Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco - de Young

Founded in 1895 in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, the museum evolved through a series of expansions into the current contemporary building which includes former historic elements such as the sphinx sculptures and the Pool of Enchantment. The museum showcases collections of American art from the 17th through the 20th centuries, textile arts, and art of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas.

Whether you go or not, The de Young in the 21st Century: A Museum by Herzog & de Meuron, tells how -- after the de Young was damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake -- the museum's fate and the decision to replace the old building with a new museum on the same site — became the focus of intense public debate. Lavishly illustrated with color photographs as well as plans, drawings, and models, the book traces the architects' creative process in striking detail. The new de Young in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park is a stunning architectural tour de force, and is significant as the Swiss firm Herzog & de Meuron's first major building in North America. 250 illustrations, 200 in color.