2 Very Different Museums in San Francisco: de Young Museum & Legion of Honor

2 favorite museums in San Francisco: Art museums and small children are not always a good mix. On our many visits to San Francisco, we avoided the museums and opted for almost non-stop outdoor time in the city’s extraordinary green spaces. But I insisted on going to the two museums in San Francisco that I’d most wanted to visit: the de Young Museum and the Legion of Honor. These two institutions are sister museums yet almost complete opposites, and I love them both. If you enjoy fine art museums, you should make time to visit these two very different museums in San Francisco.

Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (FAMSF)

Both the de Young and Legion of Honor Museums make up the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (famsf.org). These museums work together and, by the way, in 2012 they signed an agreement to collaborate with the Louvre through loans of art works.

What strikes me about the FAMSF is that the two museums are so refreshingly different from each other. One reminds us of Europe and connects us to San Francisco’s past, while the other is very new, opened just in 2005 after being reconstructed following damage during the 1989 Loma Preta earthquake. The exteriors of the museums could not be more different, one neo-Classical, the other very modern.

The Legion of Honor

The Legion of Honor sits on one of San Francisco’s most beautiful locations, a hilltop on Land’s End at the northwestern tip of the San Francisco peninsula. Below the museum are green hills that lead down to the Pacific Ocean, and the Golden Gate Bridge and Marin Headlands sit just a bit off in the distance. The hills of Lincoln Park make a beautiful place for a walk and sunset view after visiting the museum.

The California Palace of the Legion of Honor was constructed for the wealthy Spreckels family in 1924. It’s a replica of the Palais de la Légion d’Honneur in Paris. It stands in memory of the 3600 California men who died in France during World War I.

What art can I see at the Legion of Honor?

The two museums’ collections are also very different. The French Neo-Classical building of the Legion of Honor seems the appropriate setting for its collection of European painting and decorative arts, while the stark contemporary architecture of the de Young fits its often angular, monochromatic forms of the collections of modern, African, and Oceanic art.

One of the most noticeable features of the museum is Rodin’s Thinker, which sits just inside the courtyard of the museum entrance. However, there are many more works by Rodin inside the museum.

The Legion of Honor has a relatively impressive permanent collection of European paintings, including nice examples of work by masters such as Rubens, Rembrandt, Canaletto, Monet, and Manet.

The Legion of Honor also displays ancient art and European decorative arts, including stunning recreations of rooms from palaces and other fine architecture in Europe.

The de Young Museum

However, at the de Young Museum, there is very little evidence of Europe. Instead, the de Young’s contemporary design and collections focus on American painting and reflect a very different feeling and time. The stark architecture outdoors contrasts with the light, airy interior.

What can I see at the de Young Museum?

The de Young Museum houses American art from the 17th century to now, textile arts, Oceanic art, African art, arts of the Americas including an nice collection of Mayan art, and contemporary art.

One of the highlights of the de Young Museum is its permanent collection of 20th century modern art, including works by masters Mark Rothko, Robert Motherwell, Helen Frankenthaler, Frank Stella, and Georgia O’Keefe and local favorite, Wayne Thiebaud.

The 144-foot tower of the de Young is a must-visit, and you don’t need an entrance ticket to visit. Enter the museum, go right and to the elevators, take the elevator up to the Hamon Observation Tower for 360-degree views of San Francisco, the Bay, and Golden Gate Park.

The de Young also has nice outdoor space that should be explored, and the highlight is the sculpture garden, which is free and open to the public.

Visiting the Legion of Honor and de Young Museum with kids:

Which to choose? Of the two museums, my kids (ages 7 and 4) enjoyed the Legion of Honor more.

Because the paintings and sculptures represent things they could recognize, they showed (some) interest by asking questions about who was in the paintings or how a sculpture had been made. They became quickly bored in the rooms of decorative arts, but my older son was mildly interested in the ancient art after he realized how old the pieces were. The Impressionist paintings may appeal to kids. The classical architecture of the Legion of Honor made them feel like they entered a different world.

It’s important to note that the de Young Museum has good programs for children, including afternoon and weekend art classes. The de Young also has a kid-friendly cafe.

Both museums are located in parks, so it’s easy to let kids run around before and after visiting. This is especially true at the de Young, which is surrounded by walking paths, the Music Concourse, the Japanese Garden and the California Academy of Sciences.

Tips for visiting the Legion of Honor and the de Young Museum:

• Advanced reservations are recommended.
• Tickets to special exhibitions include entry to the permanent collections.
• Both museums have nice museum cafes and parks outside for you to relax before or after your visit.
• Don’t miss the Sculpture Garden outside the de Young Museum or the Hamon Observation Tower at the de Young.

de Young Museum hours, Legion of Honor hours

Tues.-Sun. 9:30 a.m.-5:15 p.m., closed Mondays and some holidays

The Hamon Observation Tower at de Young Museum closes at 4:30 pm.

Admission for de Young Museum & Legion of Honor

$15 for adult, children 17 and under are free, special exhibits are an additional fee.

Admission to one museum includes admission to the other museum on the same day.

Discounts are given to those who use public transportation to reach the museum. Muni riders save $2 on adult museum admission. Simply present your valid Muni FastPass or transfer to the cashier when purchasing your admission ticket.

Both museums are included in the San Francisco City Pass.

Discounts are given for advance online purchase and using public transport. More info here.

Parking for the de Young Museum

If you’re willing to walk and get there early, you may be able to find free street parking along Fulton Street in the Golden Gate Park.

Otherwise, plan to utilize the Music Concourse parking garage under Music Concourse (the space between the de Young and CA Academy of Sciences museums). Parking is $5.25 per hour, $6.25 on weekends. Access to the garage is available at Fulton Street and 10th Avenue on the north side, and at Concourse Drive near the California Academy of Sciences from the south. 

Parking for Legion of Honor Museum

Free parking is available in the lots in front of the museum and along the north side of the building.