Thoroughly Modern Montgomery Walking Tour
With guide Kevin Souza, Montgomery Street and Telegraph Hill are transformed into a hands-on exploration of modernity.
This two-hour tour transforms Montgomery Street and Telegraph Hill into a hands-on exploration of how the attributes of modernity have shaped San Francisco since the late nineteenth century. These attributes include finance, mass media, real estate speculation, surveillance, cars, and disaster risk. Participants will learn to distinguish between modernity, which refers to the social and economic changes of the modern era, and modernism, which refers to the artistic and architectural movements that respond to those attributes. They will also learn how these forces show up in the city’s daily life.
On this tour, architecture, painting, sculpture, film, and music are not just stops along the way—they help tell the story. You will see how steel-frame towers, glass curtain walls, POPOS, noir films, and New Deal murals reveal the bigger systems at work in our city. By the end of the walk, you will see downtown San Francisco as a place shaped by modernity and reflected by modernism. You will see how modernist styles both celebrate progress, like light, speed, and order, and question its mental, environmental, and social costs.
The tour begins on the 4th Floor of the Mechanics Institute and travels up Montgomery Street to Coit Tower. The tour will formally close at the end of Montgomery Street below the Filbert Steps. Participants will be provided a handout to interpret the social realism murals of Coit Tower.
About the Guide
Kevin H. Souza is a Docomomo Northern California Board member, bringing a unique blend of educational leadership and architectural interests to the organization. With a biology background and extensive medical education experience, Kevin previously served as Associate Dean for Medical Education and Chair of IT Governance at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). During his 30-year tenure at UCSF, he pioneered innovative educational technology programs and transformed IT governance. Now, Kevin focuses on exploring modern architecture, combining his passion for education with a deep appreciation for architectural heritage.
With guide Kevin Souza, Montgomery Street and Telegraph Hill are transformed into a hands-on exploration of modernity.
This two-hour tour transforms Montgomery Street and Telegraph Hill into a hands-on exploration of how the attributes of modernity have shaped San Francisco since the late nineteenth century. These attributes include finance, mass media, real estate speculation, surveillance, cars, and disaster risk. Participants will learn to distinguish between modernity, which refers to the social and economic changes of the modern era, and modernism, which refers to the artistic and architectural movements that respond to those attributes. They will also learn how these forces show up in the city’s daily life.
On this tour, architecture, painting, sculpture, film, and music are not just stops along the way—they help tell the story. You will see how steel-frame towers, glass curtain walls, POPOS, noir films, and New Deal murals reveal the bigger systems at work in our city. By the end of the walk, you will see downtown San Francisco as a place shaped by modernity and reflected by modernism. You will see how modernist styles both celebrate progress, like light, speed, and order, and question its mental, environmental, and social costs.
The tour begins on the 4th Floor of the Mechanics Institute and travels up Montgomery Street to Coit Tower. The tour will formally close at the end of Montgomery Street below the Filbert Steps. Participants will be provided a handout to interpret the social realism murals of Coit Tower.
About the Guide
Kevin H. Souza is a Docomomo Northern California Board member, bringing a unique blend of educational leadership and architectural interests to the organization. With a biology background and extensive medical education experience, Kevin previously served as Associate Dean for Medical Education and Chair of IT Governance at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). During his 30-year tenure at UCSF, he pioneered innovative educational technology programs and transformed IT governance. Now, Kevin focuses on exploring modern architecture, combining his passion for education with a deep appreciation for architectural heritage.
Good to know
Highlights
- In person
Refund Policy
Location
Mechanics' Institute
57 Post Street
San Francisco, CA 94104
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