Pier 24 Photography
As of February 1, 2025, Pier 24 Photography is permanently closed to the public. Thank you for your support over the years.
Located on San Francisco’s Embarcadero, Pier 24 Photography provided a quiet, contemplative environment for viewing photographic works. Pier 24 Photography housed the permanent collection of the Pilara Foundation, which was dedicated to collecting, preserving and exhibiting photography. We engaged the community through exhibitions, publications, and public programs, and we welcomed members of the public, academic institutions, and museum groups for self-guided tours that lasted up to two hours. Pier 24 Photography was free and open to the public Monday through Friday by appointment.
History
Revelations – the Diane Arbus retrospective organized by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in 2003 – inspired the purchase of the Pilara Foundation’s first photograph: a portrait from Arbus' challenging and emotive Untitled series. The emotional intensity characterizing this photograph informed subsequent acquisitions for the collection, which exceeded over 4,000 works by international artists that span the history of the medium and its international breadth. At the collection’s core were those photographers first exhibited in two seminal twentieth century exhibitions: New Documents (1967) at the Museum of Modern Art and New Topographics (1975) at Eastman House. In later years, the Foundation collected emerging photographers in depth, developing holdings that speak to evolving practices within the medium.
Since opening to the public in 2010, Pier 24 Photography produced thirteen exhibitions. The inaugural exhibition highlighted prominent veins running through the collection with rooms dedicated to portraiture, contemporary Bay Area photographers, historical images of San Francisco, early American color photography, and works produced through the Farm Security Administration (FSA). That exhibition also included complete portfolios by Diane Arbus, Larry Clark, Lee Friedlander, and Garry Winogrand. In many of the exhibitions that followed, these themes were explored in greater depth.
Building
The Pilara Foundation was the first to inhabit this historic space in nearly three decades. After two years spent remodeling the building, Pier 24 Photography opened to the public in 2010. The building’s design straddles the line between storage and exhibition space, while maintaining a gallery-like aesthetic. The scale of the space allowed for the Foundation’s collection to be displayed with few restrictions, and the location off the Embarcadero promenade, directly underneath the Bay Bridge, provided for a breathtaking panoramic view of the Bay. Pier 24 respected the original use and intention of the building, paid homage to a remarkable collection of photography, and highlights the Bay Area’s stunning landscape.
Learn More About the Building
Pier 24 Photography Staff
Andrew and Mary Pilara, Founders
Christopher McCall, Director
Allie Haeusslein, Director
Ry Allred, Head of Operations
Mari Iki, Guest Services Manager
Morgan Guerra, Guest Services
