Artistic Perfection: Haute 5 Art Galleries in San Francisco

It seems like every week a new art gallery is opening up somewhere making it difficult to determine which galleries are truly worth going to.  Taste in art is subjective, we know, but anyone who appreciates masterful works can agree that today’s Haute 5 list provides our readers a lingual map to some of most exquisite pieces of art man has ever know. In short, all it takes to enjoy these five galleries is a little time and an appreciation for the finer things in life.

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

SFMOMA houses more than 26,000 works, and stands as a truly unique and dynamic art center. With strong holdings in painting, photography, architecture, sculpture, and design, there is something for everyone. Founded in 1935, SFMOMA was the first museum on the West Coast to devote much of its floor and wall space to modern and contemporary art. The museum always has a variety of special exhibitions on display for you to enjoy, but the schedule changes frequently, so be sure to hop on their website from time to time to make sure you don’t miss a thing.

151 Third St. (between Mission & Howard), San Francisco, CA 94103

111 Minna Gallery

This haute destination has been around since 1993.  The gallery showcases a unique blend of local and international artists.  The space is more than 4,000 square feet of pure urban industrial elegance, and the cool thing about this gallery, it transforms itself every 6 weeks. So what you saw last week might be very different in the weeks to follow.  Everything changes from the art they display to the style they exude.  Oh, and did I mention that the gallery also houses a 25-foot long rolled steel and copper bar, multifunctional theatrical lighting, and eclectic mix of modern and antique furnishing? They also have an in house DJ for the late night gallery goers.  Yeah, this place is awesome.

111 Minna Street, San Francisco, CA 94105

California Modern Art Gallery

California Modern houses a huge collection of, you guessed it, the best modern and contemporary art in San Francisco. The gallery represents both emerging and established artist with new works being accepted and displayed all the time. The gallery is more than 17,000 square feet of luxurious space with artistic styles on display to please anyone’s tastes. The gallery also hosts large events, so if you have a corporate or private function coming up in the future, you should definitely check this space out. We promise you won’t be disappointed.

1035 Market St. San Francisco CA 94103

Asian Art Museum of San Francisco

The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco strictly devotes its space to Asian art.  Here, art spans more than 6,000 years of creativity, history, and tradition. Art from Shanghai is currently being featured, and the museum houses more than 5,000 permanent works. This is a must see museum for anyone in the Bay area.

200 Larkin St., San Francisco, CA 94102

Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco

The FAMSF is the largest public arts institution in San Francisco, and one of the largest in the United States.  The museum has two locations, de Young and Legion of Honor, both housing very different styles from very different periods. For example, de Young, located in Golden Gate Park, is San Fran’s oldest museum and houses American Paintings, decorative arts and crafts, art from Africa, Oceania, and western and non-western textiles. Legion of honor, on the other hand, devotes its space to commemorate the fallen California soldiers who died in World War I. Located in San Fran’s famed Lincoln Park, the Legion is known for its breathtaking setting full of gorgeous views. Collections at the Legion of Honor include European decorative arts and paintings, a multitude of works on paper, and a variety of ancient art from all over the world. Both buildings are a must see, and one could easily spend an entire day in either location.

Legion of Honor, Lincoln Park, 100 34th Ave., San Francisco, CA 94121

de Young Museum, Golden Gate Park, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr., San Francisco, CA 94118