Experience the best of de Young Museum

Enjoy a docent-led exploration of the *Monet and Venice* exhibition. Discover how Claude Monet captured Venice’s shimmering canals, landmarks, and changing light through his iconic Impressionist paintings while gaining deeper insights into his artistic techniques, inspirations, and the stories behind the works.

Loved by over 55 million guests worldwide

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de Young Museum Tour

Explore at your pace

Enjoy general entry to the Monet and Venice exhibition and explore Claude Monet’s Impressionist views of the city at the de Young Museum.
Wander through the exhibition at your own pace, taking time to appreciate key works and details that interest you most.
Take a closer look at the exhibition’s standout paintings and themes as you move through the galleries on a self-guided visit.
Spend as long as you like in the exhibition, making it easy to fit the visit into your schedule without a fixed tour time.
Use your ticket for entry to the Monet and Venice exhibition—no docent-led tour or guided session is included.

More details

Enjoy general entry to the Monet and Venice exhibition and explore Claude Monet’s Impressionist views of the city at the de Young Museum.
Wander through the exhibition at your own pace, taking time to appreciate key works and details that interest you most.
Take a closer look at the exhibition’s standout paintings and themes as you move through the galleries on a self-guided visit.
Spend as long as you like in the exhibition, making it easy to fit the visit into your schedule without a fixed tour time.
Use your ticket for entry to the Monet and Venice exhibition—no docent-led tour or guided session is included.

from

$25

Pro tips to help you make a pick

General Admission includes the permanent collections and Hamon Observation Tower. If a headline show is your main goal, buy Special Exhibition tickets, since standard admission does not automatically include every temporary exhibition and vice versa.

Online booking usually lets you bypass the on-site ticket purchase line and go straight to ticket scanning and security. It does not skip security, timed exhibition checks, or elevator waits for the Hamon Observation Tower.

Compare the same-day de Young + Legion of Honor ticket only if you can commit most of a full day to museum visits. It gives access to both Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, but many casual visitors find two museums in one day rushed.

Plan around a 2–4 hour visit. If you have only 1.5–2 hours, skip the two-museum combo and special exhibition add-ons unless one specific show is your main reason for coming.

If you are booking a special exhibition, choose a timed slot near opening or later in the afternoon for a calmer visit. Midday is usually the busiest period for crowd-drawing temporary shows.

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About de Young Museum

American art from the 17th through the 21st centuries sits alongside international textiles and galleries devoted to Africa, Oceania, and the Americas at the de Young Museum. That combination gives it a broader geographic range than many art museums centered on Europe. The Hamon Observation Tower and the copper-clad Herzog & de Meuron building add another layer to the visit.

Did you know?

The current de Young building opened in 2005 after the previous museum was damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

The museum’s copper façade was designed to weather over time and gradually change color so it blends more closely with the surrounding park landscape.

The Hamon Observation Tower rises about 144 feet above Golden Gate Park and is typically included with general admission.

Textiles and other light-sensitive works are rotated regularly, so a repeat visit may show different pieces even within the same collection area.

The de Young and Legion of Honor together make up the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, the largest public arts institution in the city.

Why visit de Young Museum?

360° views from the Hamon Observation Tower

A glass elevator takes you to the viewing room at the top of the Hamon Observation Tower, which rises about 144 feet above the park. Floor-to-ceiling windows open 360° views across Golden Gate Park, the Marin Headlands, and the downtown skyline.

American Art from Four Centuries

The American art galleries cover the 17th through the 21st centuries, with paintings, sculpture, and decorative arts across multiple floors. They trace the development of American visual culture from colonial portraits to modern works in a single museum visit.

Textiles and Costumes in Rotating Displays

The museum holds one of the most significant collections of textiles and costumes in the United States, numbering in the tens of thousands of pieces. Displays range from historic quilts to contemporary fashion, and rotations mean the exact selection can change between visits.

Africa, Oceania, and Americas Galleries

These galleries bring together masks, sculptures, ceremonial objects, Pacific carvings, and Indigenous works from across the Americas. They give the museum a wider cultural scope than a collection focused only on American or European art.

Copper-Clad Architecture in Golden Gate Park

The current building opened in 2005 and was designed by Herzog & de Meuron. Its copper façade was made to weather and gradually change color, while outdoor sculptures, courtyards, and landscaped areas make the architecture part of the museum experience.

Plan your visit

Main Entrance (Music Concourse / Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive)

Located on the east side of the museum facing the Music Concourse, this is the primary entrance for nearly all visitors. Use it whether you already have a ticket, need to buy one on arrival, or are visiting with a group. Tickets are checked just inside the lobby, and bag inspection or other security checks may take place at or near entry. The approach is level or gently sloped, with accessible doors and step-free access to the galleries. Lines are usually short to moderate, but they can grow on weekends, free days, and at opening time for major special exhibitions.