Balcony on the World Screens October 24th in San Francisco
media contact: David Pery / (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com
“A Balcony on the World” returns to the big screen
October 24 at San Francisco’s Marina Theatre
Documentary reveals the art, architecture and public vision
behind the Aquatic Park Bathhouse
6 October 2026 – San Francisco, CA: The San Francisco Maritime National Park Association, in partnership with San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, will present a screening of “A Balcony on the World” on Saturday, October 24, at the Marina Theatre in San Francisco (2149 Chestnut Street, San Francisco). Doors open at 5:30 p.m.; the film begins at 6 p.m. Tickets are available at balconyontheworld.eventbrite.com.
The documentary brings the story of San Francisco’s Aquatic Park Bathhouse Building, now home to the San Francisco Maritime Museum, to the big screen. Constructed during the Great Depression as part of the New Deal’s Works Progress Administration, the Streamline Moderne landmark was envisioned as a “democratic country club”: an art-filled public place where people could gather, swim and enjoy the Bay.
“The Bathhouse was created for everyone, and seeing its story on the big screen is a wonderful way to bring people back to the art and public spirit at its heart,” said Darlene Plumtree, CEO of the San Francisco Maritime National Park Association. “We hope this screening inspires audiences to visit the museum and discover the building for themselves.”
The film traces the Bathhouse’s changing fortunes, from public gathering place to private lease and its 1951 transformation into the Maritime Museum. It brings viewers close to the Surrealist murals of Hilaire Hiler and the tile work of African American Modernist Sargent Johnson, revealing how art was built into this public space from the beginning.
The documentary also follows conservator Anne Rosenthal’s work to restore the murals. Her investigation recovered details of their color, abstraction and symbolism that had faded from view, adding a present-day chapter to the building’s history.
Filmmaker and San Francisco native John Rogers explores the artists, architects and civic leaders who shaped the Bathhouse. The film is also personal: Rogers’s father, a Navy veteran and Matson Line purser, first introduced him to the museum when he was a child.
Among those offering perspective in the film are National Park Service architectural historian Todd Bloch, National Park Ranger David Pelfrey, New Deal historian Gray Brechin, author and San Francisco Chronicle contributor Gary Kamiya, and art curator Lizzetta LaFalle-Collins.
“A Balcony on the World” debuted on Bay Area PBS station KQED in August 2025. The October 24 screening offers audiences an opportunity to experience the film together in a theatre and take a fresh look at one of San Francisco’s public treasures.
Screening details
Film: “A Balcony on the World”
Date: Saturday, October 24, 2026
Venue: Marina Theatre, San Francisco
Doors: 5:30 p.m.
Screening: 6 p.m.
Tickets: balconyontheworld.eventbrite.com
About the San Francisco Maritime Museum:
Housed in the historic Aquatic Park Bathhouse, the San Francisco Maritime Museum is part of San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. Operated by the National Park Service, the museum shares the region’s maritime history through exhibitions and public programming. The building also houses a senior center operated by Sequoia Living. Learn more at https://www.nps.gov/safr/index.htm.