Frommer's San Francisco 2012 - Matthew Poole [123]
678 Mission St. (btw. Third and New Montgomery sts.). 415/357-1848. www.californiahistoricalsociety.org. $3 adults, $1 seniors/students. North Baker Research Library Wed–Fri noon–5pm. Galleries Wed–Sat noon–4:30pm. Bus: 5, 9, 14, 15, 30, or 45. Streetcar: F line or Metro to Montgomery St.
Contemporary Jewish Museum ★ Maybe the best reason to visit this new addition to the Yerba Buena Gardens area is the building. Carved out of a 1907 power substation designed by Willis Polk, New York architect Daniel Libeskind married the old Beaux Arts brick facade to a shiny, modern blue-steel cube that looks a bit like an alien spaceship crashed into the roof. Libeskind actually based the design on the Hebrew letters of the word chai (life). Inside, the look is geometry-meets-modern-industrial, with soaring skylights and enormous windows that illuminate exhibits on Jewish culture, history, art, and ideas. The cafe offers sandwiches, salads, and traditional Jewish fare such as matzo ball soup, latkes, and bagels with lox.
736 Mission St. (btw. Third and Fourth sts.). 415/655-7800. www.thecjm.org. Admission $10 adults, $8 seniors/students. $5 Thurs after 5pm. Fri–Tues 11am–5pm; Thurs 1–8pm. Closed Passover, July 4, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Thanksgiving, and New Year’s Day. Bus: 5, 9, 14, 15, 30, or 45. Streetcar: F line or Metro to Montgomery St.
de Young Museum ★★★ After closing for several years, San Francisco’s oldest museum (founded in 1895) reopened in late 2005 in its state-of-the-art Golden Gate Park facility. Its vast holdings include one of the finest collections of American paintings in the United States from Colonial times through the 20th century, as well as decorative arts and crafts; Western and non-Western textiles; and arts from Africa, Oceania, and the Americas. Along with superb revolving exhibitions, the de Young has long been beloved for its educational programs for both children and adults, and now it’s equally enjoyed for its stunning architecture and sculpture-graced garden. The striking facade consists of 950,000 pounds of textured and perforated copper that’s intended to patinate with age, while the northeast corner of the building features a 144-foot tower that slowly spirals from the ground floor and culminates with an observation floor offering panoramic views of the entire city (from a distance, it has the surreal look of a rusty aircraft carrier cruising through the park). Surrounding sculpture gardens and lush, grassy expanses are perfect for picnicking. Adding to the allure is surprisingly good and healthy organic fare at the grab-and-go or order-and-wait cafe/restaurant. Note: Underground parking is accessed at 10th Avenue and Fulton Street. Also, admission tickets to the de Young may be used on the same day for free entrance to the Legion of Honor (see below).
50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr. (inside Golden Gate Park, 2 blocks from the park entrance at Eighth Ave. and Fulton). 415/750-3600 or 863-3330. www.famsf.org. Admission adults $10, seniors $7, youths 13–17 and college students with ID $6, children 12 and under free. Free 1st Tues of the month. $2 discount for Muni riders with Fast Pass or transfer receipt. Tues–Sun 9:30am–5:15pm (Fri until 8:45pm [except Dec]). Closed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Bus: 5, 16AX, 16BX, 21, 44, or 71.
A sculpture at the de Young Museum.
The de Young Museum.
The Exploratorium ★★★ Scientific American magazine rated the Exploratorium “the best science museum in the world”—and I couldn’t agree more. Inside you’ll find hundreds of exhibits that give you hands-on