Modern art museum, Art gallery, Art museum, Tourist attraction
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
One of the largest modern and contemporary art museums in the United States, SFMOMA spreads Warhol, Lichtenstein and Frida Kahlo, photography and large immersive installations across seven levels of a spacious, open building.
The story
The collection runs from familiar names to provocative, avant-garde pieces, with paintings, photography and large-scale sculpture arranged floor by floor. The "Thinking Big" galleries on the third floor lead up to a glass walkway, and an outdoor sculpture terrace looks out over the city beside a living wall, the largest of its kind in the country. Even the brightly coloured toilets are worth a look. Rotating exhibitions keep the building changing: recent shows have included Matisse, KAWS, Yayoi Kusama and Jacob Hashimoto's Giant Arc, made from thousands of handmade kites. RM x SFMOMA: Between You and Me presents RM's personal collection, including many Korean artworks never before exhibited in the US, alongside pieces from the museum's holdings. A ground-floor cafe and two gift shops, one stocking children's art books, round out a visit.
Good to know
TAGGG AI- ✦Drop off large bags on arrival; backpacks brought into the galleries must be worn on your front.
- ✦Plan around the rotating exhibitions, since parts of the museum can be closed between shows, and big special exhibitions get crowded.
- ✦The building is easy to navigate with a stroller, and the ground-floor cafe serves quick dishes like a vegan quiche.
