An Ode to San Francisco Street Art
When I think of murals and street art, I think automatically of San Francisco.
Partly because it's one of the first cities in which I actively sought out as many murals as I could, but also because street art has been part of the fabric of the Bay Area for decades.
Even if you don't think you're a fan of street art, I urge you to seek some out in San Francisco – it's really difficult to not be impressed by the sheer amount of colorful, evocative murals scattered all around the city. This city, which has been a hotbed of passionate cries for freedom and love for decades, oozes with feeling — much of it expressed through street art.
And we're not talking your ordinary graffiti tags here, either. We're talking real art.
Where to find the best street art and murals in San Francisco
The Mission
If you want to see REAL street art in San Francisco, you have to head down to the Mission District. Here, colorful murals abound around every corner, and almost every piece tells a story. And it's all strong art, too — the weaker works don't last very long.
Below are some of the most popular collections of murals in this area, but there are plenty more to see, too.
Balmy Alley
Balmy Alley is the location of the most concentrated collection of murals in San Francisco. Located in the south central portion of the Inner Mission District between 24th Street and Garfield Square, some of the murals here date back to 1972. The original project to install murals in Balmy Alley was supposed to give voice to local Chicano/a artists to express their history of displacement and marginalization.
Clarion Alley
Perhaps some of my favorite murals can be found in Clarion Alley, also located in the Mission between Mission and Valencia and 17th and 18th streets. Inspired by Balmy Alley, the Clarion Alley Mural Project was formed in 1992, and has some of the most colorful murals I saw in all of San Francisco.
Women's Building
Located on 18th Street in the Mission, the Women's Building is largely covered by The MaestraPeace Mural, which was painted in 1994 by a group of artistic women. The mural celebrates the healing power and wisdom of women, and the contributions of women throughout history.
RELATED: The Neighborhoods of San Francisco
WPA Murals
Even though San Francisco's street art scene only really dates back to the 1980s, the history of murals in the Bay Area goes back much further.
Back in the 1930s, in the height of the Great Depression, the Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) was created to help provide economic relief to American citizens who were struggling. FDR's New Deal plan didn't just help factory workers, however — it also helped artists through the Federal Art Project. Inspired by the revitalization of the Italian Renaissance fresco style in the '20s and '30s, Depression-era artists began creating art that the American public could enjoy.
Some of the best examples of this (often-controversial) WPA art can be found in San Francisco.
Rincon Annex Post Office
In 1941, Russian-born painter Anton Refregier won the WPA’s largest commission to depict the history of Northern California in San Francisco. He began painting murals in this post office near the Ferry Building on Spear Street in 1941, but had to put things on hold when WWII broke out. By the time he began again in 1945, he was lobbied by interest groups to present their version of history, and it took three years and 92 changes to make everyone happy.
The 27 murals were accused of being “communist” not long after, but luckily they survived and today are protected as a National Landmark.
Coit Tower
Commissioned in 1933, the WPA mural project at Coit Tower was the result of a collaboration of twenty-six Bay Area artists. The project was supposed to present an optimistic vision of San Francisco as industrially and agriculturally productive. But, of course, the Depression had hardened everyone, including artists, and many of the frescoes here ended up being slightly less morale-boosting that originally intended.
(They're still totally worth seeing though!)
Misc.
And here are some more fun murals found in other neighborhoods around the city:
Jack Kerouac Alley (North Beach)
This alley in the North Beach (Italian) neighborhood is full of colorful pieces. The alley is squeezed in between the famous City Lights beat bookstore and the Vesuvio Cafe.
Castro
And of course, we can't forget the always-colorful Castro neighborhood between the Mission and Haight-Ashbury districts. There's lots of art to be found here, too!
I think it's safe to say that San Francisco has turned me into a junkie — a street art junkie, that is. And I'm okay with that.
San Francisco Street Art Tours
Want to see some of the best street art in San Francisco and learn more about it? Here are some tours to check out:
- Flavors and Murals of the Mission District of San Francisco
- Street Art Tour of San Francisco (Mission District)
ANd if you want to learn more about murals in the Mission specifically, check out the walking tours offered by Precita Eyes.
Do YOU like to seek out local street art when you travel? Where have you found the best?
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Amanda Williams is the award-winning blogger behind A Dangerous Business Travel Blog. She has traveled to more than 60 countries on 6 continents from her home base in Ohio, specializing in experiential and thoughtful travel through the US, Europe, and rest of the world. Amanda only shares tips based on her personal experiences and places she's actually traveled!
You got some beautiful shots! I still can’t believe we were walking in your footsteps a day (or so) after you snapped these!
You guys went to Yosemite, too? Awesome! And yes, so weird we were only a day or so off!
I love street art. Hard to pick my favourite spot, but Berlin was pretty darn awesome!
I’ve heard awesome things about Berlin street art! I have a feeling SF will hold a special place in my heart now though…
Aw. You made me miss San Francisco.
I feel like it’s an easy place to miss! I had so much fun there.
Wow! I’ve been to the Mission a lot to visit friends but I haven’t seen all of these! I need to go take a closer look, or even check out that tour. And one of my favorite city for street art is Lisbon. It’s everywhere, vivid, modern, eclectic–you can tell much of it has been done in recent years. Even the municipal stuff (in the metro and public parks) is really good! I think the city has made a push to encourage it.
I’ve heard that Lisbon is great for street art! I’ve also heard that Lisbon is really similar to San Francisco… so that’s not surprising!
And yes, have a poke around the Mission next time you go! If you haven’t seen Balmy and Clarion alleys yet, they are a great place to start!
These are absolutely incredible!!!!
Aren’t they, though?? I was so impressed.
Such amazing talent is on display in San Francisco, and your pictures do them justice. I left my heart in San Francisco years ago. I need to go back and get it. Great job, Amanda.
I’m glad you think my photos do these amazing murals justice! I can easily understand how lots of people have left their hearts in San Francisco…
I think you already know I’m one of those bloggers who is crazy about street art 🙂
I didn’t realize there was such great street art in San Francisco. My trip there was before I paid attention to it.
Yes I know you’re also a fan, Stephanie! I think it would be easy to miss a lot of the good stuff in SF, though, if you didn’t know where to look (or if you never wandered down into the Mission!).
I think your fave is my fave 🙂 I remember an insane mural on a house in the Mission. It was a 3d birdhouse that winded around the entire building. Can’t remember where exactly, but not far from dolores park.
Awesome! I must have missed the birdhouse house… bummer, because it sounds awesome!!
Beautiful photos. I love how diverse the street art is. I’ve never been to San Francisco but I’ll have to look out for the street art whenever I go there.
Yes, it’s quite diverse – even just within some of the mural alleys!
Wahhh.. you’re making me home sick. Lol. The street art in SF is awesome!
Lol awww, I’m sorry!!
This is so awesome. When I visited San Francisco, I saw the ones in North Beach. I haven’t been to Coif Tower or the Mission district. Hopefully, I will get back this year to have another look at the city.
You MUST go to the Mission!! Not only does it have some of the best street art, but ask any San Franciscan, and they will probably tell you that it also has the best food!
I’m a big fan of street art, or all art for that matter, and the elaborate images and bright colours in these are gorgeous 🙂
I’m all about bright colors, so I think that’s why I loved most of these, too!
Wow, I had no idea Sf had such amazing street art! I think the Castro neighbourhood is my favourite 🙂
I had no idea either, but it does!!
Great stuff Amanda…Now I am really getting excited for our first trip to San Fran in July. Definitely going to add these spots to the list! Looking forward to more posts to keep my excitement going!:)
I have plenty more posts in the line-up! SF is such a fun city to explore. But yes, all these sites are definitely worth a visit!
Not only great pictures, but very thorough context to go with them. I underestimated the diversity of SF!
San Francisco is INCREDIBLY diverse! I’m eventually going to do a post on some of the different SF neighborhoods I visited – each one is like its own little city!