Downtown San Francisco skyline at dusk, with cars rushing on freeway heading in and out of the city.

San Francisco’s
Intellectual Capital Advantage for Meetings

This is the place for attendees to spark new ideas, strengthen connections, and be part of what’s next.

Too many meetings stick to what’s familiar—the same venues, same themes, same results. Hosting in San Francisco changes that.

In the City by the Bay, attendees gather where tech breakthroughs, life science advancements, cultural revolutions, and creativity come together. Where the “Birthplace of Biotechnology” continues to evolve. Where social media revolutionized society. Where the Summer of Love redefined an era.

Tap into our city’s intellectual capital to create conventions and conferences with more appeal, meaning, and value.

Tech

The Dot Com Boom. The AI boom. The birthplace of autonomous vehicles. San Francisco is where risk takers alter the tech landscape.

Our location puts your event near more than 300 IT firms, plus the headquarters of major computer service companies, including Meta, Uber, OpenAI, and Salesforce, which are at the forefront of technology and sustainability. (Not to mention, it’s easy to get around with green transportation options, including Waymo’s shared, all-electric fleet!)

No effort at sustainable, tech-forward practices is too small or too large for our Biophilic City. The Moscone Center has the lowest carbon emissions per delegate of any major convention center in North America, as well as the largest solar panel array in San Francisco.

Innovate at the Moscone Center

At more than 1.1 million square feet, Moscone Center provides a setting where tech groups can be a part of the next big thing. Situated in the heart of the city, our premier convention venue is within walking distance of 19,000+ hotel rooms. As a LEED Platinum facility, the Moscone Center holds the world’s highest LEED score for a convention center. It’s known for inspiring new ideas and attracting record-breaking attendance. (San Francisco is the only city to have the most advanced LEED Platinum certification for both its convention center and airport, San Francisco International!)

Among the major events hosted at the Moscone Center:

Salesforce’s annual Dreamforce conference
Oracle's OpenWorld
Game Developers Conference (GDC)
RSAC’s RSA Conference

Life Sciences

Known as the launchpad for the modern biotech revolution, San Francisco gives groups front-row access to a world of innovation in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, diagnostics, and biologics.

The city is home to nearly 300 life science firms and major research institutions, including the University of San Francisco and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), which offers a world-recognized biotech program.

Among the medical conferences held at the Moscone Center:

American Dental Association
Heart Rhythm Society
American College of Surgeons
American Psychiatric Association
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology
American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases
Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium

Unique Venues Aligning with Life Science Groups

California Academy of Sciences

Located in Golden Gate Park, this 40,000-square-foot scientific and educational institution contains an aquarium, planetarium, rainforest, and natural history museum. These spaces can host receptions of up to 3,500 people. It is the world's first LEED Double Platinum museum and the world's largest LEED Double Platinum building.

Exploratorium

On the historic Embarcadero at Pier 15, this 100,000-square-foot facility—one of the member hosts of the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) 2025 Annual Conference—offers 600 interactive exhibits to engage attendees and can host everything from intimate gatherings to large events, with a 3,500-person capacity. It was also the host of Nucleate's JPM '25 Social during the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference.

View Full List of Venues

Creativity & Culture

Where else can meeting groups see some of the world’s most iconic landmarks, eat at Michelin-recognized restaurants with farm-to-table dishes, engage in a dynamic art scene ranging from painting and sculpture to video and performance art, and cheer on top professional athletes—all in 49 square miles? Only in San Francisco.

Imagine bringing attendees together, steps from Lucasfilm headquarters. Or fostering collaboration with top West Coast creatives. San Francisco’s creative scene makes it possible. Our city is home to over 4,000 public artworks and 65 museums that can add an artistic touch to any meeting or conference.

Meet in Museums & Galleries

Contemporary Jewish Museum

Conveniently located in downtown San Francisco within walking distance of the Moscone Center and hotels, this facility, designed by renowned architect Daniel Libeskind, boasts nearly 25,000 square feet of space with the ability to host receptions with a 1,500-person capacity.

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)

A block from the Moscone Center is the first museum on the West Coast dedicated to modern and contemporary art. This must-see attraction has several dedicated event spaces and galleries that can be reserved. Certain areas, like the Atrium and Schwab Hall, can be combined for an event of around 1,000 guests, while the White Box is easily transformable to host one-of-a-kind receptions and after-parties.

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA)

An award-winning urban development project and innovative contemporary art center with landscaped green space next to the Moscone Center, YBCA has hosted major tech product launches, multi-day conferences, and intimate parties. Planners can rent out the entire building.

The Palace of Fine Arts

Originally built out of mostly papier-mâché for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exhibition, this versatile venue with three floors, over 100,000 square feet of space, a mezzanine, and outdoor rooftop is available for private events. It accommodates up to 4,500 people.

Presidio Officers' Club

Amazing Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz views combine here in the 15,000-acre Presidio, San Francisco’s national park. The Presidio Officers’ Club features Spanish colonial revival architecture, along with the 2,995-square-foot Ortega Ballroom and an open-air courtyard. It’s a great option for smaller meeting groups and offsites with outdoor team-building activities. A landmark investment works to keep Presidio environmentally resilient.

Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD)

Steps from the Moscone Center, MoAD stands as a testament to the artistic and cultural achievements of African people all over the world. The MoAD reception area can host up to 160 people, while the entire 13,000-square-foot venue can host cocktail-style events for up to 330 people.

Diverse communities, rich in culture and tradition, are represented throughout the City by the Bay’s distinct neighborhoods. This is where you’ll find the first and largest Chinatown in North America and the oldest Japantown in the country. North Beach has roots tied to the Italian descent of many of its residents. The spirit of the Summer of Love can be felt in Haight-Ashbury, which takes you back in time with its vintage boutiques and music shops. The Castro District is one of the first gay neighborhoods in the U.S. and welcomes all.

Culinary Capital

Cioppino. Green Goddess salad dressing. The Mai Tai. Irish Coffee. San Francisco’s history of food firsts and renowned dining scene make every bite part of any memorable meeting. San Francisco and the Bay Area have a collection of Michelin one-, two-, and three-star honorees that outnumber any other destination in the Americas. The area is also the base of influential chefs, including Food Network veteran Tyler Florence, as well as big names listed among Robb Report’s ranking of the 50 most powerful people in American fine dining:

Thomas Keller (No. 1 on the list)
Kyle and Katina Connaughton
Corey Lee
Dominique Crenn (the first woman in America to earn three Michelin stars)
Alice Waters
Michael Tusk
Michael Mina
Val Cantú

The Ferry Building Marketplace

First opened in 1898, this historic transit hub with taste doubles as a foodie hotspot and flexible event space. The Ferry Building delivers an engaging atmosphere with a gourmet touch—6,500 square feet of mosaic tiles in the Grand Hall, which can accommodate up to 650 attendees, as well as 50,000 square feet of outdoor space for events. Smaller incentive travel groups can also do food tours here.

Competitive Edge

San Francisco’s sports scene is a powerful attendance-booster for meetings. Our city’s stellar roster of professional sports teams attracts thousands throughout the year.

San Francisco’s major professional sports teams include:

NBA's Golden State Warriors
WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries
MLB’s San Francisco Giants
NFL’s San Francisco 49ers

Notable games and competitions here include:

2025 NBA All-Star Game
2025 Laver Cup
2026 FIFA World Cup
2026 Super Bowl LX

Chase Center

A state-of-the-art arena located in Thrive City in San Francisco’s vibrant Mission Bay, Chase Center, home of the Warriors and Valkyries, can do full buyouts for post-conference celebrations with up to 18,000 guests. It offers 10 unique spaces, many of which can be transitioned from meeting to reception, and boasts the NBA’s largest center-hung scoreboard, which can be used as event signage. Chase Center has hosted conferences held by Adobe and Sutter Health.

Oracle Park

Known as “baseball’s perfect address” and the bayfront home of the Giants, Oracle Park offers suites, club spaces, and field access for team-building and corporate events, from mid-level meetings to quarterly updates. It was the site of the 2022 Meeting Professionals International (MPI) World Education Congress (WEC) opening reception.

Plan the Possibilities

Leverage and enhance the meeting experience for attendees with San Francisco’s intellectual capital. Contact the experts of SF Travel or submit your RFP.