War Memorial Opera House

The War Memorial Opera House stands as the first municipally owned opera house in the United States. Completed in 1932 during the Great Depression, the building was conceived as a tribute to those who served in World War I. Its design utilizes the classic Roman Doric order, intended to project a sense of strength and sobriety fitting for a memorial. The architects, Arthur Brown Junior and G. Albert Lansburgh, created a space that mirrors the grandeur of European theaters while serving as the permanent home for the San Francisco Opera and the San Francisco Ballet.