
- 15National Historic Landmarks
- 5open to visitors (all or part)
- 5neighborhoods
- 4often-listed buildings left out (no NPS page confirms them)
- Islands and the Bay
- Fisherman’s Wharf and Aquatic Park
- Presidio, Marina and Fort Mason
- Downtown, Civic Center and SoMa
- Japantown, Pacific Heights and the Western Addition
- Citywide
National Historic Landmarks in San Francisco by Neighborhood
Islands and the Bay (1)
| Landmark | Designated | Open to visitors |
|---|---|---|
| Alcatraz Island | Date not on the NPS page | Yes |
Fisherman’s Wharf and Aquatic Park (8)
| Landmark | Designated | Open to visitors |
|---|---|---|
| Alma (scow schooner) | 1988 | Unknown |
| Aquatic Park Historic District | Date not on the NPS page | Unknown |
| Balclutha (square-rigger) | 1985 | Unknown |
| C.A. Thayer (schooner) | 1984 | Unknown |
| Eureka (double-ended ferry) | Date not on the NPS page | Unknown |
| Hercules (tug) | 1986 | Unknown |
| Jeremiah O’Brien (Liberty ship) | Date not on the NPS page | Unknown |
| USS Pampanito (submarine) | Date not on the NPS page | Yes |
Presidio, Marina and Fort Mason (3)
| Landmark | Designated | Open to visitors |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Point | Date not on the NPS page | Yes |
| Presidio of San Francisco | Date not on the NPS page | Yes |
| San Francisco Port of Embarkation, U.S. Army | 1972 | Unknown |
Downtown, Civic Center and SoMa (1)
| Landmark | Designated | Open to visitors |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco Civic Center | 1987 | Unknown |
Japantown, Pacific Heights and the Western Addition (1)
| Landmark | Designated | Open to visitors |
|---|---|---|
| Swedenborgian Church | August 18, 2004 | Unknown |
Citywide (1)
| Landmark | Designated | Open to visitors |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco Cable Cars | Date not on the NPS page | Yes |
What a National Historic Landmark Is
National Historic Landmarks are places the Secretary of the Interior designates as nationally significant in American history. The National Park Service runs the program. A landmark can be privately owned, so being on this list does not mean it is open; the Open to visitors column says what the owner’s or the National Park Service’s page states.
What We Could Not Verify
- Hyde Street Pier and the park’s historic ships: the National Park Service’s own FAQ page asks why the ships are being moved to Mare Island (Vallejo) and its basic-information page says the pier is closed, so we list the pier as closed. The ships will return to San Francisco when the pier rebuild is done; no date is published.
- Four buildings often listed as San Francisco landmarks are not in the table because the National Park Service pages we could open did not confirm National Historic Landmark status: the Bank of Italy Building, the James C. Flood Mansion, the Old United States Mint and the United States Post Office and Court House. Designation dates are shown only where an NPS page gives them.
We re-check these when the source pages change. Spot something we missed? Use the corrections page.
Last checked October 23, 2026 by the Project SF editors against each operator’s, agency’s or organizer’s own page.
More Guides
History Events in San Francisco: Parades, Commemorations and Tours
History events in San Francisco from November 2026 to mid-2027: parades, commemorations, tours and talks, with the organizers' own dates.
Read the guide →Historic Tours in San Francisco: Walking Tours, Trails and Ranger Programs
46 historic tours in San Francisco: free SF City Guides walks, Alcatraz and Fort Point, cable cars and trails, with prices and…
Read the guide →Historic Sites in San Francisco: Hours, Admission and What to See
39 historic sites in San Francisco with hours, admission and what to see, from Alcatraz to Mission Dolores, read from each operator's…
Read the guide →Questions People Ask About San Francisco National Historic Landmarks: 15 Confirmed, by Neighborhood
How many National Historic Landmarks are in San Francisco?
We could confirm 15 from National Park Service pages and list them below. The NPS state-by-state page gives only a California total (151) and cannot be filtered to the city, so this count may be lower than the true one; the table shows which rows each NPS page supports.
When was Fort Point built and did it ever fire in battle?
The National Park Service says Fort Point was built between 1853 and 1861 by the US Army Engineers and that its guns never fired a shot in anger.
More to Explore
Happening Soon
- Treasures of the Pharaohs Sat, Aug 1, 2026 – Jan 31, 2027 · de Young Museum
- Ferry Plaza Farmers Market Sat, Sep 12 – Dec 31 · Ferry Building Plaza
- Heart of the City Farmers Market Sun, Sep 13 – Dec 31 · Fulton Plaza, Civic Center
- SF State Observatory Public Nights (Wed–Fri, through Dec 4) Thu, Oct 1 – Dec 4 · SF State Observatory, Thornton Hall
Places to Check Out
- Aquarium of the Bay Attractions
- Asian Art Museum Museums
- Balmy Alley Murals Attractions
- Berggruen Gallery Art Galleries
Cite this page: Project SF, “San Francisco National Historic Landmarks: 15 Confirmed, by Neighborhood”, projectsf.com/guides/national-historic-landmarks-san-francisco/ (updated ).