Fort Mason Center

Fort Mason Center Review

Originally a depot for the shipment of supplies to the Pacific during World War II, the fort was converted into a cultural center in 1977. Here you can find the vegetarian restaurant Greens and shops, galleries, and performance spaces, most of which are closed Monday. There's also plentiful free parking—a rarity in the city.

You have to be seriously into Italian-American culture to appreciate the text- and photograph-heavy exhibits at the Museo Italo-Americano, but depending on the exhibit, it might be worth a glance if you're already at Fort Mason. Plus, it's free. Bldg. C, 94123. 415/673-2200. museoitaloamericano.org. Tues.-Sun. noon-4.

The temporary exhibits downstairs at the free SFMOMA Artists Gallery can be great, but head upstairs and check out the paintings, sculptures, prints, and photographs for sale and for rent. It's a fun scene, with folks flipping through the works like posters. You won't find a Picasso or a Rembrandt here, but you can find works of high quality by emerging Northern California artists—and where else can you get a $50,000 work of art to hang on your wall for $400 (a month)? It's open Tuesday through Saturday 11:30-5:30. Bldg. A, 94123. 415/441-4777.