M. H. de Young Memorial Museum, Fine arts museum in Golden Gate Park, United States
The M. H. de Young Memorial Museum is an art museum in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California, housed in a building wrapped in copper panels that reflect and absorb light throughout the day. A tower measuring approximately 44 meters (144 feet) rises above the surrounding trees, offering views in every direction across the park and city beyond.
The museum grew out of the California Midwinter International Exposition held in 1894, with the building opening the next year to house exhibits from that event. After decades in a period revival building damaged by earthquakes, the institution moved into a new structure in the early 21st century designed to meet seismic standards.
The institution honors Michael H. de Young, a San Francisco newspaper publisher who championed the founding of the museum after a world exposition. Visitors can walk through galleries dedicated to American painting, where works from different centuries hang side by side, while the African sculpture collection occupies specially designed rooms that highlight the objects' forms and textures.
Access is from Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive in the eastern section of Golden Gate Park, near other cultural institutions and green spaces. Visitors planning to use the observation platform should expect wait times, as the space at the top holds a limited number of people at once.
The copper facade changes color over the years through natural oxidation, so no two visits show the same appearance on the outer walls. The perforated copper panels allow daylight to filter into interior spaces, creating shifting patterns of light on the gallery walls throughout the day.
Location: San Francisco
Inception: March 24, 1895
Founders: M. H. de Young
Architects: Louis Christian Mullgardt, Herzog & de Meuron
Official opening: 1894
Part of: Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
Address: Golden Gate Park
Opening Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 09:30-17:15; Monday off
Phone: +1(415)7503600
Website: https://deyoung.famsf.org
GPS coordinates: 37.77147,-122.46868
Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:25
This collection presents significant architectural works from different periods and continents. From medieval cathedrals to contemporary skyscrapers, the selection documents the technical and aesthetic development of building design. The listed buildings were created by influential architects and have shaped the evolution of modern architecture. The list includes religious structures such as Gothic churches and monasteries, public facilities like museums and concert halls, and residential buildings that established new construction standards. Each building demonstrates particular structural solutions or stylistic features that contribute to understanding architectural history. The selection offers insights into various building styles, materials and construction methods.
Jacques Herzog co-founded Herzog & de Meuron with Pierre de Meuron, an architecture firm that has completed projects across multiple continents. The portfolio includes museums, stadiums, residential buildings and cultural centers in Europe, Asia and the Americas. Each project responds to its specific urban context with tailored architectural solutions. Completed works include the conversion of the Tate Modern in London, the National Stadium in Beijing for the 2008 Olympics, the Elbphilharmonie concert hall in Hamburg, and the Pérez Art Museum in Miami. The buildings feature experimental facade treatments and innovative use of materials. Herzog & de Meuron received the Pritzker Prize in 2001.
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