'San Francisco's Best-Kept Musical Secret' Offers An Immersive And Hypnotic Art Experience

San Francisco's artistic legacy has earned it the nickname "Paris of the West," celebrated for its embrace of alternative art forms and cultural experimentation. From the Beat Generation poets to the psychedelic music of the 1960s, this city has always fostered innovation and self-expression. Today, despite the city's tech industry shift, you can still experience this creative energy through quirky attractions like a colorful staircase on 16th Avenue leading to stunning views of the Art Deco beauty of Coit Tower, one of America's most-loved buildings.

Among San Francisco's arts scene gems is Audium, a unique sonic experience that challenges traditional notions of art. Described as "San Francisco's best-kept musical secret" by SFGate, Audium transforms sound into a mesmerizing, three-dimensional art form. Combining music and nonmusical elements — like birdsong, rushing streams, and fragments of jazz — Audium immerses listeners in an otherworldly experience drawn from experimental music of the 1960s. Its circular theater, equipped with 176 speakers, turns sound into a living, moving sculpture, inviting audiences to feel sound with their whole bodies.

The story of Audium begins in the 1950s when experimental composer Stan Shaff joined forces with Doug McEachern, a developer of electronic audio systems. Together, they explored how the movement and range of sound could alter perception. "I saw the movement of sound itself as composition," Shaff shared with Tape Op. Early iterations of their "sound sculptures," as Audium describes them, were performed in Shaff's home, captivating small audiences with the innovative concept of shaping space with sound. These intimate experiments laid the foundation for what would become Audium.

The first permanent Audium theater opened in 1967 but closed in 1970 when its building was sold. A new space was designed and built between 1970 and 1975, tailored specifically for the duo's immersive performances. Today's Audium features 176 speakers, artfully concealed in walls, beneath the grated floor, and suspended from the ceiling. During performances, the space is completely dark, and Shaff himself manipulates sound in real-time from a control board, creating an evolving, live composition for the audience.

Audium's goal is to push the boundaries of listening, conjuring images, memories, and emotions through sound. As Shaff explains on the Audium site, "I ask listeners to see with their ears and feel with their bodies sounds as images, dreams, and memories." The experience begins in the lobby, where art projections, sculptures, and various sounds prepare you for the performance. Walking through a sound-lined hallway to the auditorium, you're then immersed in layers of music and nature once the lights go down: A jazz piano, the ocean, trains rushing by, birdsong, and skateboarders doing tricks. Each sound takes on a life of its own, weaving together a rich, hypnotic tapestry.

Audium is located on Bush Street, just a 20-minute walk from San Francisco's historic Civic Center. Performances occur throughout the year, with different show runs featuring unique compositions. Shows start at 8 p.m. and run 45 minutes to an hour. While the intimate 49-seat theater sometimes has tickets available at the door, reservations are highly recommended to secure your spot. Tickets can be purchased online, ensuring you won't miss out on this immersive experience.

Make the most of your trip by exploring nearby attractions. The Civic Center area boasts landmarks like the Asian Art Museum, the Pioneer Monument, and the Civic Center Plaza, perfect for a pre-show outing. Hayes Valley is another great neighborhood nearby for boutique shopping and dining after the show, or simply taking in the charming Painted Ladies. For a quick detour, drive about nine minutes away to Pioneer Park, where you might catch a glimpse of wild parrots with a mysterious origin story. Whether you're listening to the sounds of the city or being enveloped in sound sculptures, Audium is a San Francisco experience that will leave a lasting echo.