Fort Mason Center embodies the essence of San Francisco - nearness to nature, combined with novel architecture, a nod to the past, and a dose of the different. Nine Mission Revival buildings with a total of 300,000 square feet of space offer 17 venues that host events of all types and sizes. This includes classrooms, galleries, meeting rooms, performance spaces, and a large conference center. Two of the Center's piers are used for major events. The Herbst Pavilion accommodates 3,000 and the Festival Pavilion can hold 5,000. The 437-seat Cowell Theater provides state-of-the-art performance space .