Golden Gate Park

Golden Gate in All Its Glory

            With over 14 million visitors annually, Golden Gate Park is one of the most annually visited city parks in the United States (National Park Service 2012). But why does such a large population visit a park that is only three miles long and one half mile wide? Had I been asked this question just a week prior to this paper I wouldn’t have been able to properly answer this question, but now after touring the park in all of its glory, I can safely say that the reason so many people visit the park is because of its majestic scenery, beautifully kept gardens, amazing sculptures, and stunning museums. So why are signs so important to this park? Obviously they help us get around, but what else do they tell us? Besides giving us navigational help, the signs of Golden Gate Park give us, the readers, insight as to the progression of this park, a look into its past – into the past of San Francisco.

            I embarked on my journey through the park not knowing much about what lay ahead. I knew the basics; there were some gardens, some museums, and some sporting locations, but I didn’t really know much else. It wasn’t that long after beginning this walking tour of the park that I realized just how beautifully put together this park really was, and how much it had to offer. I began to notice signs for various gardens and sporting locations. There was a horseshoe garden, a Japanese tea garden, lawn bowling fields, and so much more. I began to realize how old this park really was, and how different life has become since the time that horseshoe playing and lawn bowling were major activities. It was like taking a look into San Francisco’s past, and a look into a simpler time.

            The more I walked through the park the more I realized how much of a wonderful place it truly was, and how easy it was to navigate. My walking buddy and I decided at the beginning of the tour we wouldn’t be using our smartphones to get around, we would just be using the signs of the park. While it was a bit nerve-wracking at first, we began to trust the landscape and we found that in no time we were navigating the park as if we were the ones who built it.

            One of the most interesting parts of the park is undoubtedly the de Young museum and the California Academy of Science. Both museums sit in the same square, surrounded by gorgeous sculptures and beautiful shrubbery. The de Young, an art museum, is a very artistic building with abstract modern art making up its signage. It fits well with the design of the building, and goes with the entire abstract modern feeling of the art inside. The California Academy of Science, on the other hand, is a bit more conservative in its signage, with regular print signs directing you inside and around the museum. One the outside though, the California Academy of Science is beautifully sculpted and very artistic. While both museums have their own unique style, they both work well in harmony and fit together nicely in the square like two pieces of a puzzle.

            While touring the park without any knowledge of what lay ahead was fun, I found the best part of this experience was getting to ask questions to a park employee. While trying to make sure my partner and I were still on the right path we encountered a park employee on his daily routine of park upkeep. We decided to tell him what we were doing, and ask some general questions. The park employee, who’s name I sadly cannot remember, gave us a quick tour of the location we were in, and a quick informational tour of the vegetation around the area. He showed us a flower which smelled like Welches Grape Juice, and another that when touched exploded in your fingers. This tour of the vegetation gave me such a closer connection to the landscape and made me feel much more connected with the park itself. I feel a deep appreciation for the park, the people who run the park system, and the immense plant life within.

            My partner and I found navigating the park without any help other than the help given to us by the park service to be rather easy. I enjoyed how user-friendly Golden Gate Park was, and how it truly felt like a park where anyone was welcome to enjoy any part of the park as long as they did so respectfully. There is a reason so many people visit this park, and I now know what this reason is.