Here are some of our recent events. Did you attend? Do you wish you had? Click the title of any event and send us a message about what you thought or a request for a re do.
We're happy to appear at street fairs, festivals, and other community events to show old photos of the neighborhood, give out free booklets, and chat with people about west SF history.
Western Neighborhoods Project is thrilled to host a virtual author talk by Patrick Moser, who recently published "Surf & Rescue: George Freeth and the Birth of California Beach Culture," on Thursday, July 28, 2022 at 6:00pm.
"Surf & Rescue" is about a mixed-race Hawaiian athlete named George Freeth who brought surfing to Venice, California in 1907. Over the next twelve years, Freeth taught Southern Californians to surf and swim while creating a modern lifeguard service that transformed the beach into a destination for fun, leisure, and excitement.
Patrick Moser places Freeth's inspiring life story against the rise of the Southern California beach culture he helped shape and define. Freeth made headlines with his rescue of seven fishermen, an act of heroism that highlighted his innovative lifequarding techniques. But he also founded California's first surf club and coached both male and female athletes, including Olympic swimming champion and "father of modern surfing" Duke Kahanamoku.
Moser's work contextualizes the surf history we've long held dear at Kelly's Cove on Ocean Beach, and the book also features several photographs from our OpenSFHistory Archive. Hear how Freeth and Kahanamoku are connected to Sutro Baths and San Francisco and so much more.
This online event is free but you do need to register in advance and donations are always appreciated.
map to: Virtual Event San Francisco
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/surf-rescue-george-freeth-and-the-birth-of-california-beach-culture-tickets-386546851037
Join us for this in-person history walk led by our pal John Martini through his old stomping grounds at the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
The wild northwest corner of San Francisco known as Lands End will be highlighted in this moderately strenuous walk. Along the way we’ll follow the right of way for the famous “Ferries & Cliff House†steam train, see the remains of the oil tanker SS Lyman Stewart that wrecked in 1922, visit the site of the vanished community of Ocean Terrace, and explore the once-lavish grounds of Adolph Sutro’s estate of Sutro Heights.
Our journey begins at 10:00am and is expected the to take about 2 hours. The super secret meeting location will be emailed when tickets are purchased: $10 for members and $20 for non-members. Please register through Eventbrite.
The walk is limited to 30 people and we will follow whatever San Francisco Department of Health regulations are in place at the time.
map to: Lands End San Francisco
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wnp-steam-trains-shipwrecks-statues-history-walk-tickets-252270757627
Join us for this in-person history walk led by our pal John Martini through his old stomping grounds at the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
Fort Funston is more than hang gliders and dog walkers. It began its history as San Francisco’s most remote (some said desolate) military fort in 1900. From World War I to the Cold War, the sandy post featured barracks, massive gun emplacements, trenches, antiaircraft guns, and NIKE missiles that protected the southern approach to San Francisco Bay. Today, the remains of many of these fortifications lie buried beneath the city’s last large expanse of natural dunes.
Our journey begins at 10:00am and is expected to take about two hours. This is a moderately difficult walk with terrain that includes walking unpaved and sandy areas. The super secret meeting location will be emailed when tickets are purchased: $10 for WNP members and $20 for non-members. Please register through Eventbrite.
The walk is limited to 30 people and we will follow whatever San Francisco Department of Health regulations are in place at the time.
Join us for a celebration of all things Outside Lands at our annual fundraising benefiting Western Neighborhoods Project!
April 15, 2022 ONLY: In honor of 4-1-5 Day, we're doing a flash sale of early bird tickets. These discounted tickets will be available starting on April 14, 2022 at 11:30pm and the sale will end at Midnight on 4/15. Don't delay, get your tickets today and we'll also cover the Eventbrite fees for you!
We're thrilled to FINALLY be able to hold our biggest party of the year and we're doing it in style. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of its closing, our 2022 gala will have a Playland-at-the-Beach theme. We'll provide passed appetizers and a hearty meal, complimentary wine, and of course all kinds of entertainment. You won't want to miss this special evening where you can greet neighbors and make new friends, maybe see old classmates, and even spot some local history "celebrities."
JUST ANNOUNCED. Program highlights include but are not limited to: performances by the Golden Gate Park Band; west side merchandise for sale as well as special raffle and silent auction items available for bid; and the first-ever presentation of our Founders' Award to our co-founder, Woody LaBounty, now Vice President of Advocacy and Public Programs for San Francisco Heritage, and our History Hero Award to Palma You and Steve Haines of the Chinese Historical Society of America for their tireless work on our collaborative project, "Chinese in the Richmond."
We hope you'll join us on Sunday, May 15th at 6:00pm at The Clubhouse at the Presidio Golf Club. Tickets are $225 each plus Eventbrite fees. All tickets purchased (and not previously refunded) for our cancelled gala in 2020 will be honored at this event.
You can also sponsor a student seat for the event, make a donation to our silent auction, or fully co-sponsor our biggest night of the year; see full sponsorship details at https://www.outsidelands.org/gala or email Executive Director Nicole Meldahl, nicole@outsidelands.org
COVID-19 Policy: we will be following guidance from the San Francisco Department of Public Health at the time of the event. Please be prepared to provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test taken within 24-hours of the event if it's necessary. Thank you for helping us to ensure this is a safe and worry-free gala!
map to: The Clubhouse at Presidio Golf Club 300 Finley Road
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wnp-gala-2022-tickets-267177203207
On March 16, 2022, Western Neighborhoods Project and The Great Highway gallery staged a Virtual Paddle Out in honor of Bill Hickey, a local legend who recently passed away. Now his daughters, Amber and Jennifer, are holding the real deal to remember and celebrate the life of their father
If you don't know, Bill Hickey worked at the original O'Neill surfshop on Wawona Street in the Sunset District. He began making surfboards in the late 1950s and eventually opened his own shop in 1964. His name pops up in just about every interview from our Kelly's Cove oral history series spearheaded by Woody LaBounty, and the west side simply won't be the same without him. Listen to Outside Lands San Francisco Podcast Episode #452 to learn more.
Please join Amber Brosnan and Jennifer Hickey along with other members of the Ocean Beach community at Kelly's Cove at 11:00am for the actual paddle out and a small celebration on April 24, 2022. A reception will be held afterwards at the United Irish Cultural Center at Wawona Gates.
This event is not hosted by WNP and we have no hand in its organization, it just feels right to spread the word. As always, we're here to hold your memories if you'd like to share them with us.
map to: Kellys Cove Ocean Beach
It's planting season! California native plants create habitat for local birds, bees, and butterflies and are well adapted for our San Francisco climate. Help support the Sutro Nursery by picking out the perfect additions to your garden.
Since 2006, Sutro Stewards have mobilized volunteers to build trails, remove invasive species, and grow and install native plants. Their mission is to build community, connect people with nature, and protect and enhance Mount Sutro, one of the city's wildest and most beautiful green spaces. Their work conserves habitat through ecological restoration and native plant propagation while providing recreational opportunities in the UCSF Mount Sutro Open Space Reserve.
Who wouldn't want to support an organization like this?! Be sure to join Sutro Stewards at their native plant nursery to purchase local plants for your garden on Saturday, April 16, 2022 from 10:00am through 2:00pm. All proceeds from the plant sale help to support their nursery operations and increasing biodiversity on Mount Sutro.
Masks are required to enter the nursery and they recommend you bring a box to carry out plant pots. Cash, card, and check are accepted. Parking is available in spaces directly above the nursery marked "Aldea Center Parking Only" in red. Additional street parking available along Clarendon Avenue at Johnstone Drive.
map to: Sutro Native Plant Nursery 476 Johnstone Drive
Contact: Nursery Manager abigail@sutrostewards.org
more info: https://www.sutrostewards.org/event-details/native-plant-sale-at-sutro-nursery
Join Western Neighborhoods Project (WNP) for this NOW VIRTUAL history walk led by our pal John Martini through his old stomping grounds at the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
The Main Post of the Presidio of San Francisco encompasses more history than another other site within the GGNRA: Ohlone people, Spanish colonists, Buffalo Soldiers, Japanese Internment. Highlights of this mile-long walk include the newly renovated Presidio Officers Club and Heritage Center, the Inn at the Presidio, the San Francisco Film Institute, and the new Presidio Tunnel Tops project.
Originally intended as an in-person history walk, we've pivoted to a live Zoom presentation due to a historian injury. We apologize for any disappointment or inconvenience. Refunds for the walk will be made upon request.
This online event is now free but donations are still appreciated and will go directly to John Martini. You must register in advance to receive the super secret Zoom link. Our journey begins at 10:00am and is expected the to take about 2 hours..
map to: The Interwebs San Francisco
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wnp-presidio-main-post-history-walk-tickets-252254288367
To commemorate the 116th anniversary of the 1906 Earthquake and Fire on April 18th, Western Neighborhoods Project (WNP) is hosting a Zoom program that highlights the tireless efforts to identify and preserve surviving refugee cottages, alternately referred to as "shacks."
Over 5,600 cottages were constructed by the Relief Corporation's Department of Lands and Buildings at 11 refugee camps across the city to house those left homeless by one of San Francisco's worst disasters. When the camps closed, nearly 5,340 were relocated and repurposed but now only a handful of certified "shacks" are still standing.
Join us via Zoom on Thursday, April 14, 2022 at 6:00pm as we speak with Jane Cryan, whose successful efforts to preserve a complex of several shacks at 1227 24th Avenue (City Landmark #171) has evolved into a lifetime passion. Cryan was also instrumental in saving the shacks on display at the Presidio of San Francisco and she was our first phone call when WNP launched its own successful compaign to save endangered shacks on Kirkham Street in 2002. And we'll have Woody LaBounty, former Executive Director of WNP and current Vice President of Advocacy and Programs for San Francisco Heritage, to regale you with tales from this community effort.
More recently, Cryan has been a critical advisor for the San Francisco Planning Department's effort to survey and document the remaining shacks. We'll have Preservation Planner Melanie Bishop with us to explain how the Earthquake Shacks Theme Document, which was adopted in November 2021, came together and how it fits into the broader mission of the Citywide Cultural Resource Survey & Landmarks Team.
Don't miss this opportunity to chat with San Francisco's most famous "Cottage Lady" and hear what the Planning Department is doing to provide historic context for a rapidly changing city. This event is free but donations are appreciated, and you do need to register in advance in order to receive your Zoom link.
map to: The Interwebs San Francisco
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/saving-the-san-francisco-earthquake-shacks-tickets-304221975117
WNP is hosted by our friends at the San Francisco History Association to speak on our journey to save the Cliff House Collection from auction and make those pieces accessible to the public at their monthly Zoom lecture on Tuesday, March 29, 2022 at 7:00pm.
Join Executive Director Nicole Meldahl for an insider’s look at the historic art and artifacts that we saved with partners ACT Art Conservation, The Great Highway gallery, and Minnesota Street Project. Items include Muses, a cowboy, a carved bear ... OH MY! Nicole's presentation will introduce you to a whole cast of San Francisco characters and explain how this Dream Team saved them, where you can see them on display, and what will happen to them next.
Please RSVP before Sunday, March 27, by emailing info@sanfranciscohistory.org. The San Francisco History Association will send out the Zoom link and password the morning of March 29. Please add info@sanfranciscohistory.org to your email address book, and check your spam or bulk mail folder.
map to: The Interwebs San Francisco
Contact: San Francisco History Association info@sanfranciscohistory.org
WNP is excited to participate in Ingleside Fest, a family-friendly celebration of the Ingleside District featuring refreshments, activities, and entertainment at the Ingleside Branch Library on March 26, 2022 from 12:00pm - 3:00pm.
Chat with WNP Board Members and staff at our table featuring neighborhood history alongside a flower craft table by the Horticulture and Floristry Department at City College, Ingleside Gallery plain air painters, and live music from Aptos Middle School musicians and more. Plus, you can enjoy food and drink from local restaurants.
This event is free and registration is appreciated but not required. Thank you to the Ingleside Merchants Association for including us in this fun day.
map to: Ingleside Branch Library 1298 Ocean Avenue
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ingleside-fest-tickets-266486697887
Start your weekend with Western Neighborhoods Project (WNP) as we explore the fabled Cliff House and the ruins of Sutro Baths on this virtual history walk led by historian John Martini on Saturday, March 26th at 10:00am.
We’ll venture around the Cliff House to learn about the history of San Francisco’s most incendiary landmark (poof!). The Baths visit will include a survey of the ruins and the mysterious tunnels through Point Lobos, followed by trip back in time to see the old Sky Tram in action and explore the wave catch basin constructed by Adolph Sutro that trapped Pacific waves and sent roiling seawater to the Baths. Originally intended as an in-person history walk, we've pivoted to a live Zoom presentation due to a historian injury. We apologize for any disappointment or inconvenience. Refunds for the walk will be made upon request. This online event is free but donations are still appreciated and you must register in advance to receive the super secret Zoom link.The California Association of Museums (CAM) is hosting its second min-conference of the CAM Across California series in San Francisco at the California Academic of Sciences on March 24, 2022. And members from the WNP family will be participating in two sessions!
First, WNP Board Member Eva Laflamme is part of a panel discussion titled "Creating and Sustaining Access." Eva (wearing her Kelley House Program and Exhibition manager hat) is joined by Independent Curator Fran Osborne; Lori Gray, Program Director for Bay Area Outreach and Recreation Program; and Tina Keegan, Exhibits Director for the Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoom, to talk about their work developing accessible programs, exhibitions, tours, and experiences for people of all ages in art museums, historic houses, and children's museums. You won't want to miss this discussion moderated by Karen Kienzle, Director of the Palo Alto Art Center.
Second, two-thirds of the Dream Team that Saved the Cliff House Collection (with your help) will present the thrilling tale of saving artifacts at auction and then making them accessible to the public again at The Museum at The Cliff. Hear Executive Director Nicole Meldahl and John Lindsey of The Great Highway gallery relive this amazing experience in a case study titled "Community Vision: How We Opened at Temporary Museum in The Cliff House Gift Shop."
Attendees of this day-long mini-conference will experience thought provoking sessions and case studies like these, and then enjoy the Academy's popular NightLife event.
You must register in advance to attend this conference. Tickets for CAM Members are $75 and $100 for non-members. See link in the more info field below to register today.
map to: California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
Contact: Lacey Lieberthal, CAM Operations Manager admin@calmuseums.org
more info: https://www.calmuseums.org/Public/Public/LEARN/Conference/CAM%20Across%20California%20Registration.aspx
Join our Executive Director Nicole Meldahl as she takes you an an intimate tour of The Museum at The Cliff, located in the former Cliff House Gift Shop, on Saturday, March 19, 2022 at 10:00am.
With her noted enthusiasm, Nicole will walk you through the stories behind the Cliff House, Sutro Baths, and Sutro Heights on this one hour tour. See souvenirs, one of Adolph Sutro's taxidermy monkeys, a collection of 4,000 year-old Egyptian artifacts, and more as she highlights her favorite pieces on display and provides context that will help you better appreciate the special history of this area known as Lands End. Plus, you can't beat the view...
This will be the last tour of The Museum before it closes in April and it is limited to 12 people. It is free for WNP Members and $20 for non-members and will take place before the museum opens. Please arrive 5 minutes early and be prepared to wear a pandemic-appropriate mask while touring the exhibition.
map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Avenue
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/curators-tour-of-the-museum-at-the-cliff-tickets-210191978867
Western Neighborhoods Project and The Great Highway gallery are staging a Virtual Paddle Out in honor of a local legend who recently passed away: Bill Hickey.
If you don't know, Bill Hickey worked at the original O'Neill surfshop on Wawona Street in the Sunset District. He began making surfboards in the late 1950s and eventually opened his own shop in 1964. His name pops up in just about every interview from our Kelly's Cove oral history series spearheaded by Woody LaBounty, and the west side simply won't be the same without him.
Please join us on Wednesday, March 16th at 6:00pm to share your memories of this amazing and talented human who shaped our Ocean Beach community as surely as he shaped his boards. We'll provide a little bit of biographical background and then give attendees the mic at the Zoom meeting as we record Episode #452 of the WNP podcast, "Outside Lands San Francisco," which will air on Saturday, March 19th.
This event is free but donations to that cover recording costs are appreciated, and you do need to register in advance to receive a Zoom link.
map to: The Interwebs
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/virtual-paddle-out-for-bill-hickey-tickets-289954510747
A hearing on an ordinance spearheaded by Supervisor Gordon Mar with support from Parkside Heritage, San Francisco Heritage, and Western Neighborhoods Project to formally designate the Trocadero Clubhouse as an historic landmark will be held on Monday 3/14 at 1:30pm in the Board’s Land Use and Transportation Committee.
This ordinance is a follow-up to the resolution adopted by the Board in March 2021 that initiated the landmarking process for the Trocadero. Over the past year, the San Francisco Planning Department and Historic Preservation Commission have conducted their analysis and have recommended landmarking of the Trocadero.
The hearing will be in person in the City Hall Board of Supes Chamber, Room 250. Public comment can be made either in person or remotely through telephone call in. For those wanting to watch the hearing remotely and speak during public comment by phone, watch www.sfgovtv.org and use this public comment call-in number: 1 (415) 655-0001 / Meeting ID: 2499 229 4882 # #
Background information about the ordinance can be found here: https://sfgov.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=5256001&GUID=54EAC4DB-86F3-47BB-9968-CB949FBB6469
The meeting agenda is here: https://sfbos.org/sites/default/files/lut031422_agenda.pdf
map to: San Francisco City Hall, Board of Supervisors Chamber Room 250 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Pl
Contact: Natalie Simotas parksideheritage@gmail.com
With support from the Prelinger Archives and submissions from members of our community, we are thrilled to celebrate the final projected video artwork by Ben Wood animating local history at The Museum at The Cliff, located in the former Cliff House Gift Shop at 1090 Point Lobs Avenue, on March 12, 2022.
This installation, naturally secluded from Point Lobos Avenue for an intimate viewing experience, will illuminate three northerly-facing windows with diverse scenes of the Cliff House and connected sites. Imagery shows change over time at the Cliff House through the sequenced montage of commercial photography and studio portraits, amateur snapshots, found footage and B-roll that also show the Sutro Baths, Sutro Heights Park, and Playland at the Beach. This creates silent yet enthralling historic context for the Sutro District and also supports artifacts from the WNP, PARC, and Global Museum collections on display inside The Museum at The Cliff and nearby at The Lands End Lookout.
Join us at 5:30pm on Saturday, March 12, 2022 and and enjoy this special installation with our extended WNP family. The Museum at The Cliff will be open late for viewing, and there will be refreshments to keep us warm.
Speaking of staying warm, please bring layers as the projected video will be experienced outside. Pandemic-appropriate masks and proof of vaccination will be required to visit The Museum. This event is free but donations are appreciated to keep our nonprofit going. Registration in advance is not mandatory but appreciated.
map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Avenue
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/projection-premiere-at-the-museum-at-the-cliff-tickets-253497577077
Join us for Christine Huhn Day at The Museum at The Cliff on Saturday, March 5, 2022!
Christine Huhn is the only contemporary photographer to be featured at The Museum, and her work enables us to show the enduring facets of the Lands End landscape, particularly Seal Rocks and the Sutro Baths, over time. Huhn is a visual artist and cultural heritage professional whose connection to the landscape of northeastern Pennsylvania, where she grew up, has deeply influenced her work, which focuses on preserving cultural landscapes through film photography and historic photographic processes. And to top it all off, she is a delightful human being who let us use a photograph of an overweight sea lion named Big Ben Butler to advertise this event.
Visit The Museum at The Cliff between 11:00am and 4:00pm to chat with Huhn and experience her photography in situ with the environment that inspired it. Plus, every visitor who signs up for a WNP membership while visiting The Museum that day will receive a complimentary poster of the Victorian-era Cliff House from Marilyn Blaisdell's former Cliff House Gift Shop, San Francisciana.
As always, The Museum at The Cliff is free and does not require reservations to visit. However, you will need to provide proof of vaccination and wear a mask to step into the gallery.
map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Ave
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.christinehuhn.com
Join us for SF State's Global Museum Day at The Museum at The Cliff on Saturday, February 26, 2022!
The Global Museum at SF State now stewards Egyptian objects that were collected by SF Mayor Adolph Sutro in the 1890s and once displayed in a museum at the Sutro Baths. Selections from this collection are presented at The Museum alongside other pieces acquired by Sutro that are now part of the Western Neighborhoods Project and Golden Gate National Recreation Area collections. Incredibly, we've reunited them for the first time since they were removed from Sutro's Glass Palace in 1966.
Visit The Museum at The Cliff between 11:00am and 4:00pm to meet Global Museum staff and Registrar Gina Caprari, who will share her insights into the complex history of these 4,000-year-old objects and answer any other questions that come to mind. Plus, every San Francisco State University student who signs up for a free WNP student membership while visiting The Museum that day will receive a complimentary poster of the Victorian-era Cliff House from Marilyn Blaisdell's former Cliff House Gift Shop, San Francisciana.
As always, The Museum at The Cliff is free and does not require reservations to visit. However, you will need to provide proof of vaccination and wear a mask to step into the gallery.
More information about the Global Museum at museum.sfsu.edu.
Follow the Global Museum:
Instagram/Facebook: @GlobalMuseumSFSU
Twitter: @GlobalSFSU
map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Ave
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
Join historic preservationists, west side residents, and more in a collective effort to protect historic places in the Parkside District by attending the Parkside Heritage Meeting on Thursday, February 24 at 7:00pm via Zoom.
In August 2020, SF Heritage convened a group of community members in the Parkside District to work on preservation projects and address the neighborhood's underrepresentation in the city's official inventory of historic buildings as part of its initiative, "Heritage in the Neighborhoods." The group's first campaign was to have the Trocadero Clubhouse in Stern Grove designated as a city landmark. And it worked: the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved to support the effort in March 2021. WNP has been a member from the start and now we're helping to get this work rolling again in 2022. Parkside Heritage is discussing what to do next and wants you to get involved. On the docket for discussion will be the Edgewood Center for Children and Families (1801 Vicente) and Pinehurst Lodge Women's Treatment Center (2685 30th Avenue), but all in attendance are encouraged to bring their own ideas to the table!
This meeting, led by Natalie Simotas with logistical support from Western Neighborhoods Project, is free but you do need to register in advance to receive a Zoom link. Have questions or feedback prior to the meeting? Email Natalie at: Bluesgyrl1@gmail.com
Please use the link in the "More Info" field below to register or visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/parkside-heritage-meeting-tickets-246318604577
map to: The Interwebs San Francisco
Contact: Natalie Simotas Bluesgyrl1@gmail.com
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/parkside-heritage-meeting-tickets-246318604577
Have you visited The Museum at The Cliff and left wanting to know more about the Egyptian artifacts on loan from our partner, the Global Museum at SF State? Well, you're in luck! They're part of a virtual panel discussion sponsored by the Berkeley Archaeological Research Facility that will discuss the complicated legacy of artifacts collected by Adolph Sutro on Wednesday, February 23, 12:10-1:00pm.
Museum legacy collections often comprise archaeological objects and human remains purchased from the antiquities market. From a 21st century museum and archaeological perspective, these collections require a level of care and research that necessitates examining their legacy, meaning, and use. Acknowledging these inherited histories and reevaluating these legacies often means museums must address the loss of object context, the problematic practices of colonial collecting, and the traumatic histories of racial bias and racist narratives often presented to the public.
This talk examines the case study of removing a collector’s name from the title of a collection of Egyptian antiquities formerly known as the Sutro Egyptian Collection stewarded by the Global Museum at San Francisco State University. By examining this case study through a diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion lens, this brief lecture will explore how the Global Museum is reckoning with the legacy of this collection that was formed in the late 19th c. and publicly displayed throughout the 20th c. in an institution (the Sutro Baths) that was the site of racial discrimination in the 1890s.
Speakers include Lisette M. Jimenez, Assistant Professor, SFSU Museum Studies Program; Edward M. Luby, Professor and Director of the SFSU Museum Studies Program as well as Interim Director and Chief Curator of the Global Museum; Christine A. Fogarty, Associate Director of the Global Museum and Lecturer in the SFSU Museum Studies Program; and Gina Caprari, Registrar of the Global Museum and Lecturer in the SFSU Museum Studies Program. This panel will discuss some of the practical steps taken by the Global Museum to address problematic issues of ownership and the colonial history of this collection while also being more transparent and providing public access to the collection. Together, we will advocate for a self-reflective curatorial and educational process that explores past legacies and creates more inclusive legacies in the Global Museum.
See the link below in the "More Info" section to register for this virtual Zoom event and please contact the Berkeley Archaeological Research Facility with any questions: arf-programs@berkeley.edu.
map to: Virtual
Contact: Berkeley Archaeological Research Facility arf-programs@berkeley.edu
more info: https://berkeley.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwudemtrTwrGtZI3YUIDBlkdKv70b0emYZI
Join our Executive Director Nicole Meldahl as she takes you an an intimate tour of The Museum at The Cliff, located in the former Cliff House Gift Shop, on Saturday, February 19, 2022 at 10:00am.
With her noted enthusiasm, Nicole will walk you through the stories behind the Cliff House, Sutro Baths, and Sutro Heights on this one hour tour. See souvenirs, one of Adolph Sutro's taxidermy monkeys, a collection of 4,000 year-old Egyptian artifacts, and more as she highlights her favorite pieces on display and provides context that will help you better appreciate the special history of this area known as Lands End. Plus, you can't beat the view...
This tour is free for WNP Members and $20 for non-members. It is limited to 12 people and will take place before the museum opens. Please arrive 5 minutes early and be prepared to wear a pandemic-appropriate mask while touring the exhibition.
map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Avenue
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/curators-tour-of-the-museum-at-the-cliff-tickets-210186823447
With support from the Prelinger Archives, we are thrilled to celebrate the third of four projected video artworks by Ben Wood animating local history The Museum at The Cliff, located in the former Cliff House Gift Shop at 1090 Point Lobs Avenue, on February 12, 2022.
This installation, naturally secluded from Point Lobos Avenue for an intimate viewing experience, will illuminate three northerly-facing windows with diverse scenes of the Cliff House and connected sites. Imagery shows change over time at the Cliff House through the sequenced montage of commercial photography and studio portraits, amateur snapshots, found footage and B-roll that also show the Sutro Baths, Sutro Heights Park, and Playland at the Beach. This creates silent yet enthralling historic context for the Sutro District and also supports artifacts from the WNP, PARC, and Global Museum collections on display inside The Museum at The Cliff and nearby at The Lands End Lookout.
Join us at 5:30pm on Saturday, February 12, 2022 and enjoy this special installation with our extended WNP family. The Museum at The Cliff will be open late for viewing, and there will be refreshments to keep us warm.
Speaking of staying warm, please bring layers as the projected video will be experienced outside. Pandemic-appropriate masks and proof of vaccination will be required to visit The Museum. This event is free but donations are appreciated to keep our nonprofit going. Registration in advance is not mandatory but appreciated.
map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Avenue
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/projection-premiere-at-the-museum-at-the-cliff-tickets-215338963637
Please join the University of San Francisco Museum Studies MA Program for this special roundtable conversation, featuring special guest, Katherine Toy, the first-ever Deputy Secretary for Access to the California Natural Resources Agency. As Deputy Secretary for Access, Toy leads the Agency’s efforts to expand equitable access to the public lands, museums, and historic spaces operated and managed by the Natural Resources Agency for all Californians.
Katherine will lead an exciting roundtable discussion with USF Museum Studies MA alumnae, Nicole Meldahl ’16, Executive Director at the Western Neighborhoods Project and former Archives and Museum Technician with the National Park Service; Sabrina Oliveros ’15, Park Guide with the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park; and Kaylee Pinola ’20, Park Interpretive Specialist with California State Parks.
This will be an exciting opportunity to learn more about issues of access, empowerment, and equality within the field of parks and public lands and will provide greater insight into the contemporary challenges and rewards of working within these spaces. This event is sponsored by the USF Museum Studies MA Program in conjunction with Elemental Exposures, on view in Thacher Gallery.
Pre-registration is required to attend this free Zoom event on Wednesday, February 9, 2022 from 5:00pm to 6:30pm. Please register using the link in the "More Info" field below or by copying and pasting it into your browser.
map to: Virtual San Francisco
Contact: Javier Plasencia, USF Museum Studies Program Manager jplasencia3@usfca.edu
more info: https://usfca.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAqc-mhrzMsGNzNGsRwN8rZVtzWLjr0_HB9
Our friends, the Chinese Historical Society of America (CHSA), will be presenting "Chinese in the Sunset" at the Outer Sunset Famers Market to celebrate Lunar New Year on Sunday, February 6, 2022. We supported the creation of this exhibition and have partnered with CHSA on its companion, "Chinese in the Richmond"--debuting this month!
Hosted by Sunset Mercantile, the Farmers Market is located at 37th Avenue from Ortega to Quintara, and is open between 9:00am and 3:00pm. In addition to CHSA, the market features local makers, merchants, artists, food artisans, agricultural producers, children's activities and live entertainment. There's something for everybody.
This market is free and reservations are not required. Eat, drink, shop, play, connect and be local. See https://sunsetmercantilesf.com for more details.
map to: The Outer Sunset Farmers Market San Francisco
more info: https://sunsetmercantilesf.com
Join our Executive Director Nicole Meldahl as she takes you an an intimate tour of The Museum at The Cliff, located in the former Cliff House Gift Shop, on Saturday, January 15, 2022 at 10:00am.
With her noted enthusiasm, Nicole will walk you through the stories behind the Cliff House, Sutro Baths, and Sutro Heights on this one hour tour. See souvenirs, one of Adolph Sutro's taxidermy monkeys, a collection of 4,000 year-old Egyptian artifacts, and more as she highlights her favorite pieces on display and provides context that will help you better appreciate the special history of this area known as Lands End. Plus, you can't beat the view...
This tour is free for WNP Members and $20 for non-members. It is limited to 12 people and will take place before the museum opens. Please arrive 5 minutes early and be prepared to wear a pandemic-appropriate mask while touring the exhibition.
map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Avenue
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/curators-tour-of-the-museum-at-the-cliff-tickets-210185509517
EVENT CANCELLED due to an abundance of caution in light of the Omicron surge
HOWEVER, the new projection is currently on view! While we can't convene together we do encourage you to individually visit the secluded deck bechind The Museum at The Cliff in the evenings from 5:00pm to 10:00pm. The Cliff Moving Picture Gallery #2 features rarely seen motion pictures of the Cliff House, Lands End shipwrecks, and other incredible views of the area--including footage from the Prelinger Archive. And if you missed last month's sequence, worry not: you can now see them both and we look forward to hopefully seeing you at next month's Premiere.
With support from the Prelinger Archives, we are thrilled to premiere the second of four projected video artworks by Ben Wood animating local history The Museum at The Cliff, located in the former Cliff House Gift Shop at 1090 Point Lobs Avenue, on Saturday, January 8, 2022.
This installation, naturally secluded from Point Lobos Avenue for an intimate viewing experience, will illuminate three northerly-facing windows with diverse scenes of the Cliff House and connected sites. Imagery shows change over time at the Cliff House through the sequenced montage of commercial photography and studio portraits, amateur snapshots, found footage and B-roll that also show the Sutro Baths, Sutro Heights Park, and Playland at the Beach. This creates silent yet enthralling historic context for the Sutro District and also supports artifacts from the WNP, PARC, and Global Museum collections on display inside The Museum at The Cliff and nearby at The Lands End Lookout.
Join us at 5:30pm on Saturday, January 8, 2022 and be the first to see this special installation. The Museum at The Cliff will be open late for viewing, and there will be drinks to keep us warm.
Speaking of staying warm, please bring layers as the projected video will be experienced outside. Pandemic-appropriate masks will be required to visit The Museum. This event is free but donations are appreciated to keep our nonprofit going. Registration in advance is not mandatory but appreciated.
map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Avenue
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/projection-premiere-at-the-museum-at-the-cliff-tickets-215337599557
Join our Executive Director Nicole Meldahl as she takes you an an intimate tour of The Museum at The Cliff, located in the former Cliff House Gift Shop, on Saturday, December 18, 2021 at 10:00am.
With her noted enthusiasm, Nicole will walk you through the stories behind the Cliff House, Sutro Baths, and Sutro Heights on this one hour tour. See souvenirs, one of Adolph Sutro's taxidermy monkeys, a collection of 4,000 year-old Egyptian artifacts, and more as she highlights her favorite pieces on display and provides context that will help you better appreciate the special history of this area known as Lands End. Plus, you can't beat the view...
This tour is free for WNP Members and $20 for non-members. It is limited to 12 people and will take place before the museum opens. Please arrive 5 minutes early and be prepared to wear a pandemic-appropriate mask while touring the exhibition.
map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Avenue
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/curators-tour-of-the-museum-at-the-cliff-tickets-210176382217
Join us to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year with a Holiday Open House at our office and gallery in the Richmond District!
We'll have festive decor, gifts to purchase for your seasonal shopping needs, and, back by popular demand, a grilled cheese station. Grab a snack, view our exhibition of art and artifacts from the Cliff House, and enjoy a beverage of your choice while we commune around local history.
They say you can't go home again, but you're always welcome at our Home for History. Reservations are not required but RSVPs are appreciated so we can estimate our catering needs.
Please note that we will be following pandemic protocols as outlined by the City of San Francisco at the time of our event. Since we'll be enjoying food and drinks inside, please be prepared to show your proof of COVID-19 vaccination at the door.
map to: Home for History 1617 Balboa Street, San Francisco, CA, 94121
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wnp-holiday-open-house-tickets-207675652467
Nicole Meldahl and Chelsea Sellin in conversation with local historians, artists, longtime west side residents, and other surprise guests, chatting about a variety of historical subjects in a very relaxed atmosphere. Audience members are encouraged to participate and, of course, bring their beverage of choice.
For the final History Happy Hour of 2021, we're going out strong with Chris Carlsson and LisaRuth Elliott of Shaping San Francisco. It's no exaggeration to say their history talks and tours are legendary, and somehow they also find the time to make art, write books, manage an incredible online archive of history articles called FoundSF.org, and so much more. But most importantly, they are delightful human beings. We can't wait to chat with them about their history and some of their favorite western neighborhood haunts.
This event is free but donations are appreciated and pre-registration is required through Eventbrite. A Zoom link will be emailed to you with the confirmation email. Please let us know if you have any trouble finding it.
map to: The Interwebs San Francisco
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wnp-history-happy-hour-with-shaping-san-francisco-tickets-205307469167