From the bottom of Van Ness Avenue, Municipal Pier still curves out into the bay toward Alcatraz, and its railings, benches and light posts are all still there. Nobody has walked it legally since the National Park Service closed it under a Superintendent's Closure Order on November 11, 2022. The order followed structural damage from the October 25, 2022 earthquake and a safety review by the U.S. Public Health Service.
At the other end of the cove, Hyde Street Pier has also been closed to the public, since November 4, 2024, and the historic ships that made it a landmark are now berthed in Vallejo. Hyde Street Pier's replacement has a nine-figure federal allocation behind it, while Municipal Pier has a price tag, no identified funding, and an official status of closed permanently.
Two closures with two different futures
Here are the two projects side by side, as the National Park Service FAQ and its park planning page describe them.
| Municipal Pier | Hyde Street Pier | |
|---|---|---|
| Closed since | November 11, 2022 | November 4, 2024 |
| Official status | "Closed permanently" | Closed for a multi-year replacement |
| Cost | Expected to exceed $100 million | $102 million allocated, including restoration of the Eureka |
| Funding source | No federal funding program identified | Great American Outdoors Act, Legacy Restoration Fund |
| Next step | Planning to remove railing, benches and light posts | Planning in progress; no demolition or construction contract awarded |
Both projects land near $100 million, but only Hyde Street Pier's is tied to a named federal program, which gives it a path back even without a date. The Park Service says the ships' return "remains uncertain," but it describes the work as a project in progress, not a problem waiting for a solution.
What "permanent" means for the curve of concrete
The Park Service FAQ, last updated July 12, 2026, states:
Municipal Pier is closed permanently.
The same page says there is no workable way to repair or preserve the existing structure. A replacement would mean removing and rebuilding about 1,400 feet of curving pier with public access over a tidal baffle system, and the cost "would be expected to exceed $100 million."
The pier is more than a walkway, which is why demolition isn't simple either. The Park Service describes the closed structure as a tidal-energy dampener for the cove and a contributing feature of the Aquatic Park National Historic Landmark District. If it collapsed, the FAQ says, the cove's beach, the promenade and the Sala Burton Maritime Museum Building would be at risk, and concrete debris in the bay would be costly to remove.
For now, the Park Service says it will keep monitoring the structure and treat a replacement as a priority. The one physical change it has announced is the planned removal of the railing, benches and light posts.
Where the ships went, and how to see them
The Hyde Street Pier side has visible progress. The Park Service secured a long-term lease at Mare Island in August 2023. By August 2025, the Balclutha, Eureka, C.A. Thayer, Hercules and Eppleton Hall had all been moved there. The Balclutha was towed out on April 16, 2025, and the Eureka left on August 25, 2025.
The work at Mare Island varies by ship. The Eureka is getting the most extensive rehabilitation, with hull work, deck repairs and new electrical and safety systems. The C.A. Thayer and Hercules are receiving routine maintenance and restoration. The Balclutha and Eppleton Hall are expected to need only minor work.
You can still go aboard, but it takes a drive. The Park Service says one or more ships may be open at the Mare Island Coal Sheds, 860 Nimitz Avenue in Vallejo, on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m., depending on staff availability. Since that depends on staffing, call the park at 415-447-5000 before you leave.
The Bathhouse carries the calendar now
With both piers closed, the Park Service FAQ notes that no park facility now requires an entrance fee. Everything left at the cove is free, and much of it happens in the Bathhouse.
The Maritime Museum in the Aquatic Park Bathhouse is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It has West Coast maritime history exhibits, original murals and mosaics, and a short film. The building closed in 2006 for a major rehabilitation finished in two phases, in 2010 and 2017, and the Park Service says planning for new exhibits is ongoing. The Visitor Center at 499 Jefferson Street, at the corner of Hyde, is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The dates through December, in order:
- Saturday, November 7, 6 to 7 p.m. The San Francisco Maritime National Park Association hosts a free in-person Chantey Sing at the Maritime Museum Building. That same evening, the Association's Annual Maritime Ball runs from 5 to 9:30 p.m. at the St. Francis Yacht Club.
- Saturday, November 21, noon. A Sea Chantey Sing at Mare Island, near the ships.
- Thursday, November 26. The Visitor Center and Maritime Museum are closed for Thanksgiving.
- Saturday, December 5, 6 to 7 p.m. The second free Chantey Sing of the season at the Maritime Museum Building.
- Saturday, December 19, noon. Another Sea Chantey Sing at Mare Island.
- Friday, December 25, and Friday, January 1. The Visitor Center and Maritime Museum are closed.
Event listings can change, so check the park's calendar before you go. For visiting grandchildren, the Visitor Center and the museum hand out free Junior Ranger activity booklets, and a ranger awards the badge during open hours. Leashed dogs are welcome in the Aquatic Park Historic Landmark District.
The water keeps a weekly rhythm
The piers are closed, but the cove they frame is still open for swimming. The South End Rowing Club describes Aquatic Park as a protected cove used for swimming year-round. It notes that winter water drops below 50°F and warns swimmers about tides, currents, boat traffic and cold-water risk.
The two clubs on the cove's eastern edge split the week for nonmembers, so between them there's a public option six days a week:
- Dolphin Club: Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., on its winter schedule from November 1 through April 30. Nonmembers sign a waiver and pay $12 by cash or check, or $12.67 by card. Public day use is closed on state and federal holidays, so Friday, December 25, 2026, and Friday, January 1, 2027, are off. Its scheduled club swims and clinics are currently for members only.
- South End Rowing Club: Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., for $12 by cash or check or $13 by Square. Its one swimming event open to the public is the late-summer Alcatraz Invitational, and nonmembers can watch club-hosted events without paying the day-use fee.
Before getting in, check the city's beach water-quality page. San Francisco samples Aquatic Park Beach and posts "No Swimming" signs when conditions are unsafe, and the page links to a live map and a phone line with current status.
The cove still hosts large organized swims. In September, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that Swim Across America's Bay Area fundraiser swam from Little Marina Green to Aquatic Park and raised more than $490,000 for UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals.
For homeowners on the north slope, Municipal Pier is part of the view, and the Park Service says it will keep monitoring the structure while it plans to remove the railing, benches and light posts. At Nob Hill Compass, we pay attention to the slow federal projects at the edges of our neighborhoods, because they shape what a north-facing window looks out on. If you'd like to talk about how a home on Russian Hill's waterfront side fits your plans, please Request a Confidential Consultation.
