Thoroughly Modern Montgomery Walking Tour

This two-hour tour transforms Montgomery Street and Telegraph Hill into a hands-on exploration of modernity. The tour highlights how Montgomery Street landmarks reflect the changes that have shaped the city since the late nineteenth century. These changes include finance, mass media, real estate speculation, surveillance, cars, and disaster risk. You will learn to distinguish between modernity, which refers to the social and economic changes of the modern era, and modernism, which refers to the artistic and architectural movements that respond to those changes. You will also learn how these forces show up in the city’s daily life.

On this tour, architecture, painting, sculpture, film, and music are not just stops along the way—they help tell the story. You will see how steel-frame towers, glass curtain walls, POPOS, films, and New Deal murals reveal the bigger systems at work. By the end of the walk, you will see downtown San Francisco as a place shaped by modernity. You will also notice how modernist styles both celebrate progress, like light, speed, and order, and question its mental, environmental, and social costs.

The tour begins on the 4th Floor of the Mechanics Institute and travels up Montgomery Street to Coit Tower. The tour will formally close at the end of Montgomery Street below the Filbert Steps. Participants will be provided a self-guided handout to interpret the social realism murals of Coit Tower. Please note that the route involves a 245-foot ascent to the top of Telegraph Hill; however, the itinerary is flexible, and participants may peel off and leave the tour at any time during the climb.

About the Guide

Kevin H. Souza is a Docomomo Northern California Board member, bringing a unique blend of educational leadership and architectural interests to the organization. With a biology background and extensive medical education experience, Kevin previously served as Associate Dean for Medical Education and Chair of IT Governance at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). During his 30-year tenure at UCSF, he pioneered innovative educational technology programs and transformed IT governance. Now, Kevin focuses on exploring modern architecture, combining his passion for education with a deep appreciation for architectural heritage. 

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Host or Publisher Mechanics' Institute