Things to do in Civic Center

5 places to start in Civic Center

San Francisco City Hall

Walk in on a weekday to see the grand staircase under the dome. You'll probably pass a wedding or two.

Official site →Photo: Sanfranman59, CC BY-SA 3.0

Asian Art Museum

One of the largest collections of Asian art in the Western world fills the old main library building on Larkin Street.

Official site →Photo: LPS.1, CC0

War Memorial Opera House

San Francisco Opera and San Francisco Ballet share this house on Van Ness Avenue. Standing-room tickets go on sale the day of the performance.

Official site →Photo: Sanfranman59, CC BY-SA 3.0

Davies Symphony Hall

The San Francisco Symphony plays in the curved glass building across Grove Street.

Official site →Photo: J. Ash Bowie, CC BY-SA 3.0

Heart of the City Farmers Market

Farmers sell direct at United Nations Plaza on Wednesdays and Sundays, and the prices are low for San Francisco.

Official site →Photo: Daderot, CC0

Hotels in Civic Center

Staying over? These are the picks from our guide, Civic Center Hotels in San Francisco for City Hall and the Opera, and Dyme members see private rates on each. You can also browse every San Francisco hotel guide or search hotels on Dyme.

Symphony Inn 465 Grove Street, San Francisco 8.4598 reviews 5 min walk to Civic Center/UN Plaza (BART/F/J/K/L/M/N/T) View hotel → Inn At The Opera 333 Fulton St, San Francisco, California, 94102, San Francisco 8.4108 reviews 6 min walk to Civic Center/UN Plaza (BART/F/J/K/L/M/N/T) View hotel → Sonder Hayes Valley 135 Gough Street, San Francisco 7.248 reviews 7 min walk to Civic Center/UN Plaza (BART/F/J/K/L/M/N/T) View hotel → Edwardian Hotel 1668 Market Street, San Francisco 7.1380 reviews 4 min walk to Civic Center/UN Plaza (BART/F/J/K/L/M/N/T) View hotel →

This weekend in Civic Center: October 2–4

55 things on: 13 gigs, 11 shows, 7 exhibitions and 15 free. Listed by day and start time.

Friday, October 2

10:00 AMHa Chong-Hyun: RetrospectiveRadical Korean abstraction.Art200 Larkin StView listing →10:00 AMAl-An deSouza: Table SettingsTea-stained meditations on value.Art200 Larkin StView listing →11:00 AMTHE ART OF TEA: Paintings + Tastings Steeped in CuriosityTea-soaked painting party.Art1355 Market StView listing →2:00 PMLearn and Play Chess and MahjongWeekly strategy games series.Games355 McAllister StView listing →5:00 PMFriday Night Bites OakleyMonthly food truck gathering.FoodCivic CenterFreeView listing →7:00 PMNight Garden on ThirdOpen-air grooves, three nights.Music324 Larkin StFreeView listing →7:00 PMRush Hour Comedy NightFree stand-up & cocktails.Show1414 Market StView listing →7:30 PMA Concert for Michael Tilson Thomas - A Celebration of Life and LegacyStar-studded orchestral tribute.Music201 Van Ness AveView listing →7:30 PMKyle MacLachlanLive memoir conversation.Talk275 Hayes StFrom $88View listing →7:30 PMRobert PlantRock legend live.Music1192 Market StView listing →8:00 PMMadeon: Victory LiveElectro-pop reinvention spectacle.Music99 Grove StView listing →8:00 PMMadeonElectro-pop spectacle.Music99 Grove StView listing →8:00 PMLittle Shop of HorrorsDark comedy musical revival.Show25 Van Ness AvenueView listing →8:00 PMHellaFunny Comedy NightStand-up in a smoke lounge.Show1276 Market StFreeView listing →8:00 PMHellaFunny Stand-Up ComedyComedy in a cannabis lounge.Show1276 Market StFreeView listing →9:00 PMThe BendsIntimate live music den.Music155 Fell StView listing →

Saturday, October 3

10:00 AMHa Chong-Hyun: RetrospectiveRadical Korean abstraction.Art200 Larkin StView listing →10:00 AMAl-An deSouza: Table SettingsTea-stained meditations on value.Art200 Larkin StView listing →10:00 AMUN PLAZA Free Dance ClassesFree outdoor dance sessions.Class355 McAllister StFreeView listing →11:00 AMDrawing From Film—OnibabaSketch horror film frames.Class100 Larkin StView listing →11:00 AMRhythm Rascals SFCO Very First ConcertsClassical for tiny listeners.Music100 Larkin StFreeView listing →11:00 AMShuffleFree outdoor shuffle dancing.Class355 McAllister StFreeView listing →12:00 PMArchitectureLibrary turned art museum.Tour200 Larkin StView listing →7:00 PMNight Garden on ThirdOpen-air grooves, three nights.Music324 Larkin StFreeView listing →7:00 PMNight Garden on Third: Jazz Night in the GardenOpen-air jazz grooves.Music324 Larkin StFreeView listing →7:00 PMGolden Gate Comedy NightBay Area stand-up showcase.Show1414 Market StView listing →7:00 PMCrazy Funny Asians Free Comedy ShowcaseAsian-American stand-up night.Show1414 Market StFrom $25View listing →7:30 PMMalcolm Gladwell In ConversationBig ideas, live onstage.Talk275 Hayes StFrom $117View listing →7:30 PMHiromiVirtuosic jazz piano trio.Music201 Franklin StView listing →7:30 PMRenée Fleming Sings StraussLegendary soprano sings Strauss.Music201 Van Ness AveView listing →8:00 PMLittle Shop of HorrorsDark comedy musical revival.Show25 Van Ness AvenueView listing →8:00 PMPuff Puff Laugh: SF's Cannabis Lounge Comedy ShowStand-up you can smoke to.Show1276 Market StFreeView listing →8:00 PMPuff Puff Laugh SF’s Cannabis Lounge Comedy ShowCannabis & comedy night.Show1276 Market StFreeView listing →8:00 PMPuff Puff LaughWeed-friendly comedy night.Show1276 Market StFreeView listing →9:00 PMEcca VandalPunk-rap firestorm live.Music155 Fell StFrom $129View listing →10:00 PMSaturday Night MicOpen mic competition.Show1414 Market StView listing →

Sunday, October 4

10:00 AMHa Chong-Hyun: RetrospectiveRadical Korean abstraction.Art200 Larkin StView listing →10:00 AMAl-An deSouza: Table SettingsTea-stained meditations on value.Art200 Larkin StView listing →10:00 AMUN PLAZA Free Dance ClassesFree outdoor dance sessions.Class355 McAllister StFreeView listing →10:00 AMFree Admission Day (Every First Sunday)Free monthly art day.Art200 Larkin StFreeView listing →10:00 AMFree Museum DayExplore Asian art collections.Art200 Larkin StView listing →10:00 AMFree First Sundays at the Asian Art MuseumFree art & mahjong sundays.Art200 Larkin StFreeView listing →11:00 AMCurator Led Tour with Yoon-Jee ChoiKorean abstraction deep dive.Art200 Larkin StView listing →11:00 AMFamily Fun DayStorytelling & art projects.Class200 Larkin StView listing →11:00 AMBolly-X with SimranBollywood dance fitness.Class355 McAllister StFreeView listing →11:00 AMDrop-in Mahjong and Chess GamesStrategy games in the park.Games355 McAllister StView listing →2:00 PMRenée Fleming Sings StraussLegendary soprano sings Strauss.Music201 Van Ness AveView listing →7:00 PMNight Garden on ThirdOpen-air grooves, three nights.Music324 Larkin StFreeView listing →7:00 PMHiromiVirtuosic jazz piano trio.Music201 Franklin StView listing →7:00 PMFree Sunday Comedy NightIntimate stand-up & cocktails.Show1414 Market StFrom $20View listing →7:00 PMNight Garden on Third: Soulful Sunset PartyOpen-air soul session.Music324 Larkin StFreeView listing →7:30 PMLang Lang In RecitalVirtuoso piano recital.Music201 Van Ness AveFrom $408View listing →8:00 PMLittle Shop of HorrorsDark comedy musical revival.Show25 Van Ness AvenueView listing →

On all weekend

No set start time for these, so go when it suits you.

The Unbuilding Archive: Liberated Futures for the Site of Compton’s Cafeteria RiotLGBTQ+ history reimagined.Art100 Larkin StView listing →Hiromi: The Trio ProjectVirtuoso piano trio.Music201 Franklin StView listing →

More San Francisco neighborhoods

• The Mission District
• Union Square
• SoMa
• North Beach
• The Financial District
• The Marina District