Women's Building

At 3543 18th Street in San Francisco’s Mission District, the Women’s Building is a women-led community center and nonprofit arts and education space. Its exterior MaestraPeace mural is the main reason to stop: seven women artists painted figures from history and fiction, alongside names of more than 600 women in calligraphy. Inside, the center provides services and resources for women and hosts community events. Take time to look closely at the mural, then consider joining an event or tour to learn more about the building’s work.

The MaestraPeace mural

The exterior mural was added in 1994 and was painted by seven women artists. Its imagery brings together cross-cultural goddesses, women from history and fictional figures. Among the people depicted are Nobel Peace Prize laureate Rigoberta Menchú, poet Audre Lorde, artist Georgia O’Keeffe and former US Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders.

The mural also incorporates the names of more than 600 women in calligraphy. Give yourself time to look over the façade rather than treating it as a quick photo stop. The work is a prominent piece of Mission District street art, and the building’s 18th Street exterior is the place to see it.

A women-led community center

The Women’s Building is a nonprofit arts and education center that provides support and resources for women. It has worked with women’s organizations since 1979. Community events and tours connect the center’s work with the art on its exterior.

For a wider mural walk, the MaestraPeace mural can be combined with Balmy Alley and Clarion Alley in the Mission District. Check the center’s website for information about events or tours before visiting. The building is at 3543 18th Street.