Buried Ships and the San Francisco Coast Line

FAIN: MD-253338-17

Exploratorium (San Francisco, CA 94111-1454)
Robert Rothfarb (Project Director: June 2016 to present)

Development of a place-based mobile app that explores the history of the changing landscape of downtown San Francisco by investigating the more than 65 ships buried beneath the city.

The Exploratorium proposes to develop a design document for, Buried Ships and the Coastline of San Francisco, a place-base designed mobile app that will allow users to discover elements of historical, cultural, and scientific interest about the world below their feet. There are over 65 ships buried below the downtown San Francisco area that are often encountered and uncovered during building construction projects that remain a link to the past and are rich historical assets that continue to captivate public interest. Using the wealth of artifacts under the visitor’s feet as tangible entry points to the maritime history of the city, the app will use geolocative maps, overlays, and multimedia augmentations to provide an immersive experience that can meaningfully engage users in the stories of the changing coastline and its impact on the urbanization of San Francisco’s past, present and future.