Moscone Center

The George R. Moscone Convention Center, often called the Moscone Center, is the biggest place for conventions and exhibitions in San Francisco, California, United States. It has three main halls spread over three blocks and covers 87 acres in the South of Market neighborhood. The convention center first opened its doors in 1981. It was named to honor former San Francisco mayor George Moscone, who passed away not long before it opened.

History

The Moscone Center is located in the South of Market area of San Francisco, California, United States. Building the center led to changes in the neighborhood during the 1960s and 1970s.

The center is named after a former mayor of San Francisco. When he was on the city’s governing board, he had concerns about the project because he worried about people who would have to move. As mayor, he worked with different groups to find a solution, and the project was approved by voters in 1976.

The first part of the Moscone Center opened in 1981. It was designed by a team led by Bill Valentine. More parts were added later, increasing the space for events. In 2012, the center was renewed, and new projects are still happening.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the center had fewer events. Some events that happened decided not to return. The Moscone Center will host the NFL's 2026 Pro Bowl Games on February 3, 2026.

Facilities

The Moscone Center has three main halls. Moscone South is south of Howard Street and opened in 2017. It replaced the original building from 1981. Moscone North is north of Howard Street. Moscone West is across 4th Street from Moscone North.

Moscone North and South are connected by a bridge and an underground hall. Together, they have lots of space for events and meetings.

The center also has a big solar power system on its roof. This helps provide clean energy for the city. The location makes it easy to reach hotels, restaurants, and public transport.

Events

The Moscone Center is a popular place for big events in San Francisco. During the 2016–17 season, it hosted 74 events with over one million visitors.

Some events happen every year at the Moscone Center, like the American Bar Association meeting, Dreamforce starting in 2005, the Game Developers Conference since 2005, Oracle OpenWorld since 1997, and many more.

The center has also hosted important past events, such as the 1984 Democratic National Convention, where a woman was nominated for vice president for the first time. Other past events include gatherings like the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference and Google I/O.

Looking ahead, the Moscone Center will host the 2026 Pokémon World Championships in August and Atlassian Team '27 in April 2027.