Entry No. 26 — the San Francisco file — filed under: artist-built environment

Chapel of the Chimes

Julia Morgan's 1928 Spanish-Gothic-meets-Moorish maze of interlocking indoor gardens, courtyards with skylights, fountains, and mosaic-tiled rooms — later expanded over 24 years by architect Aaron Green — built as a working columbarium but wandering it feels like getting lost inside a surreal, plant-filled artwork rather than a mausoleum.

The move: Walk the labyrinth of small garden rooms together and try to find your way back out — bring a book of poetry and read aloud in one of the fountain courtyards; on the summer solstice, the building hosts the long-running Garden of Memory electronic-music festival, over 40 musicians performing simultaneously in different rooms.

• 📍 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland
• 💸 $$
• ⚡ Up for anything
• 🌗 Indoors

Where: 4499 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland, CA 94611

Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Further reading: Official site · Wikipedia

last checked: 2026-07-20