All in one: Explore the art galleries at 49 Geary

Sometimes you want to do an art walk with more art and less walk. Already known by local fine art enthusiasts, 49 Geary Art Galleries can be a pleasant surprise in downtown SF for those not as steeped in the art world. The multi-floor array of galleries sits in a single building off Market Street around the corner from Montgomery Station. It’s easy, free and accessible. Did we mention free?

Whether you’re hitting up the popular First Thursday art parties for a buzzing social scene in which drinks and bites often come with exhibit openings, or yearning for a peaceful and uncrowded afternoon amidst silent walls showcasing a mishmash of artistic mediums, 49 Geary will help you reconnect with your inner sophisticate.

Here are some galleries spread amongst the second, fourth and fifth floors within one address. Take a stroll through the halls and see what pulls your eyes and makes you want to peel a piece off the wall.

K. Imperial Fine Art proves that when it comes to art, size definitely doesn’t matter. This tiny booth-like gallery on the fourth floor of 49 Geary curates stunning mixed-media exhibits in the most intimate of spaces. It’s an angular one-room gallery that showcases works with an appreciation for interesting and innovative processes (think cut-paper pieces and pencil-and-foil on canvas creations).

K. Imperial Fine Art

Montgomery St. (SF)

The McLoughlin Gallery sits on the second floor of 49 Geary and offers a vast open space with high ceilings and a classic gallery ambiance. A free-standing wall anchors centerpiece works of art in the middle of the white-walled main room, and there are two side nooks tucked on the sides with windows overlooking bustling Market Street. Sink into the black leather couches and soak up the surrounding contemporary works.

The McLoughlin Gallery

Montgomery St. (SF)

Another of the larger galleries at 49 Geary, Haines Gallery is up on the fifth floor and features two wide open spaces plus a small back room that morphs in aesthetics to accommodate each exhibit of contemporary art. Works by emerging local talents find a welcome home alongside international big names (like Ai Wei Wei) at this now-classic SF art hub.

Haines Gallery

Montgomery St. (SF)

Glossy wood floors and white walls create a classy, simple and modern feel at Fraenkel Gallery, which hosts exciting exhibits on the fourth floor of 49 Geary and which has been a longstanding photography and art space since 1979. Walk through three rooms that don’t shy away from showcasing cutting-edge presentations.

Fraenkel Gallery

Montgomery St. (SF)

by Linda Koffman

Linda Koffman is an SF-based freelance writer and editor. Also a beginner gardener by day/performing songwriter by night, she feels grateful to live a life of extremes balancing plenty of contemplative silence with rocking out in a band. When not writing, she keeps her hands busy (and dirty) with old guitar strings and soil, and enjoys engaging with the Bay Area’s diverse environmental and cultural beauty. She loves puns to a fault and shamelessly laughs at her own jokes.