Recommended Reviews

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  • 3.0 star rating
    7/19/2011
    Listed in the YAY Area!

    Definitely not my favorite museum; maybe I'd be more enthused if I'd been excited over the Picasso exhibit, but really, he's just not one of the artists I care about, and are tickets to all special exhibits $25?  I much prefer Anne Geddes (KIDDING.  KIDDING!!!).

    My main complaint about the museum is how the exhibits are organized/continuity, which I found mystifying: you're in a room containing pieces less than a decade old, then you go through the door and BOOM, now it's 500 BCE.  Huh?  And then some rooms mixed the two: American art from the 1800s, with a glass statue from 2000 in the middle of the room, completely unrelated to the subject matter/era style.  Why?

    Speaking of glass: I liked the room of glass pieces a lot, although Dale Chihuly was overrepresented (ok, that stuff was fascinating and excellent, but it still seemed unbalanced, particularly because it wasn't being presented as its own exhibition).

    Be sure to peep the great view from the ninth floor enclosed observation deck, but be aware that it closes ~45 minutes before the museum does.  The museum cafeteria is way overpriced, but I suppose I should have expected that ($7 for cookies and an apple juice).  It pushes drinks made with fancy tequila...weird.

  • 3.0 star rating
    3/28/2012

    Am I a museum type guy?
    Am I a museum type guy?
    Am I a museum type guy?
    I don't know but I like the de Young; it's cool on the outside and the art is cool. The special shows are usually rad and the tower is a great place to view the Golden Gate park and buy a poster.
    I think I have a two museum per year max capacity. Does that make me uncultured? Too many damned questions.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/27/2013

    My wife and I visited today and thought it was a world class museum. A bit crowded, but tolerable (Saturday in the city, what do you expect?).

    We were able to find parking in Golden Gate Park (about a 1/2 mile away), and we enjoyed the walk to De Young, so it was a great visit.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/19/2009

    If you have not visited the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park before or have been wanting to revisit, Bouquets to Art, which is happening right now through this Saturday, is my favorite time to go.

    From Tuesday, March 17th through Saturday, March 21st, the de Young is hosting its annual Bouquets to Art event with fresh floral designs inspired by artwork in the museum's collection. Since the arrangements are located throughout the museum, you need to pay special exhibition price to visit during this time ($20 adults/ $16 students). The ticket will allow you to see the Warhol and the Yves St Laurent special exhibits as well. I went today and was able to catch some of the floral designers there maintaining their works of art and talk with them.

    For more information and a full schedule of Bouquets to Art events, visit:
    bouquetstoart.org
    flickr.com/groups/bta200…

    Bring your camera.

    While you're there, be sure to check out the tower and the gardens (which are open to the public free of charge). The Turrell Skyspace in the garden makes more sense after dark, so head outside if you happen to be visiting during Friday Nights at the Deyoung (when it's open till 8:45p), including this Friday the 20th.

    Also if you have enough time, I believe that you can see the special exhibit at the Legion of Honor with your ticket  - it currently has the Artistic Luxury: Fabergé, Tiffany, Lalique exhibit.

    In general, I prefer the special exhibits at the de Young and Legion of Honor more than their permanent collections. Also, please note that they're closed Mondays, and you can find Lindy in the Park happening outside the tower entrance on JFK drive on Sundays between noon to 2 (free lesson at noon) when the weather's nice.

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/14/2011
    1 check-in

    Art galore.

    We checked this place out after checking out the California academy of sciences across the way and b/c it was included in out city pass.

    This is a fairly big art museum with lots of different exhibits to see. Not all the exhibits are my cup of tea, but there def were multiple interesting pieces. I most enjoyed the paintings, the cocoa bean coffin, the silver sculptures, and the crazy realistic oil paintings.

    They were also showing the Picasso exhibit (you gotta pay xtra for that) when we went, but we skipped it as we had already seen it in Seattle.

    There's also an observation indoor level that provides a scenic view of the city and the Golden Gate state park.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/27/2009
    1 check-in

    I'm not the artsy-fartsy type.  My knowledge on art is very, very limited and you can count on one hand the names of artists that I actually know. (uh, don't put me on the spot!  I can only think of one right now)

    When my gf asked me to come with her to De Young, I actually was not very excited to go.  But Shana is easy to be with and she'll probably be a teacher (she's good with processing information and sharing it with people in an interesting way) if she's not doing the science gig right now.

    Then, I got a little bit more into it when I found out about the special exhibit "Bouquet to Arts" (which end this Saturday, BTW)

    Pretty was the operative word that day for me.

    As in:

    That is pretty cool.

    yelp.com/biz_photos/RJ3N…

    Or, that is Disney-movie pretty! (remember Beauty & the Beast?)

    yelp.com/biz_photos/RJ3N…

    Or, that is pretty amazing!
    yelp.com/biz_photos/RJ3N…

    Another PRETTY big name in the fashion industry is also here at the De Young, in their Textile Gallery.

    YSL.

    Too bad there wasn't any photography allowed in that section.  But, I assure you, I must've said "pretty dress!" so many times.

    Except when I saw one of YSL's evening dress in his summer collection. (circa 1960? not sure)  It's enclosed behind glass, floor length, short sleeved dress adorned with pink sequined flowers on a background of green sequins! (and a pink satin belt to tie the whole look together)

    They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder but...

    That is a PRETTY ugly dress!

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/31/2012

    By far the best art museum I have ever been too! I got to admit that the price to see the special exhibit versus just the permanent collections is a lot of $$$! If you are not interested in the art work that special exhibit has on display for that season, then I highly recommend not to pay for it, just get the regular museum ticket, because it is not work it.

    That being said, the African Art Exhibit is definitely my favorite. There was not specific layout that they placed the pieces but the dim lights and dark artwork gave the right vibe and since of wonder. Sadly, there is no flash photography allowed so I just filmed everything. Hee

    There are four floors. Lowest floor is where the special exhibit is at. The first and second floor contains the permanent exhibits and the top floor is the viewing room where you get an incredible view of the park and the neighboring neighborhoods. The view is definitely beautiful and a great place to get your picture taken.

    Another hint to save money on tickets, is if anyone is taking public transportation, whether it is bus or Bart, remember to keep your transportation tickets. I believe you will get at least $2 or more dollars off. Same with if you are a student or a resident from the area. Just show your ID and get a discount. This however, do not work for online purchases.

  • 1.0 star rating
    1/10/2011 Updated review

    Sorry De Young but you utterly & completely FAIL when it comes to crowd control

    This is the 3rd exhibit I've been to, where I've left feeling like I totally wasted my money on your Membership...... I only saw a fraction of the art, heard a fraction of the audio tour, & read none of the wall plaques. Basically, I learned nothing & enjoyed myself even less

    Thinking myself a decent event planner, I purposely select the 1st timeslot to enter the exhibit & try to choose the middle of the exhibit's run to avoid opening & closing rushes, but apparently even this doesn't help

    You're joining 100s of other people (no joke) who also have the same timeslot as you do....we were literally standing shoulder to shoulder & 4-5 deep, trying to see even a corner of the art = equate this to having NO VIEW of the paintings in question & don't even think about taking time to gaze upon the lush brushstrokes, take in the artistry, the majesty, or the splendor

    And we were the 1st group in?!?!

    When people have to physically bump you out of the way to even move from 1 spot to another, something is definitely amiss

    And lord help you if you're in a wheelchair

    I would also like to know why you open at 8am but the 1st Special Exhibit entry is 9:30am? Seems like if you allowed fewer people but provided more timeslots, the overhead would still be the same & you would have a more satisfied membership base

    Or better yet, why not take an example from SFMOMA and provide a Members-only special entry time which would potentially increase your membership and allow us a less crowded, more pleasurable viewing experience

    THIS is what we paid for, for our Membership?? Methinks not!

    3.0 star rating
    5/13/2009 Previous review
    This was my 2nd visit to De Young Museum & Andy Warhol was my Sunday's afternoon enjoyment

    The…
    Read more
  • 4.0 star rating
    5/8/2011

    We usually get tickets ahead of time, especially when there are special exhibits. Those are my favorite and in the past year or so, I've seen Tutankhamen, Birth of Impressionism, and Van Gogh and Post-Impressionists masterpieces from the Musée.

    It's much more crowded than the Legion, but I'm impressed by the special exhibits and I can't wait to head back for the next one! There's actually an entrance from the underground parking lot that directly leads to the special exhibits entrance, if you've purchased tickets ahead of time.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/7/2011

    I was absolutely entralled with the Picasso exhibition. De Young has a nice array of artwork from the different artistic phases of Picasso's career (Cubism, Surrealism, Rose Period and the Neoclassical). There are some very prominent masterpieces on display here -- "The Kiss", "Head of a Bull" and "Two Women Running on a Beach." This is temporary exhibit so be sure to check it out soon ($25 for admission and will be on display until October 9th).

    I highly recommend purchasing the audio guide, for it provides a lot of history, stories and commentary from Picasso's friends and colleagues behind his works of art. The exhibition and the audio guide really piqued my interest and sent me on a quest to find out more about Picasso's life and artwork.

    The only downside were the throngs on people milling around (to be expected for such a high profile exhibition though).

    What a nice exhibit located in beautiful Golden Gate Park. Make sure to head on up to the Observation Room (9th floor) for expansive, impressive views of San Francisco. You will be amazed -- it's indescribable!

    Oh yeah, the cafe is pretty good too. Had a great-tasting mortadella sandwich on a baguette with a spring salad. Hoping to make it to one of their summer offerings (Friday Nights at De Young or Espana at Twilight) or check out the other exhibits and rooms at De Young Museum soon.

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/15/2012
    1 check-in

    If you love art, you'll love De Young.  There are certain times of the month where admission is free.  The people who work here are really nice and on a sunny day, the entire grounds are breathtaking.  I've even gone here on a rainy day and still had fun.  There was a tower that I went to with a great view of the city.  Smokers, stay away; I've read that you're not allowed to smoke anywhere in Golden Gate Park.

    Bring your lunch or go to the hot dog vendor around the corner because the prices in the cafe are really steep for a student like me.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/3/2012
    1 check-in

    Love the deYoung. My fave SF museum by far because they have amazing exhibits! I've been three times for Dale Chihuly, Balenciaga & Spain, and Jean Paul Gaultier. All were amazing. Love love this place! The conservation tower also has a sick view of SF.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/12/2013
    1 check-in

    Gotta go visit on Free day!

  • 2.0 star rating
    5/20/2012

    The collections are lovely. Even the Realists.

    The price to get in is spectacular.

    The annoyance of being told not to carry your child on your shoulders, "For their safety" boarders on living in an oppressively left-wing nanny-state. IF there is a policy that the museum does not allow children to be carried on the shoulders, the museum should tell me outright that this is policy. Not veil it under the guise of concern for my child.

    The building is beautiful. You can be lost but not lost for as long as you want. The Tower is worth the price to get it. So glad that there is a gift shop right there. Wouldn't want to think I might miss the opportunity to buy something while I'm in the midst of the beauty that is San Francisco. Then you can't walk the outside? Is this for my safety?
    The Goldsworthy crack set up a dynamic that did not hold through the rest of the museum.

    Missed the outside spaces.

    An observation: The feast or famine approach to artwork information is utterly 19th century. A cardboard 3x5 square or highly one way video does not do it for me. In the 21st century with smart phones and pads, I expect more. But we can't have more because the phones and pads have cameras and cameras might take pictures and that would be copyright violation. Until such a time as copyright change museums will remain a place to go see stuffed dead things. Not a place that is filled with links from the past to the now.

    Zero stars for the child incident that made me pissy for the rest of the day. 4 stars for the tower. 5 stars for most of the collections (I'm not a Realist fan). Big 5 for the building upgrade from the time that I was 13.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/20/2012

    I went to Museum's De Young exhibition - Modernism.
    WOOOW! I was really impressed how fascinating all the masterpieces were, especially the works of my favorite Picasso!

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/23/2011 Updated review
    2 check-ins

    Weather quite nasty, so a perfect day to visit the de Young.

    Came here with a friend for their The 27th Annual Bouquets to Art (March 15-19, 2011).  This exhibit featureed 150 floral arrangements by prominent Bay Area designers and garden clubs that interpret and complement the museum's permanent collection.

    Bouquets to Art is the largest fundraiser held to benefit the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, and one of the country's premier floral events. Organized and produced by the volunteer members of the Fine Arts Museums Auxiliary, Bouquets to Art raises funds to support acquisitions, special exhibitions and education programs.

    The interpretations were stunning, sometimes jaw dropping and sometimes amusing.  A wonderful display of floral expression often ehancing or breathing new life/perspective into the tenured pieces.

    5.0 star rating
    6/4/2010 Previous review
    "...the self-conscious aim of Life is to find expression, and that Art offers it certain beautiful… Read more
  • 5.0 star rating
    7/22/2012

    There are so many great things about this place.

    Great and original building.
    Fantastic art.
    Great cafe.

    They also put on fun events on Friday nights.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/8/2012
    2 check-ins

    Come here during their Free 1st Tuesday's of the month. It is a big place and very classy. If one doesn't enjoy the arts, don't bother coming. This place has nothing but paintings and sculptures.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/7/2012

    I've always enjoyed the de Young, but  after seeing the Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit this week, I'm officially smitten.  The exhibit is amazing.  I can't wait to go back.  I can't remember the last time (if ever) that I started planning my return visit to an exhibit before I finished seeing it for the first time.

    I didn't have time to go up to the observation deck this trip, but on a clear day it is one of the prettiest views in SF.  Three cheers to the de Young for continuing to wow me with their beautiful venue and exhibitions.  It is truly a treasure...

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/1/2014

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  • 5.0 star rating
    8/15/2012

    went for the jean paul gaultier exhibit. brilliantly done.  Make sure to wander upstairs to the observation floor for a 360 degree view for the city!!

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/14/2012
    1 check-in

    Amazing views, amazing art.  If you're an art enthusiast, this is a place you must go to. There are a lot of amazing exhibits and also concerts at night.  If you have a student ID, admission is only 6 bucks. Definitely a bargain!  The best parking is around the Golden Gate Park.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/6/2012

    I love this museum! I've been here for two exhibits. It was so perfect, because they had the Andy Warhol exhibit right around the time of my birthday. We went on the last day so the gift store stuff was on sale! The exhibit had his paintings, videos, album designs, and an installment. I was so excited for this exhibit and I was not disappointed. The second exhibit was Van Gogh. We made the mistake of not buying the tickets ahead. We drove two hours to the museum and spent 30 minutes looking for parking/walking to the museum only to find they sold out! But we were determined to see it, and came back the following day. It was definitely worth all the trouble!
    Other than the two exhibits, I haven't spent too much time in the rest of the museum and would love to go back!

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/23/2011

    I love coming here and getting lost in the art.  I came here last for the Van Gogh exhibit.  It's not as impressive as the one in Amsterdam because it lacked a personal feel to the exhibit, but nonetheless it was still good.  

    It can get a bit congested for these special exhibits due to the audio tours.  I'd suggest coming during the week day so you can appreciate the art instead of trying to squeeze through the crowd to read the descriptions, etc.

    Aside from the featured exhibits, there was also a variety of artwork from different regions, eras, etc.  I even had a chance to see a beautiful dyed dress designed by a Cal Alumni (GO BEARS!).

    Their gift shops are extensive and well organized.  I can get lost in the books all day if I had nothing to do.

    It's beautiful outside on a clear night.  There are statues with lighting in the garden and that night we happened to see a bunch of astronomers and was able to view through their telescopes.

    The only complaint I have about the museum is the food that was served at their cafe.  I ordered a clam chowder and it looked more like an oil dip for bread :/

    The sliders were also dry and the buns were shiny from a layer of grease as well.

    I'd definitely come back for the art and atmosphere, but not the food.

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/16/2012
    1 check-in

    Jean Paul Gautier was awesome!

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/29/2011

    I just learned that you can go to the rooftop deck without even paying to go into the museum!!  Now THAT'S AWESOME (since I find the rooftop deck the best part of this place)!

    Just remember to get there 45 minutes before museum close time.  Otherwise, no deck access.

  • 1.0 star rating
    1/10/2014

    Website said it was open until 5 but was closing early today AND the Hockney show was sold out! How do you sell out a museum exhibition, made me VERY angry...don't think I'll rush back OR become a member ant time soon.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/15/2013
    1 check-in

    Beautiful museum in lovely Golden Gate Park. I attended the Dutch Masters exhibit and was really impressed with their management of traffic flow around the more high-profile paintings. Great gift shop, too!

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/3/2014

    As a student (coincidentally an art history major), I paid $6 for general admission here, which was well worth it. There is no military discount, but the full adult admission price is $10, again, nothing for such a great place. Galleries included art from all around the Americas, from Inuit and eskimo religious pieces to south American pottery; the largest collection of African art I have ever seen; and art from across Oceania. There were many galleries of early American (as in the USA sense) paintings and furniture. I found a few Bierstadt paintings notable. De Young also displays some contemporary art, which I did not actually spend much time viewing except for one gallery of glasswork featuring several Dale Chihuly pieces. It would be easy to spend an entire day here. I absolutely love it.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/15/2013

    Very nice museum and the architecture is awesome. The location is very good, accessible  by bus (and then  a short walk). I used the city pass for my visit and it was worth it. The surroundings are great as well, part of the same park are the Japanese Gardens and the Academy of Sciences. The colors of the trees in the autumn  are amazing.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/22/2011
    1 check-in

    My review is only for the visiting Picasso exhibit; I sadly didn't have time to stay and enjoy the rest of the museum the day that I went.

    Sadly no pictures were allowed in said exhibit, but it was very well laid out. Order your tickets ahead of time and pick them up at will-call.
    Yes they are a bit steep, but still cheaper than going to France!
    Your tickets also give you entrance to the Legion of Honor museum.

    Parking isn't exactly the greatest by the park, so I just had to pony up an extra $13 or so for a few hours which hurts. But if you can take it all in, I'd say it's a great way to spend a day enjoying museum.

    I will have to go back there some other day to see the rest.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/18/2011

    I was lucky enough to purchase tickets to "Van Gogh, Gauguin, Cezanne & Beyond" and it was a great show. Seeing the original paintings is completely different than any picture in a book or a poster.

    Being an artist, it's very inspirational to see the works of the great artists. Highly recommend it for art students to come and study the originals.

    The museum is very well designed and organized. The shops are very well stocked. Since it's the last week of this particular show, most of the items in the store were marked 50% off.

    I can't wait to see the rest of the exhibits at the de Young. Will become a member soon.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/6/2011
    1 check-in

    My friend and I came to the de Young to have a museum day. I forgot that the Musee d'Orsay special exhibit was in town, but when we got there, the exhibit was sold out. Fortunately I saw this exhibit at the Art Institute in Chicago, but it would of been nice to see it again.

    However, we still had fun. We went to the observation tower and enjoyed the great view of San Francisco. Then we spent most of our time in the 20th-Century and Contemporary Art gallery, which was great.

    If you are a student, you pay only $6 and you get another $2 off if you show your Muni pass. $4 is a great deal.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/14/2010
    6 check-ins

    De Young is my favorite museum in the city.

    I love their always changing special exhibitions. Some of my highlights the past couple of years include:

    Birth of Impressionism: Masterpieces from the Musée d'Orsay
    Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs
    Warhol Live
    Yves Saint Laurent

    The view at the observation deck is spectacular on a nice day.

    Next up:

    Van Gogh, Gauguin, Cézanne and Beyond: Post-Impressionist Masterpieces from the Musée d'Orsay.

    See you there!

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/23/2011

    I've been here twice since it's reopening/renovations.

    I don't know why I don't have a review for this place...but here it is.

    Prices = reasonable.  See if you can get a student discount or go on a free day. :)

    17th through 20th century art: paintings, sculptures, photography, etc.

    Architecture of this place, it's pretty fun to walk through and photograph (when you can).  Plenty of 'nature' in the surroundings.  

    Special exhibits and permanent exhibits are both worthwhile ganders.

    Easily accessible by public transit.  Or you could bike through the park.  Or walk, or rollerskate.  And if you drive, try parking outside of the park, or pay for their garage.  Honestly, I prefer the non-car method to this place.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/5/2012
    1 check-in

    Gaultier exibit was amazing well worth $10. I got a discount using my bank of america card.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/27/2013
    1 check-in

    Here we go with this museum again. I have mixed feelings about this place.  The exhibits are phenomenal and world class.  Often there are showcases here that many people read about, but will never experience.  Chances are, no matter the admission price it will be well worth it.  The employees there in general are dingbats, dingleberries, or douchers.  However security were informative and sort of nice ironic as that may seem.  (That is security when you 1st walk in.) The ticket checkpoints have workers that are ticket Nazis!  I guess they work off commission. It is easy to get lost there, but what museum isn't I guess.  I would recommend anyone to visit here, because there is something here for everyone!  I thoroughly enjoyed my trip and plan on coming back.  Perhaps I should become a member.  Maybe I'll get some discounts, previews, or exclusive premieres. Yeah I'll hold my breathe, as I'm longwinded.
    Till next time..........

  • 3.0 star rating
    1/16/2011

    Day 2 of MWLAWMBF:
    Since we went to the Legion of Honor earlier in the day, our admission to the de Young museum was for free! How awesome is that?

    The observation tower was probably the best part of it - you can get a 360 view of the area and you can see pretty far on a nice day. The view is beautiful!

    The museum itself apparently always has a special exhibit, but that apparently costs about $15 more than the regular admission. I wanted to see it, since it was impressionist artists and I find their artwork to be interesting, but we went so late in the day, that they had been sold out already for a while.

    They also have lots of modern art, which the boyfriend hates a lot. He finds that it's inexusable that a piece of artwork with a gumball machine drawn on it is art and sold to museums for millions of dollars. I do find them interesting and yes, I will create my own modern art someday.

    The other parts - mostly upstairs is the ancient arts and artifacts from different parts of the world - Africa and the Pacific Islands mostly. I think it's pretty cool that they have all that artwork and artifacts to educate people about different parts of the world. Personally, I don't really read everything, but I definitely like to walk through it all and look at pieces that catch my eye.

    If you ever happen to be by the de Young museum at night, the fountains in front have changing colored lights beneath them that is pretty cool.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/20/2008
    1 check-in

    I rarely procrastinate.  The only times I do so are when it involves large crowds or when I owe taxes.  So even though I really wanted to see Dale Chihuly's exhibit at the de Young I kept putting it off and putting it off until I realized that the exhibit ends soon.  I have membership in the museum so obtaining tickets were no problem.  I finally put up with the crowds and visited the exhibit about ten days ago.  

    The exhibit is fabulous and a real treat for the eyes not only from the colorful glass sculptures but also from the shadows cast on the walls and the ceilings.  Like many I brought a camera to capture some memories, but when I got home I discovered that all the photos I took were taken in low resolution email size photos.  Urgh!  I made a trip back to the museum this past Wednesday and got member tickets to the exhibit right away.  I checked the settings on my digital point and shoot this time, and I got it correct.  It's true with most exhibits that you notice different things the second time around.  I ended up with nearly twice the number of images I got the first time.  The crowds were much thicker than they were on my initial visit, but with one week remaining before the exhibit closes I'm sure it will be wall to wall people for the next several days.

    The de Young Museum has long been a place that I go to to let my mind relax.  Long before the current building was even designed I'd frequent the old museum building with my drawing tablet and my charcoal pencils, sit in a quiet gallery and sketch out an old painting.  Among my favorites were William Michael Harnett's "After the Hunt", Alexander Pope's "The Wild Swan" (yelp.com/biz_photos/RJ3N…) and Samuel Marsden Brookes' "Salmon Trout and Smelt".  Pope's piece was probably the easiest to sketch of the three, but I was pretty baffled with the different tones of gray on the Brookes piece.

    I still do quick sketches inside the museum these days, but my taste in art has become much more simple.  Among my favorites are oil pieces such as John Singer Sargent's "Study of Architecture, Florence" (yelp.com/biz_photos/RJ3N…) and George C. Ault's "Highland Light".  I found another one that I really liked just recently in George Henry Durrie's "Winter in the Country" (yelp.com/biz_photos/RJ3N…).

    Friday Nights at the de Young are fun too, but I prefer early morning weekday visits to avoid the crowds.

    Maya Lin's Systematic Landscapes opens in October.  I wonder if I'll procrastinate on that exhibit as well.

    The Chihuly exhibit closes on September 28.  If you haven't seen it yet you're really missing out on a real treat.  Here's a link to my Flickr gallery where I've posted my low resolution email size photos:

    flickr.com/photos/141446…

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/27/2010
    4 check-ins

    A group of six of us were lucky enough to check out the The Birth of Impressionism exhibit here at the De Young. My wife made it a point to purchase tickets in advance as well as three others in the group. Doing the math that sounds like a bunch of extra tickets. But we did make some ticket buyers there very happy as we passed along the excess tickets.

    Some of comments from the disappointed show attendees I believe are a bit unfair. To compare this to the the Musée d'Orsay just doesn't add up. San Francisco is very fortunate to have a small part of their collection made public to the residents of the Bay Area as the Musée d'Orsay had many other options but chose to ship them here for us to see.

    Do expect to be crowded in, the De Young is doing it's best to accommodate as many people as possible into the exhibit so just expect to be bumping elbows and making new friends as you browse the art work.

    There is a parking garage, but it is expensive. I do however think it is a good option as finding street parking on the weekend can be a challenge. Keep in mind that the garage closes at midnight, so keep an eye on your late night partying.