Civic Center/Larkin Street

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Now: A cluster of great grey columned buildings, official and public: government, library, museum, auditorium. Plazas and courtyards break up the spaces, visited by opera and symphony-goers in the evenings, and the city's destitute at all hours. Little Saigon carries the flavor of Vietnam down the strip of Larkin Street. A Farmer's Market is held in Civic Center Plaza on Wednesdays and Sundays.

Then: Following the collapse of first City Hall in 1906 earthquake, the present structure opened in 1915. See related postcards.

How To Get There: Both Muni and BART stop directly the Civic Center Station. It's also an easy (daytime) walk through the Tenderloin from Union Square. Follow O'Farrell west and turn south (left) at Larkin.


  • City Hall

  • Trees in Civic Center Plaza, west of City Hall

  • Playground in Civic Center Plaza

  • Farmer's Market at Civic Center Plaza (Wed, Sun)

  • Sculpture in Civic Center Plaza

  • Doors on the west side of City Hall

  • Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, on Grove Street, at the south side of Civic Center Plaza

  • The Asian Art Museum, on Larkin Street

  • The Herbst Theater, inside the War Memorial Veterans Building, on Van Ness, across from City Hall

  • Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall, on Van Ness

  • Sculpture in front of the Symphony Hall

  • War Memorial Opera House, on Van Ness, across the street from City Hall

  • State of California Building, on Van Ness at McAllister

  • Federal Building, between Civic Center and United Nations Plaza

  • Pioneer Monument

  • San Francisco Main Public Library, on Larkin at Grove, across from Civic Center Plaza

  • Civic Center Inn

  • Great American Music Hall, on O'Farrell, between Larkin and Polk

  • Morty's Delicatessen, on Golden Gate Avenue near Larkin

  • Olive Bar, on Larkin

  • Hotel Essex

  • Mangosteen, Vietnamese on Larkin at the Little Saigon gateway

  • Sculpture marking entrance to Little Saigon area

  • Phoenix Hotel, featuring the Bambuddha Lounge

  • Macaulay Park

  • New Century adult theater, across the street from the children's playground at Macaulay Park

  • Marathon Hotel

  • Minh Tan Vietnamese

  • Them Ky

  • Turtle Tower

  • Sightseeing bus on Larkin Street