San Francisco’s WPA-Era SF Maritime Museum National Park Service Landmark Building Shines in New Documentary
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San Francisco’s WPA-Era SF Maritime Museum National Park Service Landmark Building Shines in New Documentary
“A Balcony on the World” Premieres August 22 on KQED
A Love Letter to Public Art, Civic Imagination, and a Forgotten Cultural Treasure
24 July 2025 – San Francisco, CA: One of San Francisco’s most visually striking and historically layered landmarks takes center stage in a powerful new documentary premiering this August on KQED 9. “A Balcony on the World” uncovers the long-overlooked story of the Aquatic Park Bathhouse Building—now home to the San Francisco Maritime Museum—and the visionary artists, architects, and civic leaders who shaped it.
Broadcast Dates on KQED 9:
• Friday, August 22 at 8:00pm
• Saturday, August 23 at 2:00am
• Saturday, August 30 at 6:00pm
Constructed during the depths of the Great Depression as part of the New Deal’s Works Progress Administration, the Aquatic Park Bathhouse was envisioned as a “democratic country club”—a public sanctuary for art, beauty, and leisure. The Streamline Moderne structure, overlooking San Francisco Bay, became a hub of innovation, collaboration, and civic optimism. Yet until now, its full story has never been told.
“This film is a revelation—not only for what it says about the building, but for what it says about our city’s history and soul,” said Darlene Plumtree, CEO of the San Francisco Maritime National Park Association. “The Aquatic Park Bathhouse has always belonged to the people, and this documentary gives its stories—and its art—the platform they deserve.”
From the Surrealist murals of Hilaire Hiler to the elegant tile work of African American Modernist Sargent Johnson, A Balcony on the World showcases art and architecture as acts of hope. It traces the building’s rise, decline, and rebirth—from public gathering space to private lease, and eventually to its 1951 transformation into the Maritime Museum.
The documentary also highlights the modern-day restoration by respected conservator Anne Rosenthal, who used forensic techniques to recover the murals’ lost brilliance, revealing hidden layers of abstraction, color theory, and symbolism.
Beyond art and architecture, the film is deeply personal—a tribute by filmmaker John Rogers to his father, a Navy veteran and Matson Line purser, who first introduced him to the museum as a child. The result is not only a documentary about a building, but a meditation on civic beauty, artistic inclusion, and the enduring power of public space.
Appearing in the film and offering expert perspective are Todd Bloch, architectural historian with the National Park Service; David Pelfrey, National Park Ranger; and Gray Brechin, noted historian of the New Deal. Also featured are author and San Francisco Chronicle contributor Gary Kamiya, along with art curator Lizzetta LaFalle-Collins.
About the San Francisco Maritime Museum:
The San Francisco Maritime Museum, housed in the historic Aquatic Park Bathhouse, is part of the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. Operated by the National Park Service, the museum preserves and interprets the region’s rich maritime heritage through exhibitions, historic ships, and public programming. The building, a landmark of WPA Streamline Moderne design, also continues to serve the community as home to a senior center operated by Sequoia Living, underscoring its ongoing legacy as a public space for all. To learn more, go to https://www.nps.gov/safr/index.htm
(Below: links to two short promotional videos)
“Balcony on the World” Short PSA videos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvgipOiDQkc