Find Hotels Near Legion of Honor San Francisco

The Legion of Honor, located in beautiful San Francisco, is a spectacular sight to behold. It was built in 1924 as a memorial to the California soldiers who lost their lives fighting in World War I. The structure is modeled after the Palais de la Légion d'Honneur, a building located in Paris, France. Built on a bluff overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge and the Pacific Ocean, it offers an amazing view of both landmarks from its grounds.

The Legion of Honor houses an extensive collection of European art from ancient Greece through the nineteenth century. This includes sculptures and paintings from world renowned artists such as Rembrandt van Rijn, Eugène Delacroix and Auguste Rodin. Notable pieces include Paul Gauguin's “Two Tahitian Women” and Auguste Rodin's monumental “The Thinker” sculpture which stands at 24-feet high. Inside the museum there are also three distinct galleries devoted to American Art, Ancient Art and European decorative arts with over 4500 objects ranging from furniture to tapestries crafted by artisans dating back to the Renaissance period.

In addition to its impressive permanent collections, Legion of Honor hosts various temporary exhibitions throughout the year. These usually focus on broader themes or specific artists or subjects related to European or American Art history or culture. Recent exhibitions have included studies on modern surrealism as well as contemporary artists such as Yayoi Kusama, Henri Matisse and Claude Monet among others.

Aside from having an impressive selection of artwork for visitors to enjoy, the Legion of Honor also offers educational programs for students and scholar alike including lectures by distinguished guest speakers covering topics related to global culture and history. Visitors can also join in guided tours offered daily of the museum's permanent collections free of charge with admission tickets purchased online prior to visiting.

Legion of Honor is certainly one destination that should not be missed when visiting San Francisco for its incredible views overlooking two iconic landmarks: The Golden Gate Bridge and Pacific Ocean combined with its remarkable collections spanning centuries from around Europe and America make it a must-see attraction while exploring this vibrant city by the bay!