Palace of Fine Arts050

All that remains of the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition is the Marina Green and the Palace of Fine Arts. Designed by noted local architect Bernard Maybeck as a tribute to artists, it was meant to look like a ruin. And it does, even more so than when it was first built.

You can't go in the Palace of Fine Arts; but families can walk through the temple and visit the pond. This was once a pleasant area for stroller-pushers and small children, who appreciate the ever-present flock of ducks and swans. Unfortunately, the pond and Palace need millions of dollars of restoration work, which won't be forthcoming any time soon.

In the meantime, the Parks Dept has erected a chain-link fence that drastically subtracts from the beauty of the scene, and makes it all but impossible to feed the ducks.

Note: The temple is attached to the Palace of Fine Arts Theater. Right next door is the Exploratorium.