On July 27, 2026 I was fortunate to attend Apple's first friends and family day in years thanks to a good friend who works at the company. Considering my not too subtle passion for Apple, one can guess how excited I was to finally (somewhat) explore Apple Park. I had visited once for a Salesforce partnership event, but security was strict. We were forced to stay in the same pod all day.
Today was different.
We arrived at approximately 11:00am. After parking we emerged from the parking lot, walked along a path for a minute, and the four story mothership appeared ahead.
As we approached the building I began to comprehend its true size.
Its circular nature unfolded and I was struck by the size of each pane of glass.
After entering the lobby I was drawn to a small arrangement of encased iMacs. Naturally I loudly compared the setup to my own collection. I was also delighted to see this kid's excitement for the original Bondi Blue iMac.
I walked through the next set of doors to emerge into the building's massive courtyard.
Finally, I discovered the rainbow I have seen in countless photos and videos.
The rainbow is striking in person. It's larger than I expected, and the sun's position creates beautiful gradients and shadows.
I cannot imagine the restraint Apple Park's design team had to not build more structures in the courtyard. It's basically empty except for the rainbow, a small outdoor cafeteria, some tables, and a secluded duck pond.
Again, similar to the courtyard, the restraint needed to design a cafeteria that fills the structure's entire vertical space is truly impressive.
The building against a clear blue sky is majestic. The subtle curves put into perspective how massive the building is considering it's a complete circle.
After walking a complete lap of the building (1 mile!) and seeing the pickleball and volleyball courts, I was taken to another museum filled with products and posters. The iPod display was my favorite considering how much I adored my 2 and 4th generation iPods along with my 1st generation iPod Shuffle.
Of course an original Mac 128k was set apart. I have a working 512k and it's jarring to witness how limited its capabilities were. But, the journey to how we all interact with computers today had to start somewhere. Yes, I suppose the Xerox Alto and Star deserve some credit as well.
Next to the Mac 128k was another Bondi Blue iMac, the beginning of Jobs' triumphant return to Apple.
I was shocked to see the actual pirate flag that was mounted to the top of the Macintosh building in 1983. Susan Kare signed it in 2022.
A few days before we moved into the new building, Capps bought some black cloth and sewed it into a flag. He asked Susan Kare to paint a big skull and crossbones in white at the center. The final touch was the requisite eye-patch, rendered by a large, rainbow-colored Apple logo decal. We wanted to have the flag flying over the building early Monday morning, the first day of occupancy, so the plan was to install it late Sunday evening.
Outside of the small but impressive museum I found the spot where keynotes are filmed. It's actually where employees arrive and depart on buses.
Unfortunately, we were unable to enter Steve Jobs Theater. Someday! I hear the seats are particularly impressive. Alas it is another incredible building with gigantic panes of glass that somehow support the roof.
We ended with a quick trip to the visitor center across the street to purchase some lattes and Apple-branded goods. Yes, I needed another Apple hat. Overall it was magical experience. I've been to several big tech headquarters, and Apple Park is by far the most beautiful. I can't wait to return.