Pier 15

Pier 15 stands as a primary site of San Francisco's maritime history, but today it functions as a sprawling interactive science laboratory known as the Exploratorium. Built in 1931, the pier was once part of a bustling industrial waterfront where shipping companies and the United States Army managed the movement of troops and supplies during World War II. For decades, the pier remained closed to the general public, serving only as a logistical hub for shipping and later as a terminal for trucking operations. When the museum relocated here in 2013, the structure underwent an extensive rehabilitation that preserved its industrial character while integrating modern, sustainable technology. You can still see ghost signs from the pier's maritime era, which were uncovered during construction and preserved in place on the building's eastern facade.