Counterculture is all about bringing people together. Because when we have each other, we can accomplish far more than any of us can do on our own. So in the spirit of the movements that came before us, we believe that given our location at the corner of Haight & Ashbury, it’s our privilege and responsibility that the Counterculture Museum should be a gathering place for our community. From readings and book events to art, music, history, discussions, and a lot more, there’s something for everyone.
Upcoming Events
Pat Thomas & Peter Richardson
Join Pat Thomas and Peter Richardson for a discussion of their respective books, Evergreen Review: Dispatches from the Literary Underground: Covers & Essays 1957-1973, and Brand New Beat: The Wild Rise of Rolling Stone Magazine.
Tattooed, Pierced, & Fucked-Up: A Scene Memoir, 2004-2008 by Lauren Napier
Lauren Napier returns to the Counterculture Museum for the release of her new memoir. Join us for an evening of punk rock stories, music from Shawn Harris, frontman of The Matches, and pick up your copy of the book!
Lew Welch Centennial
Sun. August 16, 6pm When Lew Welch walked into the woods of the Sierra foothills never to be found, he left behind a legacy as one of the most influential poets on the San Francisco Beat scene. Join us for an evening discussing Welch’s life and work in honor of his hundredth year. Readers + […]
The Worlds of Jack & Neal with Steve Edington & Cathy Cassady
Sat. August 22, 6pm “Each friend represents a world in us, a world not possibly born until they arrive.” –Anaïs Nin Join Steve Edington, author and Unitarian Universalist minister, in conversation with Cathy Cassady, daughter of Neal and Carolyn Cassady, as they discuss the unique friendship between Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassady, and how their […]
Past Events
Allen Ginsberg’s Transcendence from 1950s Beat Poet to 1960s Tribal Elder
Mon. June 29, 6pm A Free Event for CCM Members We promised our members an exclusive event as a followup to our Ginsberg@100 program, and we deliver! Join fellow members of the CCM for an open-forum discussion on Allen’s transcendence from Beat poet to a major leader of the Sixties counterculture, closing out Ginsberg’s Centennial celebration. […]
Allen Ginsberg SF Memorial 4/20/97
Video Presentation by Jerry Gainor Thurs. June 4th, 6pm Allen Ginsberg died in New York City on April 5th, 1997. On April 20th, a memorial service was held at Congregation Emanu-El in San Francisco, attended by many of Allen’s closest west coast friends: Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Gary Snyder, Diane di Prima, Andrew Schelling, Anne Waldman, Joanne […]
Interview with Allen Ginsberg’s Psychiatrist, Dr. Philip Hicks
Wed. June 3rd, 6pm In 1955, Allen Ginsberg began attending weekly therapy sessions at the Langley Porter Clinic in San Francisco. His therapist was a young psychiatrist named Dr. Philip Hicks. It was in these sessions that Allen related to Hicks his dissatisfaction with his job in advertising, and his desire to write poetry instead; […]
SF Poets Read Allen Ginsberg
In Celebration of his 100th BirthdayHosted by Steve Heilig Wed. June 3rd, 8pm Allen Ginsberg’s life and work continues to inspire generations of creative people. As we mark the poet’s centenary, we’ve reached out to some local poets to lend their voices and read some of Allen’s work.
The Source: A Beat Generation Documentary
by filmmaker Chuck Workman Tues. June 2nd, 6pm When Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and William Burroughs met at Columbia University in the 1940s, they spawned a movement, then called the Beats, that set precedents for the political, hippie and spiritual movements of the 1960s and ‘70s. This comprehensive portrait of the Beat Generation includes interviews […]