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Alcatraz Island
Places

Alcatraz Island

Beyond its legacy as a world-famous former penitentiary that once held notorious criminals like Al Capone, Alcatraz has undergone numerous incarnations that have contributed to its unique and deeply layered history.

First inhabited by native peoples who arrived more than 10,000 years ago, the island was the site of the West Coast’s first lighthouse (completed in 1854 and replaced in 1909 by the current lighthouse) and was recognized for its strategic value as a military fortress in the Civil War era. Military prisoners were held on Alcatraz until 1933, when the site was transferred to the Department of Justice; the federal penitentiary operated from 1934 to 1963. Following the prison’s closure, what had been a site of US government power became a place of Native American protest with the occupation by the Indians of All Tribes from 1969 to 1971, which catalyzed the Red Power movement.

Today, Alcatraz stands as one of the country’s most popular national park sites and visitor destinations, attracting more than 1.4 million people each year. The island is also home to gardens, tide pools, nesting birds, and unrivaled views of San Francisco Bay. The FOR-SITE exhibition @Large: Ai Weiwei on Alcatraz occupied the New Industries Building, A Block, the Hospital, and the Dining Hall from fall 2014 through spring 2015, adding yet another dimension to the Alcatraz experience.

National Park Service Website
Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy Website

Top: Alcatraz Island; photo: Ben Fash

Places

  • Overview
  • Alcatraz Island
    • The New Industries Building
    • A Block
    • The Hospital
    • The Dining Hall
  • Fort Mason
    • Fort Mason Chapel
  • Fort Winfield Scott
    • Battery Boutelle
    • Battery Godfrey
    • Battery Marcus Miller
    • Fort Scott Chapel
    • Nike Administration Building
  • The Presidio
  • Fort Point
  • Nevada City Residency

Field Notes

  • Ai Weiwei Yours Truly Facebook Banner

    “Ai Weiwei: Yours Truly” Virtual Cinema Release

  • Alfredo Jaar

    Black Lives Matter

  • AWW_HRW

    Ai Weiwei + Human Rights Watch

Artist Editions

  • Syjuco DSC_2956a copy
  • alfarrowmultiple
  • michelepredmultipleopen
  • trevorpaglen-challenge-coin_rdh_001

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  • We are thrilled to share with @FirstRun that Ai Weiwei: Yours Truly is now available for Video on Demand in North A… https://t.co/g2FFNB4YIw
  • We truly enjoyed capturing this moment when Ai Weiwei met Chelsea Manning. View our film at https://t.co/x5idvTUW25 https://t.co/9FoH1FTDTX

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Field Notes

  • Ai Weiwei Yours Truly Facebook Banner

    “Ai Weiwei: Yours Truly” Virtual Cinema Release

  • Alfredo Jaar

    Black Lives Matter

Virtual Tour

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