The Legion of Honor is an art museum in San Francisco, California that is part of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.
The museum is home to a collection of ancient and European art that spans more than 6,000 years, making it a must-see destination for art lovers.
The Hall of Antiquities displays artifacts from Egypt, the Near East, Greece, and Rome, while the Legion of Honor displays sculptures by renowned artists such as Auguste Rodin, El Greco, Titian, Rubens, Rembrandt, Boucher and more.
In addition to the impressive collection of fine art, the museum also boasts the Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts which is the largest repository of works of art on paper in the western United States.
Visitors can also admire European Decorative Arts collection, including a gilded Spanish ceiling and period rooms, the Bowles Porcelain Gallery displaying porcelain and pottery from England and continental Europe.
The Contemporary Arts Program brings works of living artists into dialogue with the building and the collections. Finally, the Holocaust Memorial, a sculptural group by George Segal, is located off the northwest corner of the Legion grounds.
Legion of Honor History
The Legion of Honor is a pretty cool museum in San Francisco, with a unique backstory.
It was a gift from Alma de Bretteville Spreckels to honor the Californian soldiers who died in WWI.
The building is a replica of the French Pavilion from the 1915 Panama–Pacific International Exposition, which was a big deal back in the day.
The building went through a big renovation in the 90s to make sure it’s still standing today, and the plaza and fountain in front of it mark the end of the Lincoln Highway, which used to go all the way from New York to San Francisco.
In 2000, they added a modern sculpture called Pax Jerusalemme by Mark di Suvero.
