Summary of Building Experience
Building Experience Summary
The Mint Project will create a major new cultural institution to tell the stories of the men and women who have shaped San Francisco and the Bay Area and to explore their continuing influence on our community, our nation and the world. The Mint Project will offer a dynamic and interactive learning environment that will bring history to life in a relevant, contemporary context and will promote conversation and action through engagement and inquiry.
The majestic setting of fitting home for this past, present and future. When restored, the unique mix of stories and experiences at the Mint will include:
San Francisco Bay Area History Museum - Immersive and engaging exhibits will chronicle the region’s key development periods, laying the foundation of understanding of the region’s history to inspire further participation and exploration.
Interactive Learning Center - A laboratory-like center brimming with interactive programs and exhibits that enable visitors to create their own stories, contribute new perspectives on history, and explore the value of history as it relates to their own life and identity.
Visitor Information Center - The Mint will be a major starting point for visitors, one that offers a comprehensive and personalized orientation to the Bay Area’s vast network of cultural institutions and physical landmarks.
Local Culture, Food, and Retail - The Mint will offer a wine bar, a cafe, and locally-focused merchandise, featuring the stories behind the food, wine, and products. Produce and products will rotate seasonally.
Roof Garden - The proposed landscape design forges a new relationship with the Mint's ecological foundation/context, creating a performing infrastructure while simultaneously integrating the building into its urban surroundings. The result is an inversion of the landscape where the roof replaces the ground plane experience and additional landscaping is used to reveal the site’s cultural legacy.
Official U.S. Treasury Vaults - Visitors can immerse themselves in historic rooms from the 1800's where the nation's gold and silver wealth was stored for more than half a century. Complimentary exhibits will summarize the evolution and impact of American money.
Images developed by HOK.