Farewell Favorites: Old de Young
The old de Young Museum, recognizable by its tower overlooking Golden Gate Park, is currently closed to the public and slated to be replaced by a new facility. The history of the de Young dates back to the California Midwinter International Exposition of 1894. The outgoing building, designed by Louis Christian Mullgardt, opened in 1919 under the direction of Chronicle co-founder

Michael H. de Young. Following the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake, huge steel braces were added to support the well-worn building. The new de Young has a twisted tower and was designed by Swiss architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron. Until the new museum opens in 2005, the permanent collection will tour the world beginning at the Palazzo Pitti in Florence, Italy. Popular features and historic architectural elements of the old de Young such as the Pool of Enchantment will be restored or rebuilt and included in the new facility. The Spanish monastery portal in the Hearst Court will be relocated to the University of San Francisco. The Asian Art Museum was housed in a 1965 wing of the old de Young. It moved to the remodeled old Main Library at Civic Center in 2003.

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Detail II

More about the de Young


Copyright 2001 Hank Donat
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