SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — Golden Gate Park is down to its last public piano, after vandalism and weather damage rendered nearly all the instruments along JFK Drive unplayable, according to the nonprofit group that maintains them.
For 80-year-old Edward Young of San Francisco, the loss hits close to home, as one of his greatest joys is playing the public pianos.
One of his favorite pianos sits near Blue Heron Lake and JFK Drive, where he regularly stops to play.
“It cheers me up,” said Edward Young of San Francisco. “I try to slow down my dementia.”
For the past four years, the art nonprofit Illuminate has restored donated pianos and placed them along the JFK Promenade as part of a public art and music initiative.
“This is a beautiful last hurrah for people’s pianos. Instead of being tossed, they come here, get loved on very hard,” said Ben Davis, founder of Illuminate. “It’s amazing to see how much community forms around these pianos, how much joy centers around them.”
MORE: Third San Jose park vandalized in a week, with repairs estimated to cost thousands
That effort has faced repeated setbacks. On April 18, someone flipped over the piano that stood in front of the Conservatory of Flowers, leaving it unusable.
“Somehow someone vandalized it. It’s not playable,” said Young.
“Three of the 12 (pianos) put on Golden Mile- three of them have been destroyed by vandals,” said Patricia Wilson of Illuminate.
Even when vandals spare the instruments, exposure to the elements often does not. The aging pianos are particularly vulnerable to moisture and changing conditions.
“Putting a piano outdoors is very harsh,” said Young.
MORE: 19-year-old man arrested for allegedly vandalizing iconic Pink Triangle on SF’s Twin Peaks
Davis said the damage has steadily reduced the number of working instruments available to the public.
“We often have three on JFK Promenade. Right now, we are down to one,” said Davis.
In response, Illuminate has launched an online campaign aimed at restoring more donated pianos and building stronger protective covers.
The group is also exploring the possibility of purchasing a piano designed to better withstand outdoor conditions.
“The rain, the fog, the constant moisture,” said Davis.
For Young, the presence of public pianos in the park represents more than music. For the instruments themselves, Davis said, it offers a meaningful final chapter.
“We’re learning how to bring these pianos out and have them last and endure,” said Davis. “This is a beautiful way for a piano to end its life.”
Copyright © 2026 KGO-TV. All Rights Reserved.