M H De Young Memorial Museum

barbara
barbara
First Reviewer
4 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
4
Reviews
13
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Visiting the De Young is Something We Do Each Year

  • April 7, 2009
  • Rated 5 of 5 by NiceGinna from Evanston, Illinois
Visiting the De Young is Something We Do Each Year

The fairly new De Young Museum is one of the great museums in Golden Gate Park. They have a nice outdoors sculpture museum and then displays inside. The last year we were there was a special exhibit of Chihuly glass work, which we've seen in several different venues (Kew Gardens, Chicago Botanical Gardens, etc) and always enjoy. Another year there was an exhibit of wonderful quilts made by a group of descendants of slaves. EAch year there is something different and something worth seeing.

There is also a terrific tower attached to the museum with outstanding views of the city and the park.

From journal Two Weeks in San Francisco

M H De Young Memorial Museum

  • January 27, 2007
  • Rated 4 of 5 by nomadcheryl from Jacksonville , Florida
M H De Young Memorial Museum

It's lovely to look at from the outside and a great experience inside. Be sure to go to the top of the tower for gorgeous 360º views of the city. Check ahead to see if you can buy tickets to one of the evening events - views of the city at night are fantastic! We were there when their special exhibit was from Gee's Bend Alabama - folk quilts with unusual designs and materials. The permanent collections are definitely worth your time.

We enjoyed coming and going during the day rather than trying to see it all at once. Keep your admission sticker and go enjoy the botanical gardens, the conservatory or just people-watching in the park and come back to the de Young.

Just outside the museum there was a vegetarian "hot dog" cart with delicious carrot dogs and fresh lemonade, next to that an outdoor swing dance class was swinging on the wide sidewalks next to the museum.

From journal San Francisco in October

Editor Pick

M H De Young Memorial Museum

  • October 15, 2006
  • Rated 4 of 5 by Sierra from Chicago, Illinois
M H De Young Memorial Museum

The De Young Museum in Golden Gate Park has attracted visitors since 1895. The original building for the De Young dated from the California Midwinter International Exposition in 1894. Eventually, structural issues and the growing collection dictated the need for a new building, and the new De Young - with a quarter million of square footage, now has over twice the exhibition space of the original - opened its doors in 2005.

The De Young is particularly known for its displays of modern art, and Pan-American art. The eclectic collection ranges from South American stonework to pre-Columbian artwork, modern American glasswork, textiles, photography, sculpture - there's something for just about any taste. Getting to the De Young is easy; it's located in the Golden Gate park, next to the Chinese gardens, with underground parking available (for a fee), and bus service. The new structure includes lovely sculpture gardens, an auditorium, and the somewhat controversial Hamon Tower.

The Hamon Tower is rather unusual looking, rising several stories above the park. Before the museum re-opened, local residents expressed some distate over the blunt design. However, it has become a very popular spot, offering fantastic 360-degree views across San Francisco and the Golden Gate. Tower access is included in the price of museum admission. Museum admission also includes admission to the De Young's sister museum, the Legion of Honor, if you visit on the same day.

Visitor information:

Adults $10, Seniors (65 and older, with ID) $7, Youth 13-17 $6, Children 12 and under free.

Tuesday through Sunday, 9:30am to 5pm; Friday: Open until 8:45pm. First Tuesday of the month admission is free. Still photography without flash permitted. Closed January 1, Thanksgiving Day, and December 25.

From journal My Favorites in the City By The Bay - San Francisco

Editor Pick

de Young Museum

  • July 18, 2000
  • Rated 4 of 5 by barbara from Atlanta, Georgia
The de Young Museum is in the Golden Gate Park. It had an entrance fee to its main halls for $6/person. There was a surcharge to see another exhibit that was being temporarily housed at the museum. We opted to stick with the permanent collection of American Art. When we entered the museum, there was a guided tour available for free. A very lovely lady named Gerda took us from room to room to see some of the old American furniture in the de Young art exhibit. She gave us a wonderful historical overview of several pieces, and she was very charming in every way. I would not, however, suggest a tour that concentrates on something as specific as the furniture in the museum unless you have a real interest in that kind of thing. I found it fascinating to learn which European countries influenced American interior design and why, but my husband did not care quite as much about the neoclassic origins of the carvings on some of the dressers as I did. Still, Gerda showed us a Tankard made by Paul Revere and gave us background that we could not have gotten about the American Revolutionary as a craftsman from the signs posted beside the various exhibitions. When we noticed time was running short, we left the tour and wandered through the various rooms of American Paintings on our own. We enjoyed the time we spent in the de Young and wish we'd had time to look in some of the other attractions like the Asian Art Museum at Golden Gate Park as well.

From journal A Couple in the City by the Bay

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