Photos

The new de Young museum building in San Francisco officially opens October 15th, 2005. The previous de Young museum closed in 2000 after sustaining damage during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, a 7.1 temblor which caused widespread damage in the Bay Area (Prayers for those in Pakistan, India and Afghanistan who are affected by the recent earthquake).

The new building is a good fit for the multi-cultural art collection inside. Designed by Herzog & De Meuron, a Swiss team who won the Architectural Pritzker prize in 2001, the building is clad in copper mesh and panels, which will gradually oxidize and change color over time. Behind the main building is the tower with a ninth story observation deck where there is an amazing view of Golden Gate Park and the surrounding neighborhood. There are some who think the structure is drab and ugly. At the moment, the shiny copper has dulled to the color of an old penny, so it is probably not looking its best (eventually, the copper is supposed to age to a green patina color, blending in with the park's surrounding nature). However, I think the new museum's design will grow on people, and whatever one might think about the outside, the galleries, design layout and exhibits inside are amazing, and well worth a visit.

For more information: SF Fine Art Museums link

Recent opinions: San Francisco Chronicle link
NYTimes article