de Young Museum
The Verdict
"Skip the line and go straight to Hamon Observation Tower. It's free, and the 360-degree views of the park and ocean are best from this structure."
What you need to know
The de Young is Golden Gate Park’s fine arts museum, in a copper-clad building designed by Herzog & de Meuron.
What to Expect
The museum traces its origins to 1895, when it opened to house the collection from the 1894 California Midwinter International Exposition; the current building replaced an earlier structure damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. American art, international textiles, and major traveling exhibitions fill the galleries. The Hamon Observation Tower gives 360-degree views of the park, the ocean, and downtown, and it is free to enter without a museum ticket. Admission is free the first Tuesday of every month.
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