Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera have no idea what they started. Since the Mexican power couple came to SF for a working honeymoon in the 1930s, they've inspired generations of muralists to create 500-plus Mission Murals—a splendid show of political dissent, community pride and street-art bravado. Today, multistory murals cover Calle 24, SF's Latino Cultural District.
Balmy Alley
Inspired by Mexican artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, Mujeres Muralistas ("Women Muralists") began painting garage doors here in 1973, turning a neglected backstreet into a neighborhood landmark. Today Balmy Alley murals are maintained by nonprofit Precita Eyes (precitaeyes.org; mural tours adult/youth $25/10), including early Frida Kahlo homages, a 1985 memorial for El Salvador activist Archbishop Óscar Romero and Lucía González Ippolito’s homage to "Women of the Resistance."
Clarion Alley
Most graffiti artists shun broad daylight – but not in Clarion Alley, SF’s street-art showcase maintained by neighbors and Clarion Alley Collective. Over 900 murals have been created by Clarion artists since 1992, but few survive the tests of time and tagging – survivors include Megan Wilson’s daisy-covered "Tax the Rich" and Jet Martinez' glimpse of Clarion Alley inside a forest spirit.
Women's Building
America's first women-owned-and-operated community center has housed 150 women's organizations since 1979 – and the 1994 Maestrapeace mural celebrates the Women’s Building as a herstory landmark. Mission muralistas worked with 100 volunteers to cover the building with goddesses and women trailblazers.