There’s A Little Known Unique Museum In San Francisco… And It’s Truly Fascinating
San Francisco has a rich cultural history, going all the way back to its gold-rush heyday. But the city really started to come into its own in the mid-20th-century, and one area in particular became a thriving bohemian hot spot. Once the center of the infamous Barbary Coast, North Beach has always had an edgy, subversive vibe to it, attracting eccentrics, writers, artists, and philosophers, like the original hipsters of the 1950s, aka the Beat Generation.
This was the era of writers like Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, Neal Cassady, and William S. Burroughs, all who flocked to the neighborhood. Their revolutionary poetry and art would eventually inspire the hippies of the 1960s and subsequent alternative movements. Fortunately for all you curious souls, there’s one unique museum in San Francisco dedicated to these acclaimed free spirits whose influence is still felt to this day.
Jerry Cimino founded the Beat Museum in 2003 at 540 Broadway—near historical Beat hangouts—to honor the generation’s legacy and influence on the city of San Francisco.
Dedicate an hour or two to exploring two floors worth of Beat memorabilia, including original manuscripts, handwritten letters, photos, posters, and the personal effects of legendary Beats like Kerouac, Ginsberg, and Cassady.
Check out a replica of Neal Cassady's 1949 Hudson, the car he drove cross-country with Kerouac. This was the same auto used for the 2012 film On the Road.
Discover how the Beats inspired the hippies, and get a look at Cassady's jersey from when he drove the Merry Pranksters in Ken Kesey’s Further bus from California to New York in 1964.
There’s also a tiny movie theater showing video clips from the era, and once you’re done exploring the museum, you can look through a great selection of related books, records, and gifts.
Once you're sufficiently caffeinated, make your way to City Lights Bookstore at 261 Columbus Avenue. The original store owner Lawrence Ferlinghetti also launched City Lights Publishers, which published some of the Beats’ most famous works, including Ginsberg’s Howl and Other Poems. Then stroll down Jack Kerouac Alley for some inspirational quotes.
Stephanie is a freelance writer and editor based in San Francisco, California. When she's not tapping at a keyboard, she can be found leading groups on gourmet chocolate walking tours (best job ever) or running the many lovely hills and stairs of the city (to burn off all that chocolate, of course). She also runs a travel blog with her husband at Big & Small Travel (bigandsmalltravel.com).
