The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) is located in the South of Market neighborhood on 3rd Street. The complex occupies 18,500 square meters, of which 5,000 is exhibition space.
The museum fund has more than 30,000 exhibits and is entirely dedicated to the art of the 20th century. The halls present paintings, sculptures, design and architecture objects, photographs and installations.
The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art opened its doors in 1935. Sixty years later, it was moved to the current building, built by Swiss artist Mario Botta. His creation is difficult to attribute to any style. The center of the structure is a tower, which is crowned by a round screen, popularly nicknamed “the eye of the Cyclops.”
In addition to enjoying the objects of modern art, the museum offers a stroll through the sculpture garden. A Caffè Museo with an espresso bar awaits visitors on the first floor of the building, and a small Rooftop Coffee Bar on the roof, where workers create cookies and cakes in original shapes.
Exhibitions and events
The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art’s rich collection is showcased in temporary and permanent exhibitions.
The main exhibitions tell the story of 20th century art movements and introduce visitors to famous works. On the fifth floor, you’ll see a collection of sculptures by Carole Bove and John Chamberlain created from distressed metal, as well as works of pop art, minimalism and figurative art. There are paintings by artists who worked from the 1960s to the present. The most valuable are Dan Flavin’s light composition “Monument to V. Tatlin”, Saul Levitt’s abstractions “Wall Drawings 273” and Roy Lichtenstein’s “Figures and Sunset”.
Julie Meretu’s huge abstractions hang by the main staircase of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Go up to the 6th floor and enjoy German contemporary art. The following exhibits await viewers: “Gymnastics” by Gerhard Richter, an untitled canvas by postmodernist Sigmar Polke, “Ludwig Richter on his way to work” by neo-expressionist Georg Baselitz, “Sulamith” by Anselm Kiefer and more.
The American art collection is on the 4th floor. Canvases, sculptures and installations of this exhibition will not leave any fan of modern art indifferent. Paintings by Joana Mitchell, Elsworth Kelly, Louis Maurice, Cy Twombly, Bryce Marden, Agnes Martin and others are on view.
Through 2017, the museum’s main building is under renovation and expansion; the exhibit is partially on display in three branches in San Francisco.
The 2nd floor of the museum features world-famous masterpieces – Henri Matisse’s “Woman in the Hat,” Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, Jackson Pollock’s “Secret Keepers,” Mark Rothko’s “Number 14” and Ruta Asawa’s wire sculpture.
In addition to creating exhibits, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art staff is involved in organizing film screenings, parties, creative meetings and lectures. It’s easy to keep track of the poster on the institution’s official website.
