A new visitor center will open at The Presidio in Golden Gate National Recreation Area late next month/Golden Gate National Parks Conservatory

The Presidio of San Francisco, once a prestigious military installation that defended the Golden Gate for centuries, is taking a major leap forward in welcoming the public to Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

On February 25, the William Penn Mott, Jr. Presidio Visitor Center will celebrate its grand opening, creating a new focal point for park-goers to discover all that the 1,500-acre oasis in the heart of urban San Francisco has to offer.

"We are delighted to launch this new gateway to the Presidio, which serves to welcome the broader public to the park," said Jean S. Fraser, CEO for the Presidio Trust. "Now everyone from the Bay Area and beyond can easily discover the Presidio's free resources — history, spectacular vistas, wild open spaces, trails, and opportunities for play."

"The building is rich in history, but this visitor center is all about the future," said Craig Kenkel, acting general superintendent of Golden Gate. "The Presidio is becoming a world-class destination to welcome new audiences to a second century for the national parks."

While millions of people have discovered aspects of the Presidio, which covers 5 percent of San Francisco's acreage, there hasn't been a place for visitors to get to know the entire park until now. Today, visitors can enjoy the Presidio Officers' Club's museum galleries and free concerts, films, lectures, and family events. In addition, visitors can hike on a dozen major trails; see outdoor installations by world-renowned artists; explore cultural and historical museums; jump on a trampoline in a former airplane hangar; birdwatch at restored wetlands; soak in incredible Golden Gate views at 10 scenic overlooks and vistas; participate in outdoor events, picnics, and festivals; and enjoy a self-guided tour on a free shuttle system.

Since the U.S. Army lowered its flag for the last time in 1994, the Presidio's historic buildings and natural areas have been gradually revitalized to welcome the public in a dramatic "post-to-park" transformation stewarded by three agencies: the Presidio Trust, the National Park Service, and the nonprofit Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy.

Says Greg Moore, president and CEO of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy: "The Presidio Visitor Center will be the focal point to providing access to all parts of the Presidio and the greater Golden Gate National Recreation Area, exemplifying the American ideal that our national parks belong to everyone. We are grateful for the generous gifts to the Conservancy from the Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund, the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, and the William Penn Mott, Jr. Memorial Fund, to make the dream of a visitor center a reality. We look forward to working with the philanthropic community on the next park milestone, the Presidio Tunnel Tops project."

The William Penn Mott, Jr. Presidio Visitor Center sits at the pinnacle of a site once dominated by a freeway. Parts of that roadway, formerly known as Doyle Drive, have been hidden in tunnels, allowing for the creation of a new 14-acre landscape currently being designed by James Corner Field Operations, the makers of New York City's High Line. The project, known as the Presidio Tunnel Tops, will open in 2019, marking the Presidio's 25th anniversary as a national park. That effort is led by the same tri-agency partnership.

The Historic Visitor Center Building

The Presidio Visitor Center is housed in a refurbished historic (circa 1900) guardhouse in the heart of the park with views overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge. It features a two-room layout that preserves many aspects of its historic use and distinctive architecture, while updating the space with contemporary exhibitions. Construction on the $5 million visitor center, with architect Bohlin Cywinski Jackson and exhibit designer Macchiatto, began in June 2016 with a goal for LEED Commercial Interior Gold certification.

Dynamic Interactive Exhibits

The Presidio Visitor Center offers some of the most state-of-the-art, interactive exhibits in the national park system. Just inside the entrance is a large-scale Presidio model surrounded by touchscreen panels that help visitors select destinations to visit during their day in the park. A large video wall features a calendar of daily events and dramatic imagery of the Presidio, which is also connected to the presidio.gov mobile website. A dynamic, digital, interactive table in English, Chinese and Spanish, invites visitors to make connections among people, places, and events that have shaped the Presidio across two centuries. Other exhibits include a "Voices of the Presidio" display in which several community members use shadowbox art to share what the park means to them. Additional exhibits showcase the history and natural setting of the park's four major regions: the Main Post (the cultural heart of the Presidio), the Golden Gate (iconic views), Crissy Field (recreation), and the Southern Wilds (nature exploration). The center is staffed by knowledgeable interpreters to help visitors at all times.

Interpretive Retail

In conjunction with the visitor center's exhibits and orientation features, the interpretive retail area is a dynamic environment that offers a changing collection of high-quality merchandise interpreting the many themes of the Presidio and tools for exploring the park. Curated by the award-winning Parks Conservancy team, the merchandise will educate, engage, and inspire visitors. Interpretive retail offerings are divided into two areas: Park Tools, or supplies to enjoy a day in the Presidio; and Park Learning or items used for more in-depth exploration of themes like nature, history, or conservation.​

About William Penn Mott, Jr.

William Penn Mott, Jr. was a lifelong supporter of public parks, which he successfully championed during his tenures as superintendent of parks for the city of Oakland, general manager of the East Bay Regional Park District, and director of California's Department of Parks and Recreation. He founded the non-profit California State Park Foundation in 1969, and was later appointed as director of the National Park Service, a post he held from 1985 to 1989. As special assistant to the National Park Service, he was assigned to support the conversion of the Presidio from military post to national park. He died in 1992.