LOCATION

San Francisco City Hall

City Hall is now open to the public.

Map of San Francisco City Hall
A view looking up at the lit front facade of San Francisco City Hall at dusk, with a brilliant purple and pink sky in the background.
San Francisco City Hall1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102
Contact and hours

Getting here

The nearest MUNI and BART station is the Civic Center station. Get help planning your trip by public transportation with the 511 trip planner. For information on getting to City Hall by bus and other MUNI services, call 311.

At City Hall

The main entrance to City Hall is on Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place (Polk Street) between McAllister Street and Grove Street. To enter City Hall, you will need to go through security screening, including metal detector and bag screening. If you are carrying any bag larger than 11" x 17" x 7", you must enter through the loading dock on Grove Street. See a list of items and activities prohibited inside of City Hall.

Individuals are strongly recommended, but not required, to wear masks in City Hall regardless of vaccination status.

Please visit San Francisco City Hall Events for questions about space rental at City Hall for private events.

Parking

You can park in metered spaces on Van Ness, McAllister, Grove, and Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place. Civic Center Garage is located on McAllister, between Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place and Larkin.

Bike parking is available on nearby sidewalks.

Accessibility

Wheelchair-accessible entrances are located on Van Ness Avenue and Grove Street. Please note the wheelchair lift at the Goodlett Place/Polk Street is temporarily not available.  After multiple repairs that were followed by additional breakdowns, the wheelchair lift at the Goodlett/Polk entrance is being replaced for improved operation and reliability.  We anticipate having a functioning lift after the completion of construction in May 2025.  There are elevators and accessible restrooms located on every floor.

About

Known as the People's Palace, San Francisco City Hall is the seat of government for the City and County of San Francisco. It is also a destination historic landmark, frequently visited by tourists and photographers. Themed colored LEDs light up the building at night. The City Hall Building Management manages the building operations of City Hall, a National Historic Landmark, and is a subsidiary of the Real Estate Division.

Additional location info

Bringing a bag into City Hall

You must enter City Hall through the Goodlett entrance (Polk Street) or the loading dock on Grove Street if you are carrying any of the following: 

  • Backpacks
  • Gym bags
  • Sealed items
  • Drawstring bags
  • Large camera cases

You must enter through the loading dock on Grove Street if you are carrying any bag larger than 11" x 17" x 7".

Your bag will be screened or inspected by a member of the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department before you can enter City Hall. See a list of items and activities prohibited inside City Hall.

For City Hall tours

The San Francisco City Hall Docents provide guided tours to the public. The tours are about an hour long and are currently offered on Fridays at 11am and 1pm.

Booking

Call 415-554-6139 for a reservation, or sign up for a tour at the Docent Tour kiosk (located in the Goodlett Lobby). 

Groups over 8 people need to make a reservation in advance. 

Cost

There is a fee for private groups of 8 people or more. There is no charge for school groups from elementary to high school level.

Volunteer

To volunteer to be a City Hall Docent, call 415-554-6139. Orientation / training sessions are available on an individual basis. All sessions are 1 hour in length.

Additional information

City Hall Front Step Permit

This permit application is for having a rally/press conference on the front steps of City Hall. City Hall Front Step Permit

Lighting schedule

February 2025 scheduled lighting events (subject to change)

City Hall will be lit in special lighting on the following days in February 2025:

Friday, January 31, 2025 through Sunday, February 2, 2025 – red/gold – in recognition of the Lunar New Year – the Year of the Snake

Wednesday, February 5, 2025 – red/gold – in recognition of City Hall’s Heritage Month event in celebration of the Lunar New Year – the Year of the Snake

Friday, February 7, 2025 – red/black/green – in recognition of Black History Month

Saturday, February 8, 2025 – red – in recognition of American Heart Month

Tuesday, February 11, 2025 – purple – in recognition of National Cancer Prevention Month

Thursday, February 13 through Sunday, February 16, 2025 – yellow/blue/white/red – in recognition of the NBA All-Star Weekend in San Francisco

Monday, February 17, 2025 – red/white/blue – in recognition of the President’s Day Holiday

Tuesday, February 18, 2025 – yellow/green/red – in recognition of the National Day of Lithuania (Please note: the actual date of Lithuania’s National Day is February 16.)

Sunday, February 23, 2025 – white/red – in recognition of the National Day of Japan

Monday, February 24, 2025 – blue/black/white – in recognition of the National Day of Estonia

Wednesday, February 26, 2025 – red/black/green – in recognition of the Black History Month Closing Ceremony

Friday, February 28, 2025 – green/pink/blue/purple – in recognition of Rare Disease Day

Learn more about City Hall's exterior lighting and see past lighting schedules.

Rent space at City Hall

City Hall is available for weekday wedding rentals as well as for full evening events on weekdays and weekends. For information on private rentals, visit the San Francisco City Hall Events page or call 415-554-6079.

About the building

Known as the People’s Palace, San Francisco City Hall is the seat of government for the City and County of San Francisco. It is also a destination historic landmark, frequently visited by tourists and photographers. Themed colored LEDs light up the building at night.

The City Hall you see today took two years to build. Steel, granite, and four floors of white marble interiors make up San Francisco's symbol of resilience, built after the previous City Hall was destroyed in the Great Earthquake and Fire of April 18, 1906. 

Civic leaders were determined to demonstrate the city's rebirth in time for the start of the World's Fair of 1915. Designed by architect Arthur Brown, Jr. and begun in 1913, natives and the world were suitably awed by the gilt exterior detailing, the sweeping grand staircase, and the massive dome. At 307 feet in height, the dome is a full 42 feet taller than the dome of the nation's capitol.

During the past century, the building has seen major political upheavals and demographic shifts in the makeup of its legislators. City Hall is often a focus of drama: the tragic assassinations of 1979; and jubilation, when same-sex marriages were first performed in 2004. Once the repository of records and a site for smaller courts, current debates and decisions about labor, land use, and public policy issues take place inside on a regular basis. City Hall has been a location for movies from Dirty Harry and Indiana Jones to Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

An earthquake of 7.1 magnitude struck on October 17, 1989 and damaged City Hall severely enough that the dome itself moved four full inches. Repair and restoration, completed in 1999, included an earthquake safety enhancement called a base isolator system. This absorbs shocks and movement at the foundation, protecting the structure above.

For decades, adjusting the tint of the exterior lights required walking through legislators' offices to change the colored gels by hand. Starting in 2016, a computer-controlled LED lighting system adds themed colors to the plaza façade with some energy savings. City Hall is still a favorite site for weddings, and cheers regularly echo through the rotunda.

Learn more about the exhibits on display in City Hall.

City Hall Preservation Advisory Commission

The City Hall Preservation Advisory Commission's mission is to:

  • Ensure that the maintenance and operation of City Hall is consistent with its stature and dignity as a national landmark and as the seat of City government
  • Assure that the building is a welcoming place for all people
  • Promote the understanding of its history and cultural values

Archived website

See previous website archived August 2022.

Contact us

Address

San Francisco City Hall1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102
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