SAN FRANCISCO — San Franciscans can do something unusual at Baker Beach on Thursday: join the crew of a historic coastal-defense gun.
The National Park Service is holding The Last Gun, a free volunteer event at Battery Chamberlin on Thursday, Sept. 24, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Participants will spend part of the morning helping maintain the battery before learning how its disappearing-gun mechanism works. Registration is required.
There will be no live firing or explosives. Instead, volunteers train with a ranger as a “gun crew,” helping load the mechanism, raise the gun into firing position, lower it again and secure it.
What is the Last Gun event?
The morning begins with volunteer maintenance work at Battery Chamberlin, including sweeping and weeding around the historic fortification.
Afterward, participants learn how the battery's disappearing-gun system operated. The design allowed a large coastal artillery piece to remain protected behind a concrete parapet while it was being loaded, then rise into firing position when needed.
Battery Chamberlin was completed in 1904 and originally held four six-inch guns mounted on disappearing carriages. The National Park Service says the guns could reach targets about nine miles away and fire at roughly two rounds per minute. The original guns were removed in 1917.
The cannon visitors see at Battery Chamberlin today is a gun of the type originally installed there. The Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy says the park acquired the 97,000-pound weapon in 1977 for interpretation and demonstrations.
Is the event free?
Yes. There is no charge to participate, but advance registration is required.
The event is scheduled for 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026 at Battery Chamberlin by Baker Beach.
Who can participate?
Volunteers must be at least 12 years old. The Parks Conservancy says participants younger than 15 should attend with a parent or guardian, while volunteers under 18 need a parent or guardian to sign their volunteer agreement.
No previous experience is required. Organizers provide the training and tools.
What should volunteers wear?
This is partly a hands-on maintenance event, so participants should dress for work rather than simply for a visit to Baker Beach.
The Parks Conservancy requires long pants and closed-toe shoes and recommends clothing that can get dirty. Layers are useful given Baker Beach's quickly changing weather, and volunteers should bring water and sunscreen.
Where is Battery Chamberlin?
Battery Chamberlin sits above Baker Beach in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, with the Golden Gate and Pacific Ocean nearby.
The battery is one of the more accessible surviving pieces of San Francisco's coastal-defense history, but Thursday's event offers something different from simply visiting it: participants get to work with the mechanism under ranger supervision.
Do visitors actually fire the gun?
No. The event is a mechanical and preservation demonstration. Participants help load, raise, lower and secure the historic gun mechanism, but there is no live ammunition, firing or explosive charge.
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