The Art & Architecture of the New Deal in San Francisco | Mechanics' Institute

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The Art & Architecture of the New Deal in San Francisco

Detail of a New Deal artwork

In the depths of the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt promised the American people a “New Deal.” Over the decade 1933-43, a constellation of federally sponsored programs put millions of jobless Americans back to work and helped to revive a moribund economy. The result was a rich landscape of public works across the nation, often of outstanding beauty, utility and craftsmanship.

The Living New Deal is a UC Berkeley-based initiative dedicated to inventorying and mapping these works. It has created a guide to the Art and Architecture of the New Deal in San Francisco, a pocket map and guide to 18 spectacular New Deal sites in the city. Join us and geographer Gray Brechin as he discusses the impact of the New Deal on San Francisco and introduces the new map.

Photograph of Gray BrechinDr. Gray Brechin is an historical geographer, the author of Imperial San Francisco: Urban Power, Earthly Ruin, a frequent radio and television guest, a popular public speaker, and devoted Mechanics’ member. He is currently a visiting scholar in the U.C. Berkeley Department of Geography and founder and project scholar of the Living New Deal Project.

Activities

Admission: 
Mechanics' Institute Members Free
Living New Deal Members Free
Public $15
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Location: 
4th Floor Meeting Room
Questions?
Information Desk - 415-393-0102
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Future Activities

Dec 8 - 5:00 pm

Writers Read!
Join us for an intimate evening of readings featuring members from our writers' groups at Mechanics' Institute.

Dec 14 - 5:30 pm

Mechanics' Institute Members' Holiday Gathering
Onsite at Mechanics' Institute!

Dec 16 - 10:00 am

Family Story Hour in the Library
Gather round to hear stories and make crafts nestled in the 2nd Floor Library

Dec 20 - 6:00 pm

Monthly Storytelling Showcase with Corey Rosen
Join a monthly evening of laughter and storytelling as local author & host of "The Moth," Corey Rosen, returns to Mechanics' Institute!