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The old de Young
Museum, recognizable by its tower overlooking Golden
Gate Park, is currently closed to the public and slated to be replaced
by a new facility. The history of the de Young dates back to the California
Midwinter International Exposition of 1894. The outgoing building, designed
by Louis Christian Mullgardt, opened in 1919 under the direction of Chronicle
co-founder Michael H. de Young. Following the 1989 Loma Prieta
Earthquake, huge steel braces were added to support the well-worn building.
The new de Young has a twisted tower and was
designed by Swiss architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron. Until
the new museum opens in 2005, the permanent collection will tour the world
beginning at the Palazzo Pitti in Florence, Italy. Popular features and
historic architectural elements of the old de Young such as the Pool
of Enchantment will be restored or rebuilt and included in the
new facility. The Spanish monastery portal in the Hearst Court will be relocated
to the University of San Francisco. The Asian
Art Museum was housed in a 1965 wing of the old de Young. It moved to
the remodeled old Main Library at Civic Center in 2003.
Detail
I
Detail II
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about the de Young |