Starting Sept. 27, the former island penitentiary turned U.S. national park in San Francisco Bay will offer visitors the opportunity to view seven installations custom-designed by the artist and activist Ai Weiwei.

A recording is from Illumination, one of the sound installations, which makes use of the prison hospital – an Alcatraz site not normally open to daytime visitors.

A chance to celebrate the Crissy Field Center's work to bring our kids closer to nature at the reopening of the Center's interim facilities at Crissy Field East Beach.

San Francisco’s Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy just landed the largest cash gift ever given to a national park — putting it halfway towards the money it needs to transform the Presidio.

The lead story in a special "giving guide" showcases the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund. Their 21-year partnership is a model of public-private collaboration, built on a shared vision that has "raised the bar of what these National Parks can be."

The Haas, Jr. Fund's donation will go to scenic overlooks, 24 miles of trails and the city's only campground to help turn former Army base into recreation destination

In conjunction with a community celebration of Mori Point on April 26, this article covers the revitalization of this stunning promontory and vital ecosystem. It also describes the efforts of the Parks Conservancy, National Park Service, and volunteers to protect and preserve the unique habitat at Mori Point.

The Parks Conservancy in partnership with the National Park Service engaged 34,484 volunteers who put in 513,884 hours in 2011 alone. That kind of work would cost $10.9 million on the open market.

The Chronicle previews a visit by filmmaker Ken Burns and co-producer Dayton Duncan for "Parks for All," a conference on engaging all communities in national parks. Hosted by the Parks Conservancy and KQED, the event launches "Untold Stories," an outreach initiative to support Burns's forthcoming documentary "The National Parks: America's Best Idea."

The Chronicle profiles the Crissy Field Center's 2008 Community Heroes Award recipients, four inspiring Bay Area individuals and organizations working to improve their environments.