SAN FRANCISCO BAY, CALIFORNIA
Beyond the
prison walls.
A fortress. A federal prison. A place of protest.
Get to know the many lives of Alcatraz Island.
ONE ISLAND. MANY HISTORIES.
The Rock is only
the beginning.
The cellhouse is the image everyone recognizes. Read a little further and the island becomes a meeting point for military history, incarceration, Indigenous activism, and the living landscape of San Francisco Bay.
Start with the island’s storyInside the notebook
HISTORY, IN CONTEXT
ANOTHER CHAPTER OF THE ISLAND
A place of
resistance.
The 19-month occupation by Indians of All Tribes belongs at the center of Alcatraz’s story. It brought Indigenous rights, sovereignty, and self-determination into a national conversation.
Read about the occupationAn island, in time
The fuller history- 1850
A military reservation
The island enters its U.S. Army era.
- 1934
The federal prison
A new chapter begins in an existing military prison.
- 1969
Indians of All Tribes
An occupation redefines the island’s meaning.
- Today
A place to reflect
History, preservation, and nature share the same ground.
THE LIVING ISLAND
There is life
between the ruins.
Nesting seabirds and restored gardens offer a different way to see Alcatraz. Leave room in your reading—and your visit—for the landscape beyond the cellhouse.
Explore the natural side
BEFORE YOU CROSS THE BAY
A little planning.
A better visit.
Where the ferry leaves, what to bring, and which official updates to check before setting out.
Read the visitor guideIndependent information. Ferry reservations, prices, and operating updates are provided by the official operator.