The museum showcases collections of American art from the 17th through the 20th centuries, international textile arts and costumes, and art of Africa, Oceania, and the ancient Americas.
From its origins as the Fine Arts Building constructed for the California Midwinter International Exposition in 1894, the de Young has grown into the foremost museum in the western United States.
Founded in 1895 in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, the museum evolved into the current contemporary building. Constructed of warm, natural materials including copper, stone, wood and glass, the new de Young blends with and complements its natural surroundings. The building features a 144-foot tower that gently spirals from the ground floor to a public observation floor offering panoramic views of the entire Bay Area. Original elements include the sphinx sculptures and the Pool of Enchantment.
Please check the museum website for updated exhibition information. Scheduling may have been modified as a result of the temporary museum closure.
Exhibitions & Dates
Nampeyo and the Sikyátki Revival
Feb 27 2021 - Feb 26 2023
32 pots expose the artistic ingenuity of Nampeyo, famed Tewa-Hopi potter
To Teach and Inspire: The Julia Brenner Textile Collection
Oct 31 2021 - Apr 30 2023
A selection of 18th- to 20th-century printed textiles
Ramses the Great and the Gold of the Pharaohs
Aug 20 2022 - Feb 12 2023
181 artifacts on loan from the Egyptian government