San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMoMA)

It had been a long wait for modern art lovers, but after a three-year closure and a $305 million renovation and expansion, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) reopened in May 2016, and was it ever worth the wait. A new 10-story addition from the renowned Norwegian design firm Snøhetta integrates seamlessly with the existing black-and-white-striped atrium tower, giving San Francisco‘s SoMa neighborhood some serious eye-candy. It’s also now the largest modern and contemporary art museum in America, with nearly triple its previous gallery space. New to the already impressive collection are selected works from the esteemed Doris and Donald Fisher Collection, featuring significant American and European artists of the 20th and 21st centuries such as Andy Warhol, Ellsworth Kelly, Alexander Calder, Georg Baselitz, Barbara Hepworth, and Henry Moore, among many others. Gifts of painting, sculpture, drawings, media arts, and architecture made to the museum since 2009 also rotate through various galleries, while the entire third floor is dedicated to the Pritzker Center for Photography. Visitors take a breather in the tranquil sculpture garden with enormous living wall, or in the fifth floor Cafe 5. Along with offering free entry to visitors 18 years old and under, SFMOMA invites you to try In Situ, the museum’s signature 150-seat lounge and restaurant, helmed by Michelin-star chef Corey Lee, with a menu of dishes culled from the recipes of some 80 chefs from around the world.

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, or SFMOMA, which reopened in 2016 after a three-year closure and expansion, put the city back on the global art map, with three times the gallery space, 19 special exhibitions, 260 postwar and contemporary works from the Fisher Collection, and a new light-drenched building by Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta. Today, the museum has 33,000 works in its collection, thanks in large part to gifts from the Fisher Collection—so it’s best not to go it alone. This being San Francisco, the museum is also leading the way in the intersection of digital innovation and art. The SFMOMA audio app combines immersive audio storytelling and location-aware technology. Bring headphones, download the app, and listen to artists, comedians, playwrights, and others as you make your way through the galleries. Or if you’d rather take a tour with a docent, call ahead to book an expert-led private tour of the Fisher Collection. Ask about access to the restoration room, where works of art are painstakingly brought back to life. And whether you are touring with a digital or human guide, hit pause long enough to enjoy lunch and a glass of wine al fresco in the fifth floor sculpture garden.

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After being closed for three years, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art reopened in spring 2016 with a just-added 10-story expansion by the Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta. The new space provides room for some of the collection’s larger pieces, like Richard Serra’s monumental Sequence and mobiles by Alexander Calder, to shine. The museum’s collection covers the best of modern and contemporary art in the United States, Europe and beyond, but it places special emphasis on Californian artists. From photographers of the American West to the latest works incorporating technology, the museum brings a decidedly San Francisco perspective to its mission.

This is a cool place to visit in San Francisco and if you buy a city pass you get free admission! You can find more info on the city pass by searching for it on google. Bring a camera and shoot away, but there are certain exhibits that you’re not allowed to photograph.

SF MOMA is great for contemporary art. As a bonus is located near Yerba Buena Garden and it is housed in an amazing building.

Note from AFAR: After a three-year renovation, the museum is open once again, now with 7 floors and 7 miles of gallery space. One of my favorite museums in San Francisco is the Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). In addition to the main exhibition, the museum always displays supplementary art and photography exhibitions, which are almost always amazing. There are five floors, every floor beaming with innovative, contemporary art. Modern art spans a wide domain, so there is something for the art lover at every age. One of the crowning glories of the museum is the architecture itself, so you’ll be amazed even before you step in. It’s easy to maneuver through the rooms and passages for hours and hours.

The perfect place for a solo or date night. A must when new exhibits are in.