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Arts & Entertainment

Great Escape: San Francisco's Legion of Honor

Pay this oft-forgotten local gem a visit to see the works of European masters.

With the renovation of the DeYoung, the opening of the California Academy of Sciences, and the perennial draw of the SF MoMA, the Legion of Honor often gets overlooked by locals.

On my recent trip to the Legion I heard visitors speaking Russian, French, Italian, Hungarian and German. American accents were few and far between.

On one hand this was shocking to me. On the other, I myself have lived in the Bay Area for four years and this was my first trip to the Legion of Honor, even though it is easily the city's most beautiful and comprehensive museum. Boy, was I sorry that I had stayed away for so long.

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The densely, but beautifully curated collection of European paintings include everything from old masters like Rubens and Rembrandt, to fathers of modern art like Picasso and Matisse.

The artwork here spans over 4,000 years of ancient and European art, and includes sculpture (Rodin, anyone?), furniture, decorative art and incredible household artifacts. The museum's antique pipe organ is played in concert performances every Saturday and Sunday.

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If you dream of sending your kids off to explore the great capitals of Europe, the Legion could be the venue to prepare them for what they might see there. The Legion could also be your spot for romance–its gorgeous Beaux-arts building overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge is a great place to catch a sunset.

The Legion of Honor is located at 100 34th Ave at Clement Street in San Francisco.

It is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, and is closed on Mondays.

Admission is free for children under 12, $10 for adults, $7 for seniors and $6 for students. First Tuesdays of the month are always free of charge.

Check out the Legion of Honor website to find out about upcoming exhibits and for information about the permanent collection. 

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