Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
3
San Francisco
Arts Commission
Gallery
401 Van Ness Ave.
Map
4 F5.
Te l
554-
6080.
@
5, 19, 21, 47, 49.
v
J, K, L,
M, N, T.
Closed
until mid-2015.
7
∑
sfartscommission.org/gallery
1
Asian Art
Museum
200 Larkin St.
Map
4 F5.
Tel
581-3500.
@
5, 19, 21, 31, 47, 49.
v
F, J, K, L, M, N,
T.
Civic Center.
Open
10am-5pm
Tue-Sun (to 9pm Thu).
Closed
public
hols.
&
except 1st Tue of month.
7
8
=
-
∑
asianart.org
Located in the Veterans Building
(see p129)
, this dynamic gallery
shows paintings, sculptures, and
multimedia works made by local
artists. The gallery's previous
location is now View 155, an
annex gallery southeast of the
main gallery at 155 Grove Street.
Some photography exhibitions
are on display at City Hall.
The Asian Art Museum is
located on Civic Center Plaza
across from City Hall in a
building that was the crown
jewel of the Beaux Arts
movement in San Francisco.
The former Main Library, built
in 1917, underwent major
renovation in 2001 to create the
largest museum outside Asia
devoted exclusively to Asian art.
The museum's holdings
include more than 17,000 art
objects spanning 6,000 years of
history and representing cultures
and countries throughout Asia.
Among the exhibits is a gilt
bronze Buddha, one of the oldest
Chinese Buddhas in the world.
There are also venues for perfor-
mances and festivals, a library, a
hands-on discovery center where
families can explore Asian art
and culture, and classrooms for
educational programs.
The café's beautiful outdoor
terrace overlooks the Civic
Center and Fulton Street mall.
Interior of San Francisco Art
Commission Gallery
2
Bill Graham
Civic Auditorium
99 Grove St.
Map
4 F5.
Tel
624-8900.
@
5, 7, 19, 21, 47, 49, 71.
v
J, K, L, M,
N, T.
Civic Center.
Open
for performances.
∑
billgrahamcivic.com
Designed in Beaux Arts
style
(see pp48-9)
by
architect John Galen
Howard to form a major
part of the Panama-
Pacific Exposition
(see
pp32-3)
, San Francisco's
Civic Auditorium was
opened in 1915, and
since then has been
one of the city's most
prominent performance
venues. It was inaugurated by
the French pianist and
composer Camille Saint Saens.
The building was completed
along with City Hall,
in the course of the
massive architectural
renaissance that
followed the disasters
of 1906
(see pp30-31)
. It
was built, together with
the adjoining Brooks
Exhibit Hall, beneath
the Civic Center Plaza.
The Civic Auditorium
now serves as the
city's main conference
center, and has the
capacity to seat 7,000
people. In 1992 its
name was changed in
honor of the legendary
Bill Graham
(see p131)
,
the local rock music
impresario who was a
pivotal figure in both
the development and
promotion of the
city's trademark
psychedelic sound.
Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall
4
Louise M. Davies
Symphony Hall
201 Van Ness Ave.
Map
4 F5.
Tel
552-
8000.
@
21, 47, 49.
v
J, K, L, M, N, T.
Civic Center.
7
8
552-8338.
∑
sfsymphony.org
See Entertainment p252
.
Loved and loathed in equal
measure by the citizens of
San Francisco, this curving,
glass-fronted concert hall was
constructed in 1980 - the
creation of architects Skidmore,
Owings, and Merrill. The ultra-
modern hall is named for the
prominent philanthropist who
donated $5 million of the $35
million construction cost. It is
home to the San Francisco
Symphony Orchestra and also
welcomes many visiting artists.
The acoustics of the building
were disappointing when it first
opened, but after many years of
negotiations a new sound system
was installed. The interior was
also redesigned, and the walls
were resculptured to reflect
sound better. These measures
improved the acoustics.
Grand staircase in the Asian Art Museum
