Look Up

This self-guided walking tour begins opposite the Old Chinese Telephone Exchange at 754 Washington Street in San Francisco. Use the map, tour stops and accessibility information below. Tap the yellow Start Tour button below to launch a teaser on your mobile phone — check back for the full tour in mid-April!

SF Chinatown
7
Stops
45
Mins

Tour Stops

  1. 754 Washington Street / The Story Begins
  2. Grant and Washington / Earthquake
  3. Spofford Alley / Chinatown Ruined
  4. Waverley Street / The Idea of Chinese Beautiful
  5. First Baptist Church / Cinder Bricks
  6. Old Shanghai, Grant Avenue / Look Tin Eli’s Plan
  7. Steps St. Mary’s Square / The Spaces in Between

Tips & Accessibility

This tour is free. 

For the best experience, fully charge your phone or tablet and bring headphones. The tour requires access to cellular phone data or an internet connection. WiFi may not be available. Alternatively, you can download a version of the tour before heading out.

Augmented Reality

Augmented reality scenes appear throughout the tour. When prompted by the narrator, activate the scene by tapping [View in 360].  

Timing & Access

  • This tour runs approximately 45 minutes. The distance traveled is approximately 0.3 miles, and is mostly flat (total elevation change 10ft). There are no steps up or down to enter landmarks.
  • Consider allowing an additional 30 minutes to an hour to explore suggested stops, shops and landmarks along the way.
  • Audio transcripts for this tour are available as a PDF download.
  • An interactive 360 video of this tour with closed captions is available on the experiences page.
  • This tour was created in February 2023. While we make an effort to keep things current, you are walking through a living neighborhood and sometimes things change. Be curious, and embrace the unexpected.

Restrooms

Restrooms are available at Portsmouth Square near the beginning of the tour and St. Mary’s Square at the end of the tour.

Credits

NARRATORS

Alex Wong

Katy Long

ACTOR

Newspaper Man Jefferson Russell

AUDIO PRODUCTION

Producer Elissa Mardiney

Writer Michael Epstein & Alex Wong

Reseach Katy Long & Gabby Santas

Installation Design Aynne Valencia

AR Visual Designer Diana Maio

MUSIC

Alex Wong

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