San Francisco Attractions

Venue: Alcatraz    When: Daily

From its origins as the West Coast's first lighthouse and fort to its more recent history as a maximum security prison and site of Native American occupation, Alcatraz, in the centre of San Francisco Bay, has always been iconic.

Now the site of a museum under the auspices of the National Park Service, Alcatraz (or "The Rock" as it is sometimes known) is a magnet for visitors to San Francisco. Reached by ferry from Fisherman's Wharf, the site includes objects made by notorious inmates, historic photographs and documents, escape materials and inmate artwork.

There are also items used by officers, including correctional materials when Alcatraz was a federal penitentiary from 1934-1963, military prison period materials from 1859-1934, and items from the American Indian occupation of 1969-1971.

The island became a maximum security prison in 1933 after the United States Department of Justice acquired it from the military. It served this purpose for 29 years and played host to the notorious Birdman of Alcatraz and Al Capone. During this time there were no successful escapes.

The prison was closed due to spiralling costs in 1963 and in 1969 it became the unlikely venue for an attempted land grab by American Indians, who claimed that under an 1868 federal treaty they were allowed to reclaim any federal property not being actively used by the government. They were eventually forced from the island two years later.