Whenever I’m able to spend a few days in San Francisco, as a rule I try to avoid doing the most obvious tourist stuff. Of course, this rule must occasionally be broken — like when I visited Alcatraz for the first time back in 2018. And this year I feel like I broke the rule again when I ventured to the corner of Hyde and Jefferson to explore the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park Visitor Center. It’s very close to one of my favorite spots in the city, the Hyde Street Pier, home of the historic sailing ships Balclutha and C.A. Thayer, the steam passenger ferry Eureka, and a few other notable vessels. The Visitor Center was well worth the visit and admission is free. Although it’s relatively small and occupies only one level, the museum boasts a wide variety of artifacts and so many different interpretive displays I spent a very happy hour just wandering, and I probably would have stayed longer if I hadn’t arrived so late. (Click on any photo to enlarge.)

Between 1898 and 1971 a lightship — essentially a floating lighthouse — was stationed at anchor about 10 miles off the Golden Gate, marking the outer edge of the bar and the main ship channel. Lightvessel #83 served on the San Francisco station between 1930 and 1951. She is preserved as a museum ship in Seattle — Museum Information Card