tSAN FRANCISCO—Mayor Edwin M. Lee announced on Wednesday, June 4 that the Palace of Fine Arts would be hosting a year-long series of events and programs to celebrate the 2015 Centennial of the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition (PPIE). According to a press release from the Mayor’s website, the California Historical Society (CHS), Maybeck Foundation and Innovation Hangar are all working alongside the Recreation and Park Department (RPD) to recapture the zeitgeist of the PPIE.
Starting fall 2014, exhibits will focus on the themes of Then, Now and Tomorrow to allow reflection of the San Francisco today and the city in the future.
The Maybeck Foundation pays tribute to famed architect Bernard Maybeck who was responsible for creating the Palace of Fine Arts. With assistance from more than 1,200 donors, the Maybeck Foundation and the RPD teamed up to complete a $21 million restoration of the Palace in 2010.
“All cities have moments – defining moments – which forever change the image and nature of that city, and for San Francisco, the success of the 1915 World Fair marked a prosperous new beginning after the horrific experiences of 1906,” said Mayor Lee. “I am thrilled that these exhibits will be a part of our citywide celebration of 1915. It’s a uniquely San Francisco way to celebrate a centennial – to focus on then, now and the future.”
“Innovation Hangar will be the host tenant in Exhibition Hall at the Palace of Fine Arts during the PPIE celebration. Innovation Hangar is planning a unique offering of celebratory programs that will include a living classroom offering a window into entrepreneurship and innovation from the time of the PPIE through today. The PPIE oriented programming will also feature a series of curated rotating exhibitions and showcase the Smithsonian Institute’s exhibit Innovation and Invention at Play. The programming will also include a K-12 curriculum for students to learn and implement social innovation through project based learning. Preliminary programming sponsors include The Smithsonian, Maker Faire, Kaboom!, Stanford d. school and ThinkFun,” states the release.
The Maybeck Foundation, CHS and Innovation Hangar will all collaborate with other cultural organizations to bring life to PPIE celebrations that include the Presidio Trust, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, the Exploratorium, the Palace of Fine Arts Theater League, San Francisco Planning & Urban Research Association (SPUR), Mechanics Institute, San Francisco Public Library, World Arts West and Heyday Books.
“We are truly honored to partner with Recreation and Park to lead the Palace of Fine Arts’ celebration of the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition,” said CHS Executive Director Dr. Anthea Hartig. “The exhibitions, events and programs at the Palace will bring to life San Francisco’s transformation from a city devastated by earthquake and fire to an economic powerhouse poised to lead a social and cultural revolution.”
The official celebration is expected to kick-off during the weekend of February 20, 2015, which is the actual date and place the PPIE opened in 1915.
By LaDale Anderson
