Get a peek behind the façade during three architecture tours this fall

September 24, 2018

Jessica Rine,

G1c — Photo courtesy of the Sacramento Kings

Did you know that the art from the Crocker is stored on the upper floors in case of a 100-year flood? Or that the Golden 1 Center's exterior is a nod to our status as the City of Trees? You may know the buildings, but chances are you don’t know the stories behind them. This fall, check out these three fascinating architectural tours that'll give you an inside look at some of our city's biggest landmarks.

Crocker Art Museum

The museum itself is on display during this guided tour, which focuses on the two distinct wings of the Crocker—the elegant 1872 mansion designed by Seth Babson (the same architect behind the Leland Stanford Mansion) and the 2010 expansion by Gwathmey Siegel & Associates—and takes place the first Sunday of each month, from May through December. The one-hour excursion highlights the historic wing’s Victorian Italianate design and explores aspects of the newer Teel Family Pavilion, like the acoustically treated oak floors and the fact that all the art is displayed and stored only on the upper floors in case of a 100-year flood. Free with $12 admission. Oct. 7, Nov. 4 & Dec. 2. 1 p.m. Crocker Art Museum. 216 O St. 916-808-7000. crockerart.org

Golden 1 Center

Open since 2016, the eye-catching Golden 1 Center gained global acclaim last year when it won an American Architecture Award. Designed by AECOM, the high-tech LEED Platinum arena boasts 21st-century technology and plenty of Sacramento-centric elements. The hour-long guided tour—which requires a minimum of 10 people and is available by appointment only—is offered year-round and gets you inside access to spaces, including the players’ locker rooms and VIP lounges. You’ll also learn about design elements like the massive hangar doors that allow for natural airflow and the leaf patterns on the exterior panels that are a nod to Sacramento’s remarkable tree canopy. $15 per person. Golden 1 Center. 547 L St. 916-840-5731. golden1center.com

Tour d’Architecture Bike Ride

This leisurely 9-mile bike ride—part of the annual Experience Architecture event hosted by the local chapter of American Institute of Architects—is guided by retired architects Bob Chase and Peter Saucerman, and features more than a dozen stops in and around Sacramento’s urban core. Find out how Dreyfuss & Blackford transformed a 1920s school into the acclaimed performing arts hub Clara or why architect Ron Vrilakas paired organic woods with steel for The B Street Theatre’s new home, The Sofia. Other highlights will include a chat with developer Bay Miry at the site of his project The Hardin, which is set to open more than a dozen shops and restaurants over the next few months on the 700 block of K Street; and a meet-up with architect David Mogavero, who will divulge some of his ideas for converting the Marshall School near 27th and G streets into condominiums. The four-hour tour wraps up at Urban Roots Brewing & Smokehouse, where architecture-themed short films will be screened while you cool down with a cold beer. $20. Sun. Oct. 21. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Tour starts at American Institute of Architects. 1400 S St. 916-444-3658. aiacv.org