A little over seven million people call the San Francisco Bay Area home – and we’re lucky enough to be among them! It’s hard to wrap your mind around a number that big, but think about it for a moment – over seven million unique individuals, who all have a life story, interests, passions, and people who love them. Now, multiply that number throughout the history of the Bay Area – extending back to when California became an American state and beyond. How many people have touched this area and made it what it is today? Every person leaves a footprint on the world – this is a point driven home to our staff every day when we come to work here. Cypress Lawn is a vast historic archive, and in many cases, stands as the only remaining record of the men and women who shaped the Golden State. As one of the most beautiful and historic cemeteries in California, we have the honor and responsibility to preserve our portion of history. We are truly a living museum – standing tribute to the people who have made the Bay Area so great.

Noble Chapel

We take this duty so seriously we founded the Cypress Lawn Heritage Foundation. It was created specifically to promote the preservation and restoration of the incomparable art, architecture, arboretum – and human stories – here at Cypress Lawn. The Foundation is committed to the restoration of our vulnerable monuments and horticulture, including the multi-million-dollar renovation of our Noble Chapel, completed just a few short years ago.

We also make our landmark 200-acre grounds available not only to the families and friends of loved ones who found their final resting place here, but also to the general public. We believe Cypress Lawn is for the living, so we invite everyone in the Bay Area and visitors from everywhere in the world to come and enjoy this rich, local resource.

We provide detailed maps for self-guided tours, conduct regular docent-led tours, and offer lectures on a variety of topics—all followed by refreshments. We also make available a number of books that share the history of Cypress Lawn, cemetery traditions, and local community histories. We are continually looking for ways to expand upon our educational and cultural programs and lectures.

Like all great moments and movements throughout history, the work of the Cypress Lawn Heritage Foundation isn’t for bystanders. It’s for men and woman who want to make their mark on the world – doing their part to preserve Bay Area culture for their children and grandchildren. Reach out to us today to learn more about how you can help, and how you can take advantage of all the resources the Foundation has to offer.