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The Beach Chalet opened to the public in 1925. At that time, it had a lounge and changing rooms on the first floor and a restaurant on the second that provided diners with a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean. It was designed by the famous San Francisco architect Willis Polk. The beautiful murals, mosaics and wood carvings were completed in 1936 as part of a federal works program. A few years later it was was used as barracks for troops operating a nearby service station. In more modern times, Heller Manus developed a renovation program for the landmark building so that it could be preserved and serve its original purpose as a dining establishment and welcome center for the Park.
Today, the Beach Chalet welcomes visitors from around the world to explore Golden Gate Park and enjoy fine dining where the Park meets the Pacific. The ground floor visitor's center helps to orient visitors and demonstrate everything that Golden Gate Park has to offer. The ground floor is surrounded by the intricate wood carvings, created by Michael Von Meyeran, and an interpretive exhibit of the fresco murals, by Lucien Labaudt. The murals depict some depression-era scenes of San Francisco which have become synonymous with our fair city: The Embarcadrero, Fisherman's
Wharf, Baker Beach, Golden Gate Park, Land's End, the Marina, Downtown, and Chinatown. The woodcarvings consist of an intricate balustrade with octopus newel posts, a sea monster, mermaids, hard hat divers, and old ships in honey colored magnolia.
The Beach Chalet's handcrafted beer and American bistro cuisine can be enjoyed upstairs with a magnificent view of the Pacific Ocean and behind the building you'll find our latest edition: the Park Chalet Garden Restaurant.
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