Where San Francisco’s iconic skyscrapers, streets, and parks stand today, there once was a wild landscape full of surprises—from vast hills of drifting sand to lush valleys and wetlands of many kinds. This land, home to the Ramaytush Ohlone, has been radically transformed. Nevertheless, its history remains an integral element of the city’s landscape. After two years of research, historical ecologists have unearthed countless unexpected stories of what this region looked like in the past and synthesized them into a single map representing the city’s historical landscape. Join the Exploratorium and the San Francisco Estuary Institute in exploring our ecological past and how our historical landscape can inform a vision for a healthier, more resilient city.
