de Young

3/12/2012

An awesome museum for mostly older art and historical artifacts. Their special exhibitions often get a bit crowed, but overall they don't fuss if you double back in them if you want more when you get to the end.  

The permanent collection is pretty diverse and the tower gives a birds eye view of this part of the city where there aren't many tall buildings. The also have very well organized events and showings of local up and coming artists which are often free!

7/9/2011

Our experience was pretty much ruined at the Picasso exhibit by how rude the ticket lady was to us because we brought a child. I'm not sure who checked off that this museum is "kid friendly" but between the fact that you can't bring a small umbrella stroller into any of the exhibits or by the employee who ran over to yell at us about the fact that we didn't see that strollers weren't allowed on the internet (we bought our tickets at the museum), our experience was pretty much ruined.
I do understand the rule about strollers... now but the way we were treated was completely uncalled for and I hope to save any other parents the same awful experience.

12/21/2009

Really?

Where is King Tut? Where is his burial mask and his sarcophagus?

Exhibit was neat, but at the end we were all left wondering.

This place nickel and dimes you.  Admission, parking, audio tour all separate.

11/1/2011

I think today was my 2nd or 3rd visit in the past 6 months and I think that I can say I really, really like this museum.

First of all I am a huge fan of the free days they have every first Tuesday of the month. The exhibits have enough variation (from the permanent collection to the special ones that have been here in the past few months), that I honestly get excited to visit the de Young. I love everything from the angled benches that they have in the lobby area, to the stairs leading you up to the second floor area.

The observation tower is super cool and I especially like the fact that you can go up to see the view for free on days that you may not want to check out the museum (or pay the museum fee). That view alone is priceless.

Lastly, the location is perfect. Near so many other things that once you are done with the museum, you can walk in the park afterwards or grab a bite to eat at any of the amazing local restaurants. I mean, I even like the MUNI ride there, so easy for an east bay gal to commute to....sigh...what more can I say??

2/8/2013

Always great.  Last June my daughter and I saw the Jean-Paul Gaultier exhibit, very entertaining.

7/2/2009 Updated review

TUTANKHAMUN AND THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE PHARAOHS

tutsanfrancisco.org

"Look with wonder at that which is before you."
-- Florence Scovel Shinn

I saw a visiting Tut exhibit at the de Young 30 years ago, and the main resident exhibit at the Cairo Museum 17 years ago. It was great to come face to face with the Boy King one more time.

We visited on a Monday afternoon, when the de Young was closed, but the Egyptian exhibit was open. $27.50 each for admission, plus another $7 for the audio tour wand, and we were in. The entrance to the exhibit evoked a Disney ride, but once we were in the gallery we were able to examine every piece at our leisure.

Look, they're not going to bring the Pyramids of Giza and put them in the basement. It's best to appreciate what they decided to bring over this time.

Like life-size statues of the kings and queens of this New Kingdom dynasty. The amazing story of Akhenaten, who brought monotheism to Egypt.  The dramatic way in which Tutankhaten restored the old religion, the old temples and the old priests, renaming himself Tutankhamun, only to die suddenly and mysteriously (nobody at the exhibit mentioned the controversial reports of neck wounds), without heirs, at 19.

Like the incredible detail in the jewelry, the ushabti, the furniture, and the other funerary artifacts. Yes, these are the grave goods from a royal tomb 3,331 years old. In perfect condition. That alone should be cause for amazement.

Maybe the interior coffins weren't there, much to some other viewers' chagrin. But the exhibit team did bring out an outer sarcophagus, completely covered in gold, with such detailed metalwork that each hieroglyph is clearly readable, each species of bird distinguishable.

The "meteorite glass" scarab, and the mystery of the fused desert sand that went into it, is precious. The oldest known metal hinges on a jewelry box, look like they could have been machine tooled today.

It's enough to make you realize that the ancient civilizations were peopled by men and women who were every bit as artistic, every bit as skilled, every bit as ingenious, as you and I today. Maybe even more so.

This exhibit will be open through March 28, 2010. I highly recommend it.

10/26/2009

Before I entered into the King Tut exhibit, I was in San Francisco.

By the time we entered the exhibit, the date was 1230BC-1200BC. I was sitting next to king tutankhamun and marveling at ALL THE GOLD AND THE GLITTER OMG SPARKLY.

He also told me over and over, his name is pronounced:

"TOOT-tan-kah-moon. Silly slave, fetch me my ankh staff and flail. I shall restore the faith of the people"

I left the exhibit wondering where I put my papyrus for taking down his orders and how I got home from the desert. See, I learned something.

7/10/2009

I stopped here as part of a SF bus tour. It wasn't on my radar but it was a fascinating visit.

I only went around the free parts as it was a relatively short stop. I liked the crack in the floor from the previous big earthquake.

The guide told us about the lift to the free viewing gallery on the 9th floor. This gave a nice view of SF town.

Some of the exhibitions looked interesting but no time to visit on this occasion.

1/30/2012

Refreshing.

Some times it hard to think of something to do even in SF. That's why I love our city, the museums and educational institutions offers affordable and exciting new exhibits giving you reason to visit and visit again.

This pass few month De Young housed the Masters of Venice exhibition that show cased artists like Titian, Giorgione, and Mantegna. (I can't remember their whole names, I could barely say them.)
With the help of the paintings' descriptions, you can see the changes in styles and focus, making even the most unsophisticated feel like they understand something about art.

Call me morbid, but I love the gory paintings and the ones that tell a sad story.

Admissions into the special exhibits like the Masters of Venice is not included in the regular admissions. But it's worth every penny. Unfortunately, This particular exhibit end in February. But lucky for us, they are having a Jean Paul Gaultier? showcase coming soon and the Legions of Honor is having a very intriguing exhibit about the Cult of Beauty: Victorian Avant Garde. I think it may be how fashion influenced society. Not sure, but I can't wait!

Here's a few tip:
*bring you glasses (if you need it)  for the special exhibit, it gets crowded,
*water, you may be there for awhile, and
*allocate a good amount of time to the whole museum. I spent 4 hours looking at ALL that De Young had to offer. The photo collection of masks and dolls(disturbing, but loved it!), and the model of a cathedral made of guns and bullets that houses a human? spine inside.
*Don't forget to check out the Observation tower.

6/28/2009

If any review could have it's own soundtrack, it could be this one.  I've been hearing Steve Martin's "King Tut" in my head for the last 3 days.  Thankfully, that song isn't as annoying as say "It's a Small World."  Otherwise I would be trying to pull out my brain through my nostrils as they did in ancient Egypt.  Don't believe me?  Watch Tales from the Darskide- the segment with Steve Buscemi.

Anyhow, being a lover of all things Egyptian and having an awesome friend who was a De Young member, I got to see this exhibit on Friday night.  Oddly enough, the last (and only) time I had been to the De Young was to see another Egyptian exhibit, for Hatshepsut.  This exhibit was cool, to be sure, but I wasn't blown away.  

The pros:
*It's really interesting to see items that have survived for all these years- such as a chair that the Boy King may have sat on.
*Like others have mentioned, they have descriptions not only in the display cases themselves, on the top border, on 3 sides.  So you can read what's in the case while you patiently wait for the old lady and her fanny pack who has to sound out the words to move.  
*The audio tour is good, and although it's authentic, the thick accent sometimes makes it difficult to understand.  And I used to work with an Egyptian doctor and understood him perfectly.
*Technology is beneficial

The not as good:
*If you're expecting the gilded coffin, don't.  It's not there.  While the exhibit is about King Tut, a lot of the artifacts are from his extended family (grandparents and such), and not necessarily from his tomb.    
*Like many things you pay a bunch of money to see, the exhibit dumps you in the gift shop.  Where you can buy things completely unrelated to King Tut, like a mummy rubber ducky (although a great gift for my favorite Killabunny).

If you're into Egyptian items and/or King Tut, go.  If you're ambivalent, you could probably skip it.

8/21/2009

$6.00 with a college ID
An additional $2 off if you show them a muni pass or ticket!

I love the Richmond district! It has played such a large part in my childhood.. all my fond memories can be attributed to the richmond.. and to the De Young Museum in particular.

Minus the heavy fog, there is a breathtaking view from the De Young Museum looking out. Bring your camera! I've been to this museum SO many times due to all the field trips I've taken here as a child.  It hasn't changed a bit!

King Tut is in town!! But for $20, i'll pass. I heard you don't even see him. It's a small museum compared to others, but it's filled with a good array of art from the neoclassical, baroque, and rococo period.  They have plenty of oil paintings and some furniture that leads you to believe you stepped into Pemberley in Pride and Prejudice.

I'd like to thank the man playing the classical guitar outside the De Young as well. He was so good I thought the museum actually turned on some light music for all visitors!

9/5/2012

The deYoung is awesome--I used to come here with the little human I nannied for because you can go up to the observation tower for free and just take in the view. I went here again recently for the Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit and it was absolutely amazing. Have never been on a free Bank of America day but I tend to avoid those free museum days because they tend to get soo crowded that i can't even enjoy my time, however, it's worth the money of admission for sure.

8/19/2009

Came here for the King Tut exhibit. I guess that's my fault for being dumb and not reading right, but it's so misleading, just as everyone else says. King Tut isn't there. Here's how it goes:

You start off by watching a 90-second introductory video on King Tut then once permitted, go through different rooms that all have very beautiful and interesting artifacts and ancientttt items. It's nice! Very nice. Dimly lit, some rooms have videos that talk about ancient life and times of King Tut. Everything is about King Tut basically! It's extremely crowded though. You'd think after all the waiting, it wouldn't be so packed. It'll take you a while to go to see every artifact and exhibit because of how many people there are in that cave. I was thrilled, however, to see the tomb of King Tut's grandmother or whoever she was. It was big, shiny, and really thrilling. I could NOT wait until King Tut, yeah?! So I was going to the last room and what the hell did I see? A cheap ass photo of King Tut on a plastic piece of shit. WOW GG King Tut exhibit. I mean...if you're going to have a picture and let me down, can't it at least be in COLOR?! Or a fucking hologram. Paying 27.00 for a ticket to see a black and white photo? I would have had the same damn museum experience searching photos through Google images. Room after room and the finale is a platform with a photo. Nice. I think the most exciting thing in that last room, is King Tut's dagger and the jewelry. So look for that.

It is crowdeddddd. So if you want to make the most out of your money, you might consider purchasing  an audio tour for an extra 7 or so to save you some time because it is a bit hard to make way to read the descriptions on each exhibit. But bring a wetnap or something because it's similar to a telephone device...that shit is on everyone's ears.

1/2/2010

Date day w/ the boyf on New Year's was a surprise with a visit to the King Tut exhibit! I'd heard good things about the exhibit, so I was amped to go (in retrospect, probably not a fantastic idea to have such high expectations... but oh well).

General admission was $32.50 per person for adults including the King Tut exhibit. Egads!! That's more than many of the museums I'd been to in NY and Europe (the Museum of Natural History and the Met, ahem). Whatever, it's New Year's day, we are going to start off this year learning things!

We weaved our way down the long stairs to the entry of the Exhibit. It was like waiting for a ride at a Disneyland. The entrance is metered, and these 2 double doors open into a dark movie room so you can have a 90 sec video-history on the boy-king. Way to build up the suspense.

The exhibit itself is about 8 rooms full of beautifully showcased artifacts of Tutankhamen's daily life, found in his tomb, and from his family. Lots of chairs, staffs, some jewelry, masks... but no tomb (that won't leave Egypt). In its stead you find a hologram of his tomb. Lame, but whatever. Seeing the old urns where his innards were stored (and his 2 still born daughters) was cool in a creepy graveyard kind of way.

A la Disneyland, the exhibit ends by dumping you into a very well lit gift shop so you can purchase your own mini casket and walk like an Egyptian with overpriced museum garb. Yes, you can even buy earrings with King Tut dangling from your lobes. Classy! Only there is no photo of you looking glazed as you wind through the exhibition. Darn.

We went upstairs only to find that the rest of the museum had closed at 5pm. So, $32.50 x 2 for just 1 exhibit. Super let down. To maximize our admission, we looked through the museum store to see postcards of the other exhibits. The only thing I learned is that the museum store is overpriced.

In the end: King Tut exhibit: mildly underwhelming. Museum, beautiful architecture but overpriced. Lovely outdoor garden & location in GG park. Might return on a free Tuesday.

Details: No food or drink allowed. Non-flash photography OK in exhibits other than King Tut. Parking underground in the garage is closest, but you may be able to find free street parking along Fulton on the edge of GG park. Student discount available. Cheaper tickets possible online through Ticketmaster (buy at least 24 hrs in advance, watch out for processing fee) or with AAA discount (purchase through AAA branch). I think they also sell discount tickets @ Costco.

8/25/2011

I have been to the DeYoung for several of their exhibit shows.
This time was for the Picasso exhibit. This was one incredible exhibit. I wish there were more pieces, but what was there was impressive. My only rant would be over the lack of manners and consideration by the attendees. People would walk up and stand directly in front of art that 5 or 6 people were viewing. . . are you oblivious to the fact that other people are enjoying the art? . . . IDIOTS. . .
Oh, and as for the unattended children that were running around and playing. . . if they are not old enough to appreciate the museum, then leave them at home!

6/3/2011

Never have I felt less welcome in a museum.  The staff were so totally indifferent to our presence it was astounding.  The level of being actively ignored was palpable.  Staff were clumped everywhere talking to each other complaining about coworkers or visitors.  The museum closes the tower 30+ minutes before the rest of the museum closes, which is just plan stupid and so totally not service oriented.  You get the total impression that this place is here as a house for art to be kept, and not a place for art to be viewed.  Too bad, because they have some interesting stuff and the building is cool.

8/3/2009

King Tut was disappointing.
If you are planning to go, go after 4:30pm. There is absolutely no point in arriving earlier as you can see the whole exhibit in about 60-90 mins (the exhibit closes at 9pm). You will be able to see everything even if you arrive in the late afternoon.

The exhibit setup wasn't done well. Throngs of people would be at the entrance of a room trying to get a glimpse of the first item. After you've shoved your way out of that initial crowd, you finally breath for a bit before shoving your way around to see the TINY trinkets from Tut's tomb.

The exhibit was a repeat of the "life" symbol. over and over and over and over and over and over and over again! I had hoped for some more educational insights to King Tut.

The only bright spot of education and awe came from one of his pectoral pieces where there is a scarab made from a unique glass found only in the Sahara Desert.

Otherwise the deYoung is delightful place to wander the arts and to go up to the tower to get a glimpse of the SF lands.

10/17/2012

My second favorite museum in SF. I love how the new building has aged so it almost looks like an organic part of the Park, and I find something extraordinary and amazing each time I come here. Special recent standouts were the Gaultier show and the Impessionists. Buy yourself a membership; it's the best entertainment value in the City and allows admission to the Legion of Honor, too.

3/24/2013

I would if I could give it negative rating. I have not seen such rude service against non-English speaking people for a while around the area. That guys should be fired

7/5/2009

(See pics. Only the museum and no pics allowed for the King Tut exhibit)

Came here to see the King Tut exhibit. It is a must see! An interesting entrance that gives you the feeling of mystery. I joked that it's like going into a haunted house where the wooden door is open and you will then go in the semi-dark environment and see the wonders. Do not want to spoil your experience but whoever designed this was brilliant as it creates some sense of a maze with artifacts closely packed, yet it has a very logical way of presenting so you won't miss anything (for most museums I always found the side "door" to the next collection makes it easy to lose track or continuity of a particular collection.)

The storytelling audio tour was really useful though $7 extra was a bit steep. It is a great exhibit if you love but do not know much of the history of King Tut. A good number of artifacts were displayed and it took about 1.5 hours to look at all the pieces.

The included Pharaoh's gold card is a discount card for some other museums, as well as restaurants, tours and shopping ideas.

This exhibit is a timed-entrance, meaning you have to buy tickets for a specific entry time since there are so many people visiting it. The extra time you get, if you do not get the tickets at least midnight before the day of the exhibit you are going to, is actually going to give you some great time to explore the permanent collections of the museum itself! It has great African sculptures (masks especially) and quite some paintings (mostly oil.)

The museum store carries some good CDs, DVDs (not cheap) and some expensive jewelry (I saw some scarab jewelry that was like almost 900 dollars!) but definitely some great bookmarks.

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• 

  William Stanley Haseltine-- Ruins of the Roman Theatre at Taormina, Sicily

  William Stanley Haseltine-- Ruins of the Roman Theatre at Taormina, Sicily
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  Albert Bierstadt-- Sunlight and Shadow

  Albert Bierstadt-- Sunlight and Shadow
• See all photos from Tammy C. for de Young

1/3/2012

I came to the deYoung with my mom and grandma to see the Masters of Venice exhibit, but have also been before for other exhibits.
Masters of Venice was disappointing, but I like the deYoung in general. I find buying tickets to be fast and efficient, both online and at the museum. The museum itself is clean, well-let and attractive.
I'm glad we have the deYoung in SF.

5/24/2010

My husband and I are members of the De Young and come here as often as we can. It's a beautiful museum with more than anyone could possibly see in a day, and they always have fascinating exhibits featured. The staff have always been helpful and polite, and the prices are reasonable. Excellent place to bring a date, a child, or even just get lost by yourself.

Pro tip: there are some spots in and near the bathrooms/phones on the first floor where you can charge your phone for a few minutes.

One star off because the parking sucks big time. It always takes us AT LEAST a half hour, often times more, to find a spot.

5/13/2012

This low rating is only towards employees and customer service part of the experience at the de Young.

There's never been a superb customer service or pleasant experience dealing with de Young employees. Most of the staff at the de Young is not one bit interested in attendee's experience of the art, nor are they warm-and-fuzzy when you have a question (from where to find a restroom to specifics about the art). They are busy having their own interactions; they are busy waiting for the time to lapse so they can go home and could care less for anyone there. They don't bother to go a step further to make museum visit that much more memorable, rather it's more like my shift's over so you're on your own.

Latest experience, today's (Mother's Day), is really upsetting. We made it to the museum for the last operating hour of day for the Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit, which is fabulous by the way! The hour came and went, and the museum started closing down; and, the staff turned into prison patrol masters (officers title is undeserving in their case) that were rude and pushy to get everyone out. They were inflexible and eager to rush us all out of the museum like some heard of animals. Quite a few families, patrons and other attendees, obviously making this exhibit visit part of their Mother's Day treat, were swept out of the museum like some garbage (kid you not, guards were blocking people out from any path unless it was to the exit with their own bodies and outstretched arms, not to mention raised voices).
I fully understand that museum is closing down. Everyone was making their way out of the exhibit and out of the museum, but no one was running out of there like it was on fire. In fact, would you see any of those people working at de Young making a rush of consideration to exit out of wherever (grocery store, shopping mall, event, a museum?!) had they been somewhere right at the closing hours - I don't believe they would.
I don't understand how museum allows for such inconsiderate, detached, rude, pushy and careless behavior and attitude in their employees, when a good portion of the museum experience comes from their employees.

De Young is a museum without customer service! ...until I've experienced otherwise.

2/24/2012

We had an amazing time here. My lady and I found this place to be very interesting.

Tons of good art... Very well-rounded for individuals or families. I would recommend this place if you want to spend a day at the museum.

One thing it will be an all day went if that to really learn about all the artifacts displayed.

7/16/2009

I love museums. I prefer them over bars and clubs any day of the week. They're my four of a kind to your full house, cowboys over nines. And yes, your hand sucks out loud.

What drew me to this place was the King Tutankhamun exhibit. My friends consider me well-traveled. I've seen the iconic burial mask in a different venue. I've also seen the iconic coffin. So it was time for me to see the rest, which I don't remember seeing nor appreciating it at the age I saw them.

The lines: long but organized. They called parties into the exhibit in increments of 30 minutes.

The exhibit: Great! I love love love it. Egyptology is a favorite topic of mine. This trip was the scholastic equivalent of a very intimate physical act. It was well organized, I think, despite the droves of people that showed up.

The staff: polite and very helpful. I'm glad they remained so, despite all the people that showed up.

All in all, this place is great. I saw some of the other exhibits while we were waiting and they're worth a look-see as well. The Tut exhibit is here till March but that shouldn't stop you from coming here even after that. Don't take my word for it.  Go go go!

6/21/2010

I'm not a fan of the building's architecture.  The permanent exhibits are a bit disappointing given that San Francisco is a world class city in so many ways.

I stopped in over the weekend to see the Birth of Impressionism exhibit.  While not a large exhibit, it was very good.  Nice examples from that period. I also liked the colors on the walls and the lighting.

Three stars for the building and four stars for the Birth of Impressionism.

3/9/2009

The De Young itself is a masterful work of art. I love the unique, curvy, metallic design of the building and the upside-down pyramic architecture of the observation tower, which offers breathaking 360-degree views of the city. The sculptures, gardens, and ponds that surround the area are worth a trip alone (perhaps even worth forgoing the museum admission price)!

The museum itself boasts a broad collection of art: American paintings and sculptures, African Art, Oceanic Art, New Guinea Art, Textiles, Graphic Arts, and much more. The vast amount of space dedicated to these many galleries is so overwhelming, even dizzying, that I would be surprised if anybody walked through the entire museum (at a pace slow enough to actually appreciate the art) in a single day. In fact, I was so overwhelmed that I walked through 2-3 collections before becoming restless.

The exhibitions that were featured that weekend showcased the works of Yves Saint Laurent and Andy Warhol. The Yves Saint Laurent showcase was much smaller than expected (in fact, only 2 rooms), and took only about 45 minutes to fully enjoy (worth the $10? Not so sure...). There were some beautiful dresses and designs on display, all from different periods and in different styles & colors, but as a guy, I don't think I appreciated this exhibit as much as my girl friends. Also, I found it particularly ironic that most people in the exhibit were watching the YSL Fashion Show on a television screen in the room, even though they were surrounded by the ACTUAL YSL pieces that were shown on the screen. Why pay $10 extra to spend most of your time crowding around a TV instead of enjoying the pieces in person?! I was dumbfounded, but at least that meant more observation room for me!

The Andy Warhol exhibit was incredible, definitely the highlight of my visit. This multi-room exhibit featured the work of one of the biggest badasses of the modern art era. On display was a variety of Warhol's album covers, silkscreen paintings, photographs, films, sound recordings, and stunning illustrations of iconic pop music royalty: Elvis, The Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Grace Jones, and more. What's awesome was that each room was set to a hypnotic soundtrack from the '60s-'80s: the pounding sounds definitely complimented the visuals effectively. The best part of the exhibit was definitely the psychadelic room complete with strobe lights, a plush circular lounge chair, trance-like music and Andy Warhol experimental videos plastered across all walls. I'm not gonna lie, it almost felt like I was on drugs!

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  Entrance to the Warhol exhibit

  Entrance to the Warhol exhibit
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  Brillo display at the Warhol ehibit

  Brillo display at the Warhol ehibit
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  Shot from the outside

  Shot from the outside
• See all photos from Joseph F. for de Young

11/3/2011

This is my favorite museum in the city for the following reasons...

- Always Something Interesting to See...
- I always come out feeling like I've filled my brain with exceptional knowledge
- The exhibits are amazingly put together. I love the story behind every show I've seen there. The complement the artwork by showing videos and allowing you really get a feel of who the artist is and what they were about behind their artwork.
- They have great extra events as well - like live music, kids art days and so on.

Overall, I'm always interested in going to this museum because they do a great job and are top notch in their presentation of their exhibits.

8/9/2011

My Favorite (Past) Exhibitions:
- Yves Saint Laurent
- Vivienne Westwood
- Balenciaga & Spain  
- Chihuly
- Bouquets to Art
- A Feast for the Eye: Food in Art

My Top 5 Favorite Individual Pieces:
- Fruit Still Life by Flora Mace & Joey Kirkpatrick
- Everything that was Blown Glass  
- Cornelia Parker's Hanging Sculpture, Anti-Mass, was constructed by the charred remains of an African American Baptist Church in Alabama that was destroyed by arsonists.
- Wayne Thiebaud's Gumball Machines Painting
- Cathedral made with guns, bullets, etc

I Love the wearable art, blown glass, hanging art, etc.
I Love their Fashion Exhibits.  
This is my Favorite Museum in San Francisco.
I always enjoy coming here.

10/15/2012

This is a special museum. The first time I came here, which was in 2006, I was really excited about a collection that combined contemporary art, folk art and applied art from different parts of the world, and painting from the first half of American history. It almost exoticizes painting and "the fine arts" by featuring paintings from when the medium was still developing in America while making the work from the southern hemispheres and Native American societies that is usually exoticized feel like the mainstream tradition of the world's art.

On a recent visit, in September, I didn't enjoy myself as much. Maybe it was because the composition of the collection was less of a surprise or a novelty, or maybe it was because some of my favorite pieces had been rotated out of the permanent display. One thing that really bothered me was a temporary exhibition of the Paley collection--a private collection assembled in the mid-twentieth century that belongs to the Museum of Modern Art in New York. MoMA is a good place for it: it includes works by Matisse, Picasso, Gauguin, Cezanne, Derain... all the big names who figure in the standard history of modern painting and sculpture. Seeing it at the DeYoung felt weird, because this is a history that the museum's permanent collection ignores. The fact that these works were assembled by a private collector, the large-format photographs of the paintings hanging in the Paleys' home, and the exhibition's title, "A Taste for Modernism," made it seem like an exhibition about interior design--an appropriate theme for the De Young, given its focus on applied art, but it seems like the wrong way to handle these masterworks. In general, I don't like exhibitions of private collections because it becomes about the collectors--not the work of the painters but the money that bought all of it. Sometimes when I'm at major museums I find myself thinking about the structure of the art market and its influence on museum displays, and I like the De Young because it engages a wider variety of art's social contexts and economies. The exhibition of a private collection of modernist masterpieces makes me concerned about the direction the museum is taking, and this is a fairly young museum so it's vulnerable to missteps.

It was hard for me to choose between three and four stars for me personally, but I wouldn't want to discourage anyone from coming for at least one visit, so I'll give it four.

2/26/2009

2nd attempt to check out the De Young with Kari S. and we were successful!

Kari S. found a way to get a discount on tickets especially if you're going to take advantage of visiting the DY and Legion of Honor on a regular basis.  Kari S. - this is why I keep you around. *wink wink*

Flor D. has a great review on the Warhol and YSL exhibit so check it out for more detailed info.  

Warhol Exhibit: I really didn't know much about Warhol but Kari S. did a great job of telling me what she knew about his life.  He seemed to dabble in everything - art, music, movies, and created "Interview" magazine.  

The YSL exhibit was equally impressive, not as large as Warhol's but the pieces that were on display were exquisite.  Plus, I learned the meaning of "haute couture."  *Added bonus*

Other exhibits were of art pieces from New Guinea and Africa.  We took a quick look at the art from New Guinea.  By that time, my back was hurting so we did a quick walk-around.  We missed going up to the top of the tower.  It closes at 4:30 p.m. except on Fridays by which it closes at 8 p.m.

8/6/2009

Note:  This is a review of the King Tut exhibit, not the DeYoung.  The museum itself I woud give 5 stars.

Sort of a letdown (King Tut ).  Maybe it was the huge long lines that I had to wait in to get into the exhibit, or the hype about "the find of the century", or the fact that I had to shell out $28 bucks to get into this show.  In any event, I came out feeling a bit cheated.

Once one endured the wait (kind of like Disneyland, where you wait in a long line, finally get to the front and get in...to another long line) one gets ushered into a waiting room with 199 other people.  There's an intro video about Tut and the find and his relatives and then you are free to walk thru the 10 rooms of displays.  There's definitely some good stuff, everything is about 4000 years old and it is truly interesting.  But it's also truly crowded.

I think the problem is that I had higher expectations.  For one thing all the advertizing has the famous gold mask on it.  There is a gold Tut coffinette that looks like the poster, but its only 14 inches high.  You go from room to room, thinking that in the last room at last you'll get that golden bonanza; in fact in the last room I spied the glow of lots of gold next door...but that turned out to be the retail store and the glow came from all the fake masks they were selling.

Apparently I'm not the only visitor that felt cheated.  I see on the museum's website that there's a blurb about the famous gold mask and how you can view it...in Cairo.  

So it's not like it's not worth seeing if you want to see a bunch of good Pharaoh stuff.  There is an impressive large gilded casket that contained an aunt of Tut.  And for $28, you can also visit the rest of the deYoung, which was great.  I especially recommend the New Guinea exhibit, just as fascinating as Tut, but about 100 times less crowded.

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  This is the guy

  This is the guy

2/18/2009

Warhol and YSL.
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1 full bladder and long line at Academy of Science
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Fun times at  deYoung Museum!

Embracing my inner pop fanatic, I marveled at the sight of so much WARHOL. I loved it. From the drag, the Judy Garland, the Elvis, the Album covers, Mick Jagger and his Sticky Fingers, Liza Minnelli, Debbie Harry, the Brillo boxes, this show had it all.  Did I mention a strobe light room with the sounds of the "The Velvet Underground?"

Awesome, pay the money to see this DUDE.

I am not a high priced fashionista.  I would love to be, but I have a mortgage. I have always appreciated fashion as art. I remember my first Giorgio Armani exhibit at the Guggenheim Museum in NYC: thecityreview.com/armani….
I was in a perpetual daze staring at the clothes.  

Like the Armani exhibit, I was in awe at the YSL exhibit. Utter. Awe.
The bolero jacket, the wedding dresses, the cock feather jacket...yah INSANE. I kept thinking that this is as close as I am ever going to get to  Haute Couture.

Here's a fun fact from ysldeyoung.org :
In 1983, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, under the direction of Diana Vreeland, organizes a major retrospective: Yves Saint Laurent-- 25 Years of Design. It is the first time that a retrospective is created for a living designer.

If you go check this out, you will see why. This man ROCKS!

Although I spent most of my time at these 2 exhibits, I did enjoy the spectacular views from the tower, in addition to the  other colorful exhibits. The large fruit bowl was one of my favorites.
The architecture, the feel, it was perfect for a rainy Sunday.

Again, Awesome, pay the money to see this DUDE.  If you do, you will also get in to the Legion of Honor.
Note the rating might have been influenced by exhibits, but nonetheless...it rocks.

1/21/2013

Loved the variety of exhibits and collections offered - you get a wide range of offerings that will keep you interested on a day long visit. African and Native American art, modern pieces, even biographical exhibits. The docents are knowledgeable and engaging. Pricing for general admission and special exhibits are reasonable, especially compared to other Bay Area art museums, but keep an eye out for special deals or offers. Clean, well-maintained, nicely laid out, and plenty of (paid) parking.

One big disappointment was that the only place to lunch was the museum cafe. An upscale fine dining restaurant is available, by reservation only, at the Academy of Sciences across the way, but otherwise nothing else was available other than a hotdog stand. That said, the de Young Cafe had a nice range of better than average offerings on it's menu.

Also, the parking garage is super easy and convenient. But you pay for it. $25 for the day.

10/23/2011

oh goodness, what could I say that 1000 people already haven't?
Just bought a year membership two months ago and it's already been worth the $95 price, I think I've already gone like 5 times in the past few months. They always have great exhibits and if you get a membership you can also get into the Legion of Honor for free which is another fabulous museum.

7/28/2011

I'm upset because the Picasso exhibit was way overcrowded, despite having designated times for viewing.

Seriously, I don't want to spend close to $30 so I can stand on my tippy toes and twist my neck through a crowd of bodies, just to see a glimpse of a painting.

Three stars for the spiffy architecture, a free bag/coat check, and at least offering a Picasso exhibit.

1/3/2012

We visited the deYoung museum for the Venetian masters exhibit. Surprisingly enough we were more impressed by the rest of the museum. For the high price, the masters exhibit was not that impressive. Also, I had two  malfunctioning tour recording devices. Next time I will just do without those. It is an extra $7 for a tour device.

The cafe food was expensive but delicious. The parking lot was full so we had to drive around for a long time to get street parking which was fine.

If you like art, join the museum and go a few times. You'll get more for your money that way.

12/30/2011

I have been going to this museum for years well before the new building. This museum has a very good permanent collection and is able to  host good exhibitions. The current exhibition I went to see was "Masters Of Venice".

What I DON'T like is the prices of the food in the cafeteria and the quantity. I had a chicken cacciatore which coast $14. The meal came in a bowl with a small chicken leg,partial thigh and a roll. A mini-meal for a giant price.

3/14/2011

I went here on Sunday (03/13/11). Wow...I was amazed by my experience...in a BAD way!!!

Originally, we wanted to see the planetarium but, or course, it was packed and no more passes were given. So we decided to go to the de Young.

1) Ticketing
I showed my student ID and the lady was like "we need a current sticker for the student ID to be valid." I'm like, am I the student or are you the student? (of course, I didn't say it like that) I said, I go into the buildings with this ID all the time but she was acting like she was so sure that there is a sticker for my student ID so we ended up saying, fine, we will pay the full price. However, when we looked at the receipt, she had given me the student discount! urg...so I'm not sure why she was being a pain in the butt.

2) Security
We were looking at a display, which was made with a bunch of materials from weapons. I pointed a part to my bf and below is what happened:

-Security Lady: Please don't touch it
-Me: I didn't touch it
-Security Lady: I know; don't point at it
(in my mind: WTF ~!@# first you yell, don't touch it and now you say I know you didn't touch it and don't point at it?!" AND, am I a douchbag who touches museum displays!?)

-Security Lady: You can't point at it
Me: WTF (in my mind: WTF...really!? WTF)
I'm usually really nice to securities because they are just doing their jobsbut, don't point at it???

This display was not behind ropes or anything. If anything, she should go tell that little kid who was leaning against it when the dad was reading the description!!! I'm so tired of securities who only perform their job when a less threatening subject is in presence, which is me.

Anyway, we left the area because there was no reason to cause a scene with her. However, it had completely killed my mood and all I could think was, "I'm gonna write a 2-star Yelp review for this shenanigans."

3) The museum itself
Seriously, the gift shop at the de Young has more things to see than the entire museum. There, I said it.

Overall, I'm not going back to this place unless there is something I really need to see. This place is dead to me!

3/24/2009

I came to see the Yves Saint Laurent & Warhol exhibits and was blown away.

I walked into the Yves Saint Laurent fashion show, as I like to think of it, and walked amongst mannequins covered in rich fabric from multiple decades of work. Some of the garments were downright outrageous while others were stunning. Descriptions near each piece told Who wore it and When- it was like looking at a piece of history. A video screen projected actual YSL fashion shows and some of the clothing in the exhibit was seen being worn down the runway.

The Warhol was equally impressive in its own way. The extent of the mediums that Warhol used to create art was incredible. Album covers, photographs, film, exhibits- everything. Each room was separated by thick curtains to give you the feel that you were entering another lair of Warhol. One room in particular was dressed with strobe lights and a huge pillowed couch in the middle. His films were projected on the walls. I thought I knew a lot of Warhol's prints before I came to this exhibit but there was so much more.

YSL exhibit ends April 5th & Warhol's leaves May 17. Def. go check them out.

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  Warhol exhibit

  Warhol exhibit
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• See all photos from Chrissy L. for de Young