Skip to Content
Presidio Heritage Gallery. Photo by Garry Belinsky.

Presidio History Exhibition

The Presidio Officers' Club is the backdrop for exhibits that bring the Presidio’s history to life.

Explore 10,000 years of Presidio history with exhibitions that bring its complex stories to life.

The Presidio Officers’ Club is the backdrop for the Presidio History Exhibition, which explores American history from a distinctly West Coast perspective. Permanent exhibits trace the Presidio from its earliest indigenous history to its conversion from military post to national park site. Artifacts, images, and storytelling explore the themes of community, service, and environment. They also invite you to consider how the Presidio’s past remains relevant today.

The experience includes the historic Mesa Room, the Presidio Heritage Gallery, and the adjacent passageway. You can also visit the special exhibition now on view – EXCLUSION: The Presidio’s Role in World War II Japanese American Incarceration.

Open Friday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It’s free with no ticket required. Presidio staff and volunteers are on hand to support your visit

Mesa Room – Within These Walls

Start your visit in the Presidio’s oldest standing architecture. See layers of history literally revealed, from the exposed colonial adobe walls of the 1810s to the Post Headquarters of the 1880s and the Officers’ Club of the 1930s and 1970s. Together, the layered walls of the Mesa Room represent the Presidio’s transformation through time and show the process of historical discovery and preservation still unfolding today.

A Presidio volunteer explains Mesa Room exhibits to a group of visitors.

Passage Way – Beyond the Gates

Traveling from the historic adobe Mesa Room to the main exhibitions in the Heritage Gallery, explore the impact the Presidio had on the history of the American West and on events around the world, and learn about the generations of soldiers who passed through the post. The images and objects illustrate these global connections and tell the story of the Presidio beyond its gates.

Beyond the Gates timeline map.

More to Experience

Deepen your experience through current and past special exhibitions.

EXCLUSION Exhibition welcome panel.

Special Exhibition: EXCLUSION

Visit EXCLUSION: The Presidio’s Role in World War II Japanese American Incarceration.

Learn More
Opening Panel of the Operation Babylift exhibition.

Past Special Exhibitions

Learn about special exhibitions the Presidio Trust has offered since 2014.

Getting to the Presidio Officers' Club

Map of the Presidio

By Public Transit

Muni Route: 43

Stop: Presidio Transit Center

By Presidio GO Shuttle

Route: Downtown Route

Stop: Presidio Transit Center

Parking

Paid parking is next to the building, just across Moraga Avenue. Parking for those with mobility limitations is available.

Contact Us

If you have a question, please email presidio@presidiotrust.gov.

Exterior of the Presidio Officers’ Club.