An elaborate gift from Claus Spreckels is now a piece of San Francisco history.

A mysterious painting of the self-declared Emperor of the United States watches over a local hof-brau.

Reverend Franzo Wayne King administers spiritual enlightenment through the music of the jazz legend.

An art supply shop holds the secrets of this quiet neighborhood's raucous Barbary Coast past.

Faceless white figures loom over the city from the rooftop.

The only visible piece of San Francisco's most famous shipwreck.

The key to turning shifting dunes into the green oasis of Golden Gate Park.

Forgotten and then destroyed by fire, this was once one of the largest saltwater swimming pools in the world.

A free, public museum dedicated to the fascinating science of sight.

A pair of mutilated bronze octopuses slump at the base of the monument honoring California's admission to the U.S.

One of few lasting examples of the brief octagon craze that developed into folly.

Radioactivity still cause for concern at this urban explorer's paradise.

Barely visible foundations remain where Stow Lake’s “observatory” once welcomed visitors.

Alleyway plaque commemorating the death of a fictional character in The Maltese Falcon, not far from the author's home.

Gold Rush ship-turned-hotel buried underneath San Francisco's financial district.

This print shop boasts one of the largest pinball arcades in San Francisco.

Amazing meticulous gardens of personal wood carvings, Hydrangea, Canna, and many other flowers.

This residential door allows San Francisco muggles a glimpse at the wizarding world.

Early prototype for Frank Lloyd Wright's Guggenheim.

Over 315,000 preserved amphibians and reptiles in jars.

A famous alternative culture epicenter and where Joplin serenaded young hippies.

A library built during San Francisco's pioneer times is a student's retreat, bibliophile's sanctuary, and chess player's delight.

A speck of nature and art in one of San Francisco’s most notorious neighborhoods.

Art from the latest counter-culture; kids who dye their hair blue and believe the future will be a post-apocalyptic water world.