Music Concourse

The Music Concourse began as a centerpiece of the eighteen ninety-four California Midwinter International Exposition. This ambitious world's fair was organized to stimulate the local economy during a period of financial hardship. While most of the fair's temporary exhibition halls were dismantled once the event concluded, the grand oval plaza was kept as a permanent civic gathering space. Its design reflects an early commitment to providing San Francisco with a dedicated, formal outdoor venue for public life.