The Transamerica Pyramid just opened a time capsule of historical SF antiquities from its early days in 1974, including relics showing how much people hated it at the time, and you can check out these artifacts for yourself starting Sunday.

Back in September when the Transamerica Pyramid was reopening under the new ownership of Michael Shvo’s high-end real estate development firm SHVO, the Chronicle’s Peter Hartlaub was in on a fascinating discovery. There had apparently been a time capsule placed deep in the concrete of the building a little after its grand opening in 1972. The capsule was placed there in 1974, with instructions to not open it for at least 50 years.

But everyone forgot the time capsule was even there. It was commemorated on a plaque at a then-Transamerica Pyramid tenant venue called the Bank Exchange (which despite the name, was a bar). And the news of the time capsule got buried, figuratively, because the capsule was planted just after then-Mayor Joe Alioto’s wife went missing, and on the same day Patty Hearst was kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army.

Regardless, that time capsule was opened on Tuesday, and its contents will remain on display at the Transamerica Pyramid. It’s largely newspaper clippings, postcards, Polaroids, audio recordings, and even an original recipe for pisco punch, a beverage that legend has it was invented at the Bank Exchange.

There is also plenty of historical record of how San Franciscans of the late 1960s and early 70s absolutely hated the Transamerica Pyramid at the time. SFGate reports one artifact is an article from the Berkeley Gazette on how Transamerica’s PR people hired fake “hippie-type” counterprotesters (who were paid) to spread the message of how the new skyscraper was actually a totally cool thing, man.  

There’s also a flyer decrying that “The Transamerica Building is a symbol of 20th Century corporate arrogance. The Transamerica Corporation is blackmailing the city: They are saying, in effect, let us build what we want, where we want or it we'll leave town.”

Michael Shvo told KGO in an interview about the time capsule, "We have a cassette tape that is an interview that was done as the building was opening. We have all this content and people can scan it here.”

The contents of this time capsule are now on public display. You can see the exhibit seven days a week from 10 am to 5 pm, starting this Sunday, May 18.

Related: SF's Wild Parrots Suddenly Flocking to Transamerica Redwood Park [SFist]

Images courtesy SHVO