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After suffering irreparable damage in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, the de Young, founded in 1895, was demolished, rebuilt and reopened in the Fall of 2005. The gigantic three-level copper-clad edifice, designed by the Pritzker Prize-winning firm of Herzog & De Meuron, has double the exhibition space of the former building, plus a 144-foot tower that spirals up above the surrounding treetops and is topped with an observation gallery with stunning San Francisco views in all directions. The museum’s copper facade is perforated to imitate dappled light. It is the largest copper clad building in the world and over time, its skin will weather and eventually take on a green patina that will blend with its surroundings. The museum is the largest cultural gift ever given to San Francisco and is considered one of the largest private gifts given to a public institution in the United States. More than 7,000 people donated amounts ranging from $5 t0 $10 million.
163,118 square feet of copper in the main building and tower. 300,000 lbs of glass is in the building. 344 new trees were planted at the de Young, 48 of those were planted inside the building. A lot more about the inception, construction and opening of the de Young Museum can be obtained at this San Francisco Chronicle site: http://www.sfgate.com/deyoung/ 1895: The new Egyptian Revival style, Memorial Museum opens on March 24. See the original Midwinter Memorial Museum: 1919: A new Spanish style building, designed by Louis Christian Mulgardt is completed nearby. 1921: A central section together with the familiar tower are added to the building. The museum changes its name to M. H. de Young Museum after the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper publisher. See the new 1921 wing and Spanish tower 1925: A west wing is completed. De Young dies. 1929: The original Egyptian building is declared unsafe and demolished. Click here to see a virtual tour of the previous Spanish style de Young Museum's front. 1989: The Loma Prieta earthquake damages the museum and $10 million worth of irreplaceable art. 2000: The de Young closes on December 31. The building would be demolished to make way for a new museum on the site. 2002: After a seven-year battle to build a new M. H. de Young Memorial Museum in the Golden Gate Park, San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors gives its blessing to the project. 2003: Construction begins on the new de Young Museum, designed by the Swiss architectural team Herzog & de Meuron. 2005: On October 15 the new museum opens to the public.
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©2006 George Auzans.
All Rights Reserved.