Rockridge residents James Rojas and his husband, John Kamp, have developed and installed “City Lab for Kids” at the newly revamped Museum of San Francisco. Located downstairs in the San Francisco Historical Society, 608 Commercial Street, this permanent exhibit helps children explore the city’s history through five eras of urban development and architecture.
The fun, interactive, hands-on model is framed by a large mural to create a multi-sensory experience that teaches children about Native American culture, Spanish colonization, the Mexican period, early Yerba Buena, and the Gold Rush, which led to San Francisco’s emergence as “an instant city.”
Made in partnership with the local small business Place It! and community-owned businesses, the exhibit is designed to foster critical thinking about historical accounts and to promote a sensory exploration of how San Francisco grew into the city it is today.
The Lab opened as a permanent exhibit on July 18, 2026. For more information: jamestrojas@gmail.com; https://www.placeit.org/.
