North Beach Museum
San Francisco’s North Beach is one of the more vibrant and bustling neighborhoods in a city with no shortage of colorful neighborhoods. Rich in history and culture, North Beach has been home to some of the country’s luminaries in the arts and sports and has been a landing spot for immigrants from all over the world, as well as for emigrants from other parts of the United States. The North Beach museum is small, just a few rooms of artifacts, and it’s easy to miss in its unassuming spot on the second floor of the Eureka Bank building. Nevertheless, the museum seeks to educate both residents and visitors to the Bay Area about the neighborhood’s diverse past. Famous San Franciscans like Major League great, Joe DiMaggio is honored at the museum as well as pioneers in Beat literature like Lawrence Ferlinghetti who has operated the City Lights Bookstore in the neighborhood since he first opened the shop in 1953.
The North Beach area has long been a mecca for fans of the Beats. Visitors travel from all over the globe to walk the same streets as the writers and poets of the 1950’s Beat movement. Beats like Jack Kerouac, who penned the American literary classic, On the Road, and Allen Ginsberg who wrote the controversial epic poem, The Howl, both spent time in North Beach. The heritage and culture of the Beats is represented at the North Beach Museum with photographs and other educational materials.
North Beach also has the distinction of being the city’s "Little Italy" as the neighborhood was a destination spot for Italian Immigrants beginning in the mid to late 1800s. The museum celebrates this history as well, and the surrounding area still boasts many great Italian restaurants. Other attractions in the North Beach area include Washington Square Park, the Filbert Steps, and the Columbus Tower (aka Sentinel Building). The Beat Museum is close by as well, as is Lyle Tuttle’s Tattoo Museum.
The North Beach Museum is located at 1435 Stockton Street on the second floor. The hours of operation are Monday through Thursday, 9 AM to 4 PM and Friday 9 AM to 6 PM. The museum is closed on Saturdays and Sundays. You can find out more information by calling 415-391-6210.