San Francisco, CA, USA (May 8, 2012) /PRWEB/ — Beginning this week, the estimated 10 million annual visitors to the Golden Gate Bridge will enjoy an even more robust and remarkable experience when visiting San Francisco’s most iconic landmark.
As part of the Golden Gate Bridge’s 75th anniversary year-long celebration, the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy—in cooperation with the National Park Service, Presidio Trust, and theCity & County of San Francisco—have made significant enhancements to how visitors experience and enjoy the much-loved span. The new facilities and services open officially opened to the public today.
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“These visitor services improvements are unprecedented in the Golden Gate Bridge’s 75-year history,” noted Greg Moore, President and CEO, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. “While the incredible views of the surrounding national parklands and the experience of walking, biking or driving across the Bridge have always been among the ‘musts’ of any San Francisco visit, until now visitors did not get a chance to experience and connect with the historical, cultural, and human context behind this incredible monument.”
Thanks to its partnership with the nonprofit Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and the National Park Service, the Bridge District was able to assemble a team of historians, artists, architects, exhibit designers, and naturalists to enhance the Golden Gate Bridge visitor experiencence.
“In 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge opened to worldwide acclaim and became synonymous with the American ideals of innovation, imagination and ingenuity,” commented Denis Mulligan, General Manager of the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District. “Seventy-five years later, we are honored to join our partners in unveiling these dynamic new visitor programs that will support the Bridge’s legacy of invention and inspiration for generations to come.”
“The Golden Gate Bridge is the centerpiece of the Golden Gate National Parks,” added Park Superintendent Frank Dean. “At last, visitors will have an experience commensurate with the importance of this breathtaking location.”
Designed to showcase the Bridge and all its stories, the new visitor experience includes the following elements:
The Bridge Pavilion, located in the renovated Bridge Plaza on the southeast side of the span, is a 3,500-square-foot “green” building designed to serve as a visitor orientation and welcome center. Rare Bridge artifacts and photographs are complemented by interpretive panels and exhibits presenting the Bridge in its many contexts, while a new museum store further engages visitors through a wide offering of unique educational and commemorative items. The Bridge Pavilion is open daily, year-round from 9:00am-7:00pm.
The Art Deco Round House has been renovated to serve as the starting point for new guided public tours of the Bridge. Incorporating the latest audio broadcasting and listening technology, visitors may sign up for 45- or 60-minute guided walking tours on the Bridge, including the first-ever night tours.
