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The
years following the San Francisco 1906 earthquake were filled
with grandiose plans for rebuilding the city. Perhaps the best
realized of these is the San Francisco War Memorial and Performing
Arts Center.
 The
Opera and Symphony Associations needed a permanent residence.
Plans were drawn; fundraising began in 1918, and in 1931,
ground was broken. Facing City Hall, and designed by the same
architect, Arthur Brown, Jr., the War Memorial Opera House
and Veterans Building are separated by the Memorial Court,
creating a harmonious and special atmosphere unmatched in
San Francisco.
The Opera House rivals Old World theatres with its elegant
lines, vaulted and coffered ceiling, marble foyer and sweeping
balconies. It is home to the San
Francisco Opera and San
Francisco Ballet. The Veterans Building, nearly identical
to the Opera House outside, is multi-purpose inside. The third
and fourth floors were occupied by the San Francisco Museum
of Modern Art from 1932 through 1994. The Green Room and Veterans
meeting rooms are housed on the second floor and on the ground
floor are the Herbst Theatre and Performing Arts Center and
Veterans administrative offices.
Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall, opened September 1980, completes
the Performing Arts Center and is the home of the San
Francisco Symphony. Its modern lines echo the architectural
style of the other buildings in an exciting and unique form.
The San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center
occupies seven and one-half acres with a combined capacity
of 7,500. The San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts
Center is more than a home for the arts, it is the center
of cultural activity in San Francisco. The resident companies
along with the Center’s many other tenants, provide the
best of the performing arts. Throughout the year, countless
performances, recitals, symposiums, lectures and related activities
attract people from all over the world.
Shops and restaurants, all within a few blocks of the Civic
Center area, provide a complete evening for patrons to dine
and browse before or after an event. Ample parking and public
transportation make the San Francisco War Memorial and Performing
Arts Center easily accessible to city audiences and those
traveling from outlying communities.
The San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center
has great historical significance. The United Nations Charter
of 1945 was signed in the Veterans Auditorium (now Herbst
Theatre) and in 1951, the Japanese Peace Treaty was signed
in the Opera House. The Center has been host to U.S. presidents
and foreign heads of state. The San Francisco War Memorial
and Performing Arts Center was chosen in 1990 to host the
first Goldman Environmental Awards Ceremony which is now presented
annually at the Center.
Opera, symphony, modern and classical dance, theatre, recitals,
plays, lectures, meetings, receptions, special screenings
and gala events all have a place at the Center. Each of the
Center’s facilities is unique and has special characteristics
that enhance every performance or event presented.
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