October 2005 saw a flurry of excitement in the City by the Bay as San Franciscans lined up to get their first glimpses of the new de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park. The old museum suffered extensive structural damage in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, some declaring the old museum building the most unsafe public structure in the city. In 2002, the old building, first opened in 1895, was demolished and a roughly $200 million – privately funded – capital project began, culminating in a weekend-long free party in the new museum.

In November 2005, I had the opportunity to visit the new de Young. Having read countless reviews and opinions about the new Herzog & de Meuron-designed structure, I was eager to view it for myself and form my own ideas about the much-talked about architecture, including the observation tower that stands proudly over the young trees surrounding the museum.

But first, I had to make it to the museum.

The Bay Bridge earthquake retrofitting project and corresponding exit redesigns resulted in my getting lost and winding my way to the museum in a roundabout manner. Once in the neighborhood of Golden Gate Park -- and all-too familiar with the lack of available street parking near the museum site – I began to look for the much-touted new underground parking structure. Besides, I wanted to have the full experience of visiting the new museum.

I followed the signs leading to the parking garage and found nothing. I drove around again, wondering how an entire parking garage could vanish. On the second pass, I decided to ignore the signs and instead follow my instincts. This time I successfully entered the garage.

Parking wasn’t the only place where I encountered difficulties with wayfinding. In fact, my one complaint about the new de Young is that the wayfinding is confusing at best. Everything else about my experience was amazing.

From a distance, I regarded the architecture and the imposing tower with suspicion. Once up close, however, I could see the intricate patterning of the external walls and all I wanted to do was touch the perforated, undulating copper. The building was beautiful.

The interior spaces were designed to imply interconnectedness – a theme reflected in the organization of the exhibit areas. Harry Parker, the museum’s former director, has countered criticisms of the collections and the new galleries as being too jumbled and eclectic by stating that the museum’s mission is to reflect the world and for everyone to see “a little of themselves in the museum’s collections.”

Articles have announced that Parker’s vision for the new galleries was an attempt at creating a sense of global inclusion. The result is a museum with an Oceanic gallery that runs into nineteenth century dresses and African headdresses; a gallery of the Americas that starts with pre-Columbian collections, moves into nineteenth and twentieth century northern Native America, then back to ancient Maya and a video about the Mesoamerican ball game; and all throughout windows that peer into other galleries or into large, airy meeting spaces.

Long, angled rooms and the expectation of the unexpected – constantly wondering what will be encountered next, never knowing what might be around the corner – made exploring the new de Young a joy-filled adventure. The blending of indoor and outdoor spaces also contributed to the experience. Large windows allow natural light to filter into the large atrium-like lobby. Just steps outside of the museum entrance lies a delightful sculpture garden. And the twisted tower that so many have complained about is actually the avenue to a breath-taking view of the Park below.

Some may worry that the new de Young is nothing at all like its predecessor. It isn’t. But it is a contemporary reflection of today’s museum values and a treasure for the people of San Francisco and the world.

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