Yerba Buena Gardens opened in 1993, with the creation of public spaces and public art that can be the catalyst for interesting discussions.

This walking tour explores the artworks of Yerba Buena Gardens which evoke the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and San Francisco’s maritime past. Followed by a gathering space created by two Native American artists and a beautifully restored relic that has moved and delighted generations of children. As well as a sculpture created by an artist who is also a successful composer of country music.

Before it became the lively park we know today, for more than a century the area was a vibrant, densely populated area crammed with residences, lodgings and a wide variety of businesses.  The site between 3rd and 4th, Howard and Mission Streets, included a brewery with a critical role in the city’s history and factories producing paint, sausages and popcorn.  Its residents included retired longshoremen, military veterans and a large Filipino community.  But this neighborhood stood in the way of the postwar plans of Justin Herman and his Redevelopment Agency.  The tour goes over how all of that turned out and hear the words of people who were displaced .

This in-person tour is FREE and open to all. The tour meets in front of the Martin Luther King waterfall at the center of Yerba Buena Gardens (between Mission and Howard, 3rd and 4th streets).

The route avoids stairs and should be accessible for those who use a walker or wheelchair.

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Learn more about the Yerba Buena Gardens Public Art Tour and other educational walking tours from Rodney’s SF Tours.