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.

Presidio Heritage Gallery – Telling the Presidio Story

Experience stories of the Presidio from 10,000 years ago to the present day. Historic artifacts and images, films, hands-on interactives, and multi-media displays bring this history to life. From a chronological timeline of the Presidio’s human history to a mega-sized display with compelling artifacts, the Presidio Heritage Gallery invites curiosity and discovery.