The Istituto Italiano di Cultura of San Francisco promotes Italian language, culture, and the best of Italy in its assigned consular area (Northern California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Utah, Montana, Alaska, Hawaii and the Pacific Islands) by disseminating information about Italy, offering scholarships, and presenting cultural events such as: art exhibits, film screenings, concerts, lectures, book presentations, poetry readings and round table discussions. Its goal is to foster mutual understanding and cultural cooperation between Italy and the United States. 

The Italian Cultural Institute of San Francisco offers the following services: 
- Video library and book library containing Italian books, cds, dvds, journals and newspapers 
- Information and documentation on cultural matters in Italy