Buried Treasure in Golden Gate Park(ing)

While many consider the California Academy of Sciences and the M. H. de Young Memorial Museum to be two of the most precious gems of Golden Gate Park, a third treasure lies buried underground.

Sunken beneath the park attractions, the Music Concourse Garage conceals 800 parking spaces — 30 of them ADA-compliant — and over 30 free bicycle spots, making the park’s amenities accessible to everyone with wheels.

Supported with a $1 million grant from the Koret Foundation, the Music Concourse and Garage Fund facilitated both the creation of parking and the transformation of three acres of asphalt into green space.

Additionally, the project included the renovating of the Music Concourse. Long a beloved respite for Park visitors to picnic, enjoy live music, and explore the Concourse’s collection of historic trees, statues, and fountains, the Concourse was declared a national landmark in January 2007.

Given the current traffic that this area of Golden Gate Park attracts — including over 1.2 million annual de Young visitors and another 2 million California Academy of Sciences visitors anticipated in its opening year — the Music Concourse Garage helps keep cars off the park roads and people safely ambling the park facilities. The Music Concourse Garage is not just another parking garage, but a critical link in maintaining and revitalizing a national treasure.