter Yerba
Buena Gardens
7
(
see p116-17)
.
Take a stroll beneath the
sycamores and around the
flower gardens, and walk
behind the Martin Luther King
6
SF Museum of Modern Art, a stunning
work of architecture
