Skip to main content

Subscribe to Smithsonian magazine and get a FREE tote.

San Francisco

Chonkers, a Steller sea lion, is much larger than his companions, California sea lions.

Chonkers the Massive Sea Lion Drew Crowds to San Francisco’s Famed Pier 39. Then, a New Chunky Showstopper Stole His Identity

The Steller sea lion was an unusual visitor to the pier, which typically hosts smaller California sea lions. However, he may have moved on days ago, during which time a humongous member of the area’s more common species tricked onlookers

The 1851 $50 gold slug was one of the first coins minted in San Francisco.

This Rare-Coin Scavenger Hunt in San Francisco Offers Participants the Chance to Relive the California Gold Rush

A local coin dealer will hide historic currency worth a total of $50,000 in its third annual citywide challenge on April 25

After capturing the 77-pound male, wildlife officials said they planned to re-collar and release the creature into the wild.

Rare Mountain Lion Standoff in San Francisco Ends Peacefully After a 30-Hour Search

Wildlife officials successfully captured the young male, known as 157M, after he wandered into the northern Pacific Heights neighborhood

Woman at Her Toilette, Berthe Morisot, 1875-1880

See How Manet and Morisot’s Creative Friendship Influenced Their Artistic Styles

A new exhibition in San Francisco reframes the complicated relationship between two renowned 19th-century French artists

The Vaillancourt Fountain at Embarcadero Plaza in San Francisco

Can This Controversial Brutalist Fountain in San Francisco Be Saved From Demolition?

Critics have called the Vaillancourt Fountain an “eyesore,” while supporters say it’s an important chapter in the city’s history

Apps like the newly launched Runmates provide links to running clubs worldwide.

Third Places Are Being Reimagined—and Welcoming Travelers in the Process

Outside of home and work, spaces like parks, food halls and libraries are stepping up with social offerings

A jogger runs past a large honey bear by street artist fnnch at Dolores and Cumberland Streets in San Francisco.

One of San Francisco’s Most Famous Houses Is Hosting a Pop-Up Museum of Street Artist Fnnch’s Honey Bears

Visitors to the Pink Painted Lady near Alamo Square Park will be able to see 116 editions of fnnch’s honey bear paintings

Wild pigs are becoming increasingly problematic in California's Bay Area.

Wild Pigs Are Causing Big Problems in California’s Bay Area, and Their Population Seems to Be Growing

Land managers and other authorities are ramping up efforts to trap and kill the destructive, non-native animals

The Palos Verdes Peninsula in Los Angeles experiences slow-moving landslides that accelerated last fall, according to recent research.

Parts of California Are Sinking, and It Could Worsen the Effects of Sea-Level Rise, NASA Study Finds

The ground in many parts of the state—including Los Angeles, San Francisco and the Central Valley—is subsiding due to groundwater withdrawal, landslides and compacting of sediment

The photos were taken between 1966 and 1970.

Can You Identify the Mystery Photographer Who Captured Thousands of Captivating Images of 1960s San Francisco?

Discovered in an abandoned storage locker, the 2,042 processed color slides and 102 rolls of black-and-white film depict key moments in the city’s history

Later in 1967, flower children of all ages gathered in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park

On This Day in History

The Human Be-In, Which Happened on This Day in 1967, Set the Stage for the ‘Summer of Love’

This loved-up ‘happening’ on a winter day in San Francisco helped the counterculture grab national attention

The construction of the Golden Gate Bridge was an immense project with an immense cost.

On This Day in History

The Golden Gate Bridge Was a Dream That Turned Into a Depression-Era Nightmare for the 11 Men Who Died During Its Construction

The building of the iconic “industry orange” landmark began on this day in 1933

Joe Rosenthal holding a print of his famous photograph in 2000

San Francisco Names a Street For the Photographer Who Captured Marines Raising an American Flag at Iwo Jima

Joe Rosenthal is famous for his Pulitzer Prize-winning image. But he spent most of his career photographing San Francisco, where he lived for many years

Harvey Milk at the Gay Pride Parade, San Francisco on 23rd June 1978.

On This Day in History

Harvey Milk, One of the World’s First Openly Gay Politicians, Was Assassinated on This Day in 1978

A disgruntled former San Francisco politician killed Milk and the city’s mayor, George Moscone

Twenty-five years after Angel Island Immigration Station was named to the endangered list, the detention barracks have been restored and an immigration museum has opened in the former hospital building.

These Historic Sites in the U.S. Were Once Endangered. Now They’re Thriving

Since 1988, the National Trust for Historic Preservation has been naming America’s most endangered historic places, attracting much-needed awareness and funding

At dawn, a woman and her dog walk along a serene shore in the Corona Del Mar area of Newport Beach as gentle waves greet them.

Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries

See 15 Stunning Photos of California That Showcase the Golden State’s Majestic Beauty

California offers lovely beaches, forests, deserts, mountains and more!

More than 1,000 sea lions gathered at San Francisco's Pier 39 last week, marking the largest congregation of the marine mammals at the city's Fisherman's Wharf in about 15 years.

More Than 1,000 Sea Lions Gather at San Francisco’s Pier 39, the Largest Group in 15 Years

The pinnipeds came to the area to feed on anchovies and herring as they prepare for breeding season

The driverless race cars were controlled with cameras, advanced processing units and sensors.

World’s First Race of A.I.-Driven Cars Was Filled With Spins, Swerves and Stops

Though the cars could not compare to human drivers, the event may help improve self-driving technology, experts say

Researchers from the University of Washington conducted an initial experiment of cloud brightening technology in Alameda, California, on San Francisco Bay.

A Secretive Experiment Released Salt Crystals Over San Francisco Bay—Could It Help Curb Warming?

The technology could make clouds reflect more sunlight, cooling the Earth below. But even the scientists leading the study say letting go of fossil fuels is a much-preferred response to climate change

Artist Dan Miller works at Creative Growth Art Center, which is partnering with the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Acquires More Than 100 Works by Artists With Disabilities

The purchase is one of the largest acquisitions of its kind by any museum in the United States

Page 1 of 3