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samikaz

Joined 6 years ago

The Beat Museum is the place to go to learn about the Beats - Fun & Informative. I've been a fan of the Beats since high school. I've read most of Jack Kerouac's books as well as some of the other Beats. He is my favorite all time author. When I was in San Francisco recently I had to go to North Beach and visit the Beat Museum.

I thought I knew a lot about the Beats, but I was amazed to learn so much more from looking at the exhibits. A very nice man who worked there spent some time with me explaining the history and he was happy to answer my questions. Most of the time you walk into a place and get ignored, but here I felt welcome.

They have a movie room in the back with theater chairs that were really comfy and I spent some time watching a documentary called The Source. I couldn't stay to watch the whole movie, but it was so good that I purchased the movie from their gift store. They have a great selection of dvds and I purchased one called Beat Angel that was recommended and had a money back guarantee. After I got home I watched it and it was very good.

The shop also has some other cool stuff besides books, like posters. Lots of 60's in the shop as well as some neat t-shirts.

They also have an interesting spiritual section, which I was surprised to see, but the Beats were very spiritual. Allen Ginsberg, Gary Snyder and Michael McClure were and are very much into Buddhism.

I was told that they are expanding the museum and shop into the upstairs. There is a regular schedule of events like a poetry showcase and the beat walking tours will be starting soon. I wish I could have gone on the walking tour. I'll save it for my next visit.

There is a $5 admission to the museum, but it is worth it and I want to support keeping alive the spirit and history of the Beats. This is a very different and unique museum. Don't miss it!

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Lorraine Sanders

Joined 8 years ago

Ephemera from the famed 1950's era and novelties celebrating it draw literary types young and old to this museum and shop.. In Short
Fans of the moody counterculture movement that once called the city's North Beach neighborhood home browse autographs, letters, signed photographs, rare books and personal effects collected from Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, Neal Cassady, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, William S. Burroughs, Charles Bukowski and others at this destination in The Cannery. Books by and about major Beat personalities, including hard-to-find editions geared at serious collectors, are on sale, as well as DVDs, CDs, kitschy T-shirts, buttons and novelties.