Yerba Buena Gardens
Yerba Buena Gardens is the name for two blocks of public parks located between Third and Fourth, Mission and Folsom Streets in downtown San Francisco, California. The first block bordered by Mission and Howard Streets was opened in 1993. The second block, between Howard and Folsom Streets was opened in 1998. A pedestrian bridge over Howard Street connects the two blocks. The Yerba Buena Gardens are owned by the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency and were planned and built as the centerpiece of the Yerba Buena Redevelopment Area.
Yerba Buena is the original name given by Spanish settlers to what later missionaries chose to call San Francisco.
Public art
The original block opened in 1993 contains several public art installations. The most spectacular is the Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial, located behind a waterfall, which is the largest fountain on the West Coast. The memorial consists of excerpts of Dr. King's speeches etched in glass in the different languages of San Francisco's sister cities. On the terrace level above the waterfall is the sister cities garden, where visitors can see an expertly manicured garden with plants representing each of San Francisco's sister cities, as well as the best view of the downtown skyline to be seen from downtown.
Other attractions
Located in the Gardens proper are the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, a contemporary arts center in the North block, and ZEUM, an award winning children's media and technology museum in the South block. An ice skating rink, a bowling alley, and a restored carousel originally located at Playland-at-the-Beach can also be found in the South block. Eateries within the gardens include the B Restaurant and Grill and the Samovar Tea Lounge on the North block's terrace, Mo's Grill on the South block's upper walkway, and a snack shop by the carousel.
Located within two blocks of Yerba Buena Gardens are many hotels, museums, and retail centers. The St. Regis Museum Tower, W Hotel San Francisco, Marriott, and Four Seasons are some of the largest hotels in the area. The SFMOMA is located across the street, the temporary home of the California Academy of Sciences is less than a block away, and the Cartoon Art Museum is nearby as well. The new location of the Museum of Craft and Folk Art (MOCFA) is less than one block towards Market, as is the brand new Museum of the African Diaspora located in the St. Regis Museum tower. Currently being built across Mission St. are the Mexican Heritage Museum and the Contemporary Jewish Museum. In addition, a new hotel, the InterContinental Hotel San Francisco is under construction south of the Moscone West Center. Retail in the area include the Metreon bordering the North block, and the Westfield San Francisco Center one block away in the old Emporium building, featuring San Francisco's first Bloomingdale's.
See also
