Fort Mason, Military fort in Marina District, San Francisco, United States
Fort Mason is a former military installation in the Marina District of San Francisco, stretching across 5.3 hectares (13 acres) along the San Francisco Bay waterfront. The site comprises multiple buildings, warehouses, and piers now used for cultural, dining, and public purposes.
The installation served as the San Francisco Port of Embarkation during World War II, coordinating the dispatch of more than 1.6 million troops to Pacific theaters. After decommissioning in the 1970s, the grounds transformed into a space for arts and community activities.
The Center for Arts & Culture operates twelve venues inside former military structures, where rotating exhibitions, theater performances, and workshops take place throughout the year. Gallery 308 and the Museo Italo Americano display works by local and international artists in spaces that once served wartime functions.
The grounds remain open daily, with several restaurants, cafes, and art galleries accessible to walk-in visitors. On clear days, views across the bay reach Alcatraz Island and the Golden Gate Bridge.
The Interval cafe houses a mechanical clock engineered to run for 10,000 years, part of a project for long-term technological preservation. Designed by the Long Now Foundation, the clock operates on weights and springs without electrical power.
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