This much-loved museum houses a fascinating collection of American painting, African art and Asian textiles.
Severely damaged by an earthquake in 1989, the de Young Museum reopened in a brand new building in 2005. The only remaining original features are the palm trees by the entrance and the vases and sphinxes near the Pool of Enchantment in the grounds. The striking new building, a collaboration between architects Herzog & de Meuron and Fong & Chan, is clad with copper and has added a handsome new tower to the city skyline.The collection of art, textiles and costumes from the Americas, Africa and the Pacific is one of the most visited in the US. Indigenous art is especially well documented, with galleries devoted to Native American, Spanish Colonial, Federal era, Arts and Crafts and Modernism, among others. The influential Hudson River School is represented in paintings by Thomas Cole and his contemporaries, while the museum also houses an important collection of Bay Area art, including paintings by Chiura Obata and sculptures by Ruth Asawa.American and international artworks are continually added to the collection, with recent acquisitions by celebrated artists of the calibre of Ed Ruscha, Anish Kapoor and Barbara Hepworth, as well as expansion into new areas including video, multimedia, photography and installation art.The museum also houses one of the largest collections of textiles in the US, ranging from fine Turkmen carpets and ancient Asian silks right up to the contemporary catwalk creations of Chanel and Dior.The de Young Museum is located in Golden Gate Park, served by a variety of convenient transport options. Travelling on the San Francisco Municipal bus (MUNI) entitles you to discounted entry to the museum.You can also rent a bike and continue your day with a stimulating ride around the park. On-street pay parking is limited. The museum is open year-round from Tuesday to Sunday, except for major public holidays, with late night opening on Friday evenings between March and November.
