Columbarium San Francisco
History, heritage and dioramas
Pair a diorama with a dash of biography and San Francisco history and you have me hooked. The SF Columbarium is one of the only cemeteries within San Francisco city limits. This is the outcome of very SF forces, real estate speculation and political shenanigans. In the early part of the 20th century, most cemeteries were uprooted and moved to Colma to make room for more development.
The Columbarium, which opened in 1898, is the last vestige of odd fellows cemetery. The reason I find myself wandering in for a few minutes whenever I am nearby in the Inner Richmond is the chance to see a different personal slice of SF. The classical dome is filled with glass-fronted niches, each with a mini-story. There are early SF pioneers buried here with elaborate urns and classical sculpture of 49er grit. World War veterans, as well as veterans of the war in the 80s and 90s against HIV. The little windows into people's lives often include tokens of their passions and quirks. Every visit yields a delightful new find and puts me in the mood to go out and get the most out of the day.
Find your way with 156 Insider Tips from our Local Spotters
Nice place right!? There’s so much more to discover:
Discover all other hidden gems in San Francisco
Free Gold Watch
Honest old school pinball palace
When I can hear the sound of spare coins jingling, I get an itch for a real pinball fix and head to the Haight and Free Gold Watch in San Francisco...
by
Byron
Beach
View Deck at UCSF
Best view in Western SF
When I want to know if the fog is coming in under the GG bridge in SF, I walk over to the public deck at UCSF's Helen Diller Medical Center...
by
Byron
Beach
6th Ave Skate Park
Daily free roller skate party
When I am in Golden Gate Park in SF, I almost always stop for a few minutes at the 6th avenue skate park to watch the skaters dance to the music...
by
Byron
Beach
GG Park Golf Course
A 9-hole gem
I love coming to the Golden Gate Parks Golf Course in SF in the morning, where it's almost 100% guaranteed to be foggy...
by
Byron
Beach
Green Apple Books
Get lost in a real book store
"Green Apple Books" in San Francisco is one of my favorite places to get lost for an afternoon. Unmatched levels of discovery await...
by
Byron
Beach
Zazie
A bit of French dining all day long
"Zazie" in SF is my perfect local French bistro, whether I'm up at 8 am, peckish at lunch or in the mood for the greatest pork chop in town...
by
Byron
Beach
The Turrell Skyspace
A hidden meditation
"The Turrell Skyspace" in San Francisco is a hidden oculus buried underground that provides a moment of either meditation or social overload...
by
Byron
Beach
Ushi Taro
Ramen with beef bone marrow
"Ushi Taro" is a tiny ramen house that specializes in beef ramen. A personal favorite is their spicy tomato beef ramen that never fails to warm my core...
by
Byron
Beach
InoVino
Italian wine bar
"InoVino" in San Francisco is a lovely Italian bar with amazing food! The arancini are my go-to bites with either a Verdicchio or a Barolo...
by
Byron
Beach
Corbin Steps
Fantasy garden stairway
The "Corbin Steps" represent everything delightful & quirky about San Francisco. It's an art project composed of fantasy creatures built of found objects!
by
Byron
Beach
Ferry Plaza Wine
Wine by the bottle
"Ferry Plaza Wine" in the San Francisco Ferry building is, perhaps surprisingly, one of the best wine bars in the Bay Area...
by
Byron
Beach
Pier 39
See sea lions!
"Pier 39" in San Francisco is where I got to buy live crabs during the season and see the sea lions! They are the quintessential San Franciscans...
by
Nadine
Johnson
Heading to San Francisco?
156 Insider Tips from our local Spotters
Authentic Stories by Real People
Escape the Crowd & Travel Slow 🐌
... for just €9.99
Heading to San Francisco?
✓ 0 Insider Tips from our local Spotters
✓ 156 Insider Tips
✓ Escape the Crowds
✓ Find Spots nearby
✓ Authentic Stories
... for just €9.99
City guides by those who know the city in and out!
Our Locals' Favorite Art & culture
Our team loves San Francisco
Get to know our other Spotters from San Francisco
As featured on:
