THE GOLDEN GATE NATIONAL PARK
One of the largest and most popular urban national parks in the world, the Golden Gate National Parks were established in 1972, as part of efforts to make national parks more accessible to city dwellers and bring "parks to the people." The parks' 75,000+ acres extend north from Fort Baker at the Golden Gate Bridge to Tomales Bay in Marin County and south to San Mateo County.
The parks contain many historical and cultural sites – among them, Alcatraz, Marin Headlands, Fort Mason, Muir Woods National Monument, Fort Point National Historic Site, and the Presidio of San Francisco. With 19 unique ecosystems in seven distinct watersheds, the parks preserve a wealth of natural treasures.
At the center sits Fort Baker, gateway to miles of coastal and inland trails and diverse recreational and cultural opportunities. Visitors to Fort Baker and Cavallo Point have access to neighboring organizations housed in the parks, including:
The National Park Service cares for national parks, a network of nearly 400 natural, cultural and recreational sites across the nation. The treasures in this system have been set aside by the American people to preserve, protect and share the legacies of this land. They include the Grand Canyon, the Statue of Liberty, Gettysburg and hundreds of lesser-known destinations.
The National Park Service preserves the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of this and future generations. The Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.
nps.gov
Established in 1981, the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy is the non-profit partner of the Golden Gate National Parks – dynamically working to improve the Golden Gate National Parks, their enjoyment by the visiting public and their long-term preservation.
The Parks Conservancy is the nonprofit membership organization created to:
- Preserve the Golden Gate National Parks
- Enhance the experiences of park visitors
- Build a community dedicated to conserving the parks for the future.
The Conservancy's work is undertaken with generous contributions from individual, corporate and foundation donors, as well as income earned from operating park bookstores and cafes, publishing educational materials, producing interpretive merchandise and providing park tours. Since its inception, the Parks Conservancy has provided the Golden Gate National Parks with more than $125 million in support, and is recognized as one of the largest and most effective park partners in the country.
parksconservancy.org
Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy Calendar of Events: parksconservancy.org/calendar
Located in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Headlands Institute partners with the National Park Service to provide residential environmental science education for students and educators, teen leadership programs, summer day camps for kids, and conference and retreat facilities.
yni.org
The mission of the Bay Area Discovery Museum is to engage, delight and educate children through exploration of and connection with the local environment and the diverse communities that live here. It is a one-of-a-kind indoor/outdoor children's museum that offers a full range of programs for children, parents, school groups and educators. It features hands-on art, science and environmental exhibitions, performances, special events, cultural festivals and ongoing educational curricula… all with a focus on fun!
baykidsmuseum.org
Headlands Center for the Arts provides an unparalleled environment for the creative process and the development of new work and ideas. Through artists' residencies and public programs, we offer opportunities for reflection, dialogue and exchange that build understanding and appreciation for the role of art in society. Over 1,000 artists have worked with Headlands in its various programs. By facilitating interaction across traditional boundaries, Headlands works to introduce artists and audiences to new creative processes, and to broaden the range of possibilities for art's function in our society.
headlands.org
Founded in 1975, The Marine Mammal Center is a non-profit organization that rescues, rehabilitates and releases injured, sick and orphaned marine mammals (seals, sea lions, dolphins, porpoises, whales and sea otters) along a 600-mile stretch of California coastline, from Mendocino County through San Luis Obispo County. The Marine Mammal Center scientists conduct research on marine mammal disease immunology and publish research findings in leading scientific journals. The Center is the largest marine mammal facility of its kind in the world to combine animal rehabilitation with an on-site research lab, and the only one to treat between 500 and 1200 animals a year.
marinemammalcenter.org
The mission of the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory (GGRO) is to study migrating birds of prey along the Pacific coast and to promote public awareness of the state of raptor populations. The GGRO is dedicated to the conservation of raptors and to community involvement in wildlife research. Our studies of the movements of hawks through the Golden Gate National Parks demonstrate that biological boundaries extend far beyond political boundaries.
parksconservancy.org
