Legion of Honor

This has to be one of my favorite museums in SF. I enjoy walking around the outside after viewing the art collection and soaking in the beautiful ocean views. A must see.

Beautiful art, atmosphere, breathtaking views; one of the many reasons why you tend to leave your heart in San Francisco.

Love it here– 2 stories of art throughout the centuries filled with artifacts, paintings, sculptures, and even a mummy exhibit (when I went earlier this week). There’s a café on the bottom floor and clean bathrooms as well. Before or after the museum, the view of the Golden Gate Bridge and surrounding hiking areas are great as well.
*free first Tuesday of the month
*relatively easy parking

By far my favorite museum in San Francisco. They’ve got a fantastic collection of art, and the building itself is classically beautiful. You’re welcomed inside by Rodin’s «The Thinker» and a glass pyramid (a bit similar to the ones at the Louvre).
Lots of Dutch work (think Rubens, Rembrandt), and there’s an entire room dedicated to Rodin works. High ceilings with natural light flooding in gives the museum a beautiful ambiance. I could sit on the bench in the impressionist room (Manet, Monet, Seurat, Degas, van Gough, etc) for hours!
We arrived just in time yesterday to hear the organ concert. Apparently they do it in the Rodin room every Saturday and Sunday at 4pm. We stopped to listen for a few minutes, but it was really magical to wander through the galleries and hearing the music as we went.
Parking is easy (and free)! And the views from the parking lot are breathe taking. You can see lands end, and there’s lots of tables and chairs around to take it all in.

Fabulous museum in a beautiful setting. The special exhibits are fantastic, The 2015 Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection was especially memorable. The Café is a nice spot for lunch, free parking.

Locals call it, ‘The Palace of Legion of Honor’ — generously gifted to the City by the Speckles (Sugar) family. After you park (multiple parking areas around the museum) stroll around and take awhile to appreciate the numerous spectacular City views.
Yes, that’s one of Rodin’s 10 copies of «The Thinker.» And it gets better.
Take your time… enjoy each floor, each gallery, restrooms on the lower level. Look for the three golden angels as you walk into the Café.

What a wonderful facility — you need days to truly appreciate the incredible artwork. Unfortunately, we did not have time to take in the whole museum (the Bonnard exhibit was highly recommended). As we walked up the driveway to the museum I was struck by the fact that there is a public golf course on both sides of the drive and a stunning view of the Golden gate Bridge once you reach the top of the hill.
The building itself is stunning (needs a little TLC) and the exhibits that we saw were just as stunning. Monet, Renoir, Degas, van Gough to name a few along with numerous other offerings. You can spend a long time in front of «The Russian Bride’s Attire», a huge painting, and really look at the story being portrayed.
Definitely a stop on a «must see» visit to San Francisco.

You have until May 15 to get on over to the Legion and see the Bonnard exhibit… and if you like impressionist art (Renior, Van Gogh, etc), bright hues or pattern in art, then I highly recommend you go. I didn’t know much about the artist, but now I’m a fan.
I’m always good for a nosh at the café too. I wish the Legion weren’t such a PITA to get to from the East Bay.

Small but with great rooms and a few famous works. View outside is scenic of the ocean.
Lovely to have cappuccino under olive trees in the museum café.

My schedule was getting tight, but based on the local recommendation this area was beautiful and the place to see. So, I made the trip by bus from downtown, and only one transfer I was here. Unfortunately, the museum was closed for renovation, but just walking around it, you find a golf course, a view of the Golden Gate Bridge, a great park, and your day will be complete!

Pretty view of golden gate bridge. Great architecture.
Only saw the exterior. Was closed when we visited.

Definitely a tourist trap, but well worth a visit anyways. The Legion is beautiful both inside and out. Parking can be finicky and the chambers do get crowded sometimes, but there is nothing quite like enjoying a Picasso or taking in the «Thinker» and then stepping outside for a moderate hike to Lands End and catching a sunset and views of the Golden Gate.

Legion of Honor is also one of the must see museums in San Francisco. The structure is nice and there are decent collections in the gallery. They have a Map and Visitor Guide in the entrance that you can grab freely so you can walk around on your own.
We didn’t think we needed the tour since we prefer to actually tour on our own pace. But might sign in next time we visit. They also have a Porcelain Gallery at the lower level that you can check out.
General admission is $ 10 and it includes a same day admission to de Young Museum. Definitely worth it although these two museums are not close to each other. So if you want to go to both museums, you can check this one first in the morning, then de Young in the afternoon.
Anyway, my boyfriend and I had to come here early to get good parking. It gets packed in the afternoon so beware.
There is a shop that you can check out for some art books, gifts, and home decors. The Museum Café offers classic American and European cuisine but didn’t get to try it though.
Museum is closed most Mondays and select holidays.

Legion of Honor is the perfect place to spend a rainy day. My parents and I spent 3 hours browsing its many, many halls of renaissance and classical European art. This is NOT a place you go to look at modern art, because you will not find any here. Although you can tell that just by looking at the architecture of the building.
You know that scene in Pride & Prejudice where Elizabeth is in sheer awe of Mr. Darcy’s estate? That’s exactly how I felt being here. This place is just majestic, down to every detail.
There’s a café and a great museum shop downstairs. The largest painting I’ve ever seen, called «The Russian Bride’s Attire» is not to be missed. They also have a couple Degas, Monet, Manet and van Gough’s as well.
Come and see this place, at least once. Your visiting family will love it too. Legion of Honor makes for a very nice high-​brow activity.

Despite what the name suggests, Legion of Honor is not a military museum. Instead, this is the museum of European arts as a part of the San Francisco fine arts museum system. As impressive as the Greco-​Roman temple architecture, Legion of Honor’s art collection is definitely worth checking out!
The museum architecture is a masterpiece of its own: a fine example of a Greek column temple placed on top of the hill with spectacular view of San Francisco — certainly worthy of the collection that the museum holds within! In its medium-​sized collection, you will find both familiar classics like Rodin sculptures and exciting surprises like a old basilica dome ceiling. Even without an audio guide, you will find at least a handful of art pieces to awe you.
By the way, did you know the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco is in a collaboration with Paris’s famous Musee du Louvre? That means you may be able to catch the glimpse of France’s world-​famous art collection without having to fly!
Expect to spend about 1 – 2 hours in here, but your admission also includes the de Young Museum, which is the modern art counterpart, so plan for that as well! Even if you do not intend to enter, you should still go and see this impressive building with a remarkable view.
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tl;dr version:
1) European arts «department» of the SF Fine Arts Museums
2) Awesome medium-​sized collection that may/​may not have Louvre pieces
3) Spectacular building to see on its own with a remarkable view

The short: Stunning museum worth many repeated visits
I have known about this place for some time and my friends and I have roamed the grounds for pictures. I had no idea that it was a museum! The exterior is wonderful for pictures, and I have seen several engagement/​wedding shoots here too. There’s Rodin’s Thinker in the front of the museum, along with a glass pyramid, similar to the one at the Louvre.
Once inside, the ticketing process is very easy and there’s a quick bag check. For first-​timers, it helps to know that the whole museum is shaped like a U. You’re in the deep part of the U at the entrance.
It was only a couple days ago that I stepped foot inside here for the first time. I came for the Breguet exhibit, which was very magical and astounding.
Having arrived at the museum in the late afternoon, I didn’t have a lot of time to pause and admire and contemplate the works of art in other galleries of the museum. I skimmed over the book collection and the porcelain and the silver wares. Instead, I spent most of my time on the Impressionist paintings and admiring the floors, the ceilings, and just the joyous moments of being inside a stunning museum. This museum is very open and for a January weekend (also the second to last day of the Breguet collection), it wasn’t too crowded.
I’m going to try to make it a goal to come here at least once a season!
There’s also a marvelous free (!) organ concert every Saturday and Sunday starting at 4 pm! The lovely music can be heard throughout the museum, though it is best heard in gallery 10 on the upper level.

Of all the Legions around, the Legion of Honor is probably the best Legion in Northern California. Humor aside, this fine art museum lies at the northwestern tip of the City in Lincoln Park just south of the Golden Gate Bridge. Parking can be very difficult in the area, but transit is also limited, so getting here is a bit more difficult than finding the Legion of Doom.
The entry is just impressive. You walk through a large courtyard bounded by tall columns with a sweeping view of the City and Golden Gate. The layout of the interior is equally impressive with high ceilings and large display areas. Most of the artwork is classic with few modern or post modern exhibits. There is a nice Rodin sculpture area and a decent collection of Impressionists. The basement usually hosts traveling exhibitions with an additional admission fee.
The Legion of Honor is partnered with the de Young Museum, so memberships work at both facilities. It is a beautiful place with a beautiful collection in a beautiful — if remote — location. Assuming you can find a parking space, art lovers will love the trip.

The Legion of Honor is probably one of the most beautiful museums architecturally and in what is housed within. Unfortunately, unless you are somewhat well versed in the historical elements of a certain room, you can only see pieces for their aesthetic value. Nonetheless, it is still fun to walk from room to room appreciating the various details of the different time periods.
Occasionally, a docent or a well-​versed visitor will give a short lecture on certain works. We were lucky enough to listen in on a explanation of the French salons. The docent covered everything from the architecture all the way to the nuances of how the furniture was oriented!
The current special exhibit on Breguet timepieces is also worth the $ 5 in my opinion. The pieces are incredibly well-​preserved and quite a spectacle to view.
My only complaint would probably be the standoff-​ish nature of some of the employees. The lady working the front desk literally deigned to welcome us to the museum… it was very cold and odd. Then, at the gift shop, mom and I had to wait for the cashier to finish her idle conversation with the other store manager before we could proceed with our purchase — rude!

I was never really fond of museums but this place definitely was beautiful. The external architecture was stunning. When I went here, there was a photoshoot for couples which I thought was interesting. Maybe I’ll do one here.
The place was super quiet and everyone seemed to mind their own business. I spent about a total of almost two hours just looking at paintings and other forms of art.
My favorite piece was the Apocalypse painting. Majority of the painting was color black, but the color red brought attention to it that intrigued me.
Outside of the museum, you could see the Golden Gate Bridge and you could go there to take pictures. There were also cliffs nearby which was a pretty scenic view.
I’d definitely come back here again and bring a friend.

Of the two art museums in SF, I prefer the Legion of Honor over de Young because it’s more intimate, it’s not over run by tourists and the location can’t be beat! We came during the Bank of America Free Museum Day which happens on the first Saturday of each month.
The last time I was at the Legion of Honor, we were taking engagement pictures. I’ve never been inside the museum until now. I really like the open space and how tranquil it is inside, You can wander to your heart’s content for a whole day.
My favorite displays were the porcelain room and the paneled rooms. The paneled rooms can give Filoli a run for its money. Very pretty.
Tip: For free museum days, kids can go in free with an adult with a BofA card. However, every adult must have a BofA card in order to get in for free. DH had a card but I left mine at home because I thought it’s for the whole family. Not so. However for the reasonable price of $ 10, you can get in. That’s a bargain considering it’s $ 10 for the 4 of us.

C’est le jumeau du De Young et un des porte-​drapeau de l’offre de musées de San Francisco ! Faux jumeau car les 2 n’ont rien à voir dans leur style extérieur, mais c’est le même billet: l’entrée à l’un donne automatiquement droit à l’entrée à l’autre dans la même journée. Planifiez votre journée touristique en conséquence !
Donc Legion of Honor car c’est censé être une copie (en plus petit) du musée de la Légion d’Honneur à Paris. Pour être souvent passé devant, en face du Musée d’Orsay, la ressemblance né me sauté pas aux yeux, mais ça doit être parce que la version californienne est isolée au milieu du parc du Presidio alors que l’original est bien sûr engoncé dans les petites rues parisiennes.
Le musée se distingue d’abord par sa collection exceptionnelle de Rodin, la seconde au monde après le musée Rodin à Paris. On est accueilli dès la cour d’honneur par le Penseur, et plusieurs salles sont consacrées au sculpteur. Le reste des collections, principalement de peinture, est regroupé en plusieurs familles, Renaissance, baroque, maîtres flamands… jusqu’aux impressionnistes. Il y a aussi au sous-​sol des salles réservées aux expositions temporaires, ainsi qu’une grande salle dédiée à la collection de porcelaines du musée, qui est étonnamment intéressante ! (On m’aurait dit que j’apprécierais une collection de porcelaines, je n’y aurais pas cru.)
Chouette bonus, tombé dessus par hasard: dans une des salles donnant sur le vestibule d’entrée se trouve un énorme orgue, dont on peut entendre un récital à certaines heures. Ça vaut le coup.
Au final, par l’académisme de son architecture et de ses collections, le Legion of Honor complète très bien l’avant-gardiste De Young. S’il fallait choisir entre les deux? Je crois que je choisirais quand même le De Young: plus beau, plus grand, plus éclectique, plus novateur. 6 étoiles pour le De Young vs. 5 pour le LoH quoi. ;-)

Une collecton remarquable de sculptures de Rodin qui valent le détour. Les autres oeuvres majeures sont également d’un grand intéret. A né pas manquer. Le café sert des salades, burgers, sandwichs et autres patisseries de qualité. J’ai gouté le burger végétarien et le croque monsieur, tous deux très bons et au bien au dessus de ce l’on peut manger habituellement. En plus, ils sont servis avec une salade bien assaisonnée ce qui permet une pause verte alimentaire pas désagréable.
Un conseil donc, allez y le matin pour profiter de la situation exceptionnelle et de la vue sur le golden gate, visitez le musée et terminez par une pause repas. Vous m’en direz des nouvelles!