War Memorial Opera House, Opera house in San Francisco, US.

The War Memorial Opera House is an opera house in San Francisco that combines Neoclassical design with Roman Doric columns, a 38-foot (11.6 meter) lobby ceiling, and an auditorium seating around 3,146 people. The building contains multiple levels and support spaces designed to function as a full-service performance venue.

The War Memorial Opera House opened on October 15, 1932, with Puccini's Tosca, becoming the first municipally owned opera house in the United States after $4 million in bonds were issued in 1927. In April 1945 it hosted the San Francisco Conference, the first assembly of the United Nations; the UN Charter was drafted and signed next door in the Herbst Theatre. The Treaty of San Francisco with Japan was signed here and at the Herbst in 1951.

The San Francisco Opera has performed here since opening night on October 15, 1932, when Puccini's Tosca was staged with Claudia Muzio in the title role. The San Francisco Symphony gave most of its concerts in this hall from 1932 to 1980, and in 1974 The Pointer Sisters became the first pop act to perform here. The building has also appeared in films including Foul Play and Steve Jobs.

Performances happen regularly throughout the year, so booking ahead gives you better choices for dates and times. The building is accessible and designed to accommodate visitors who need assistance finding their way.

The Pointer Sisters became the first pop act to perform here in 1974, four decades after the house opened as a home for opera and symphony. The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake caused major damage, leading to a seismic retrofit begun in 1992.