Something old, something new

As I tend to travel to the same destinations each year, I always try to do one new thing in each city I visit. Of course you always start with the landmarks, or at least I do, and then peel back the layers from there… getting to know the neighbourhoods and finding local gems. But, when you are visiting some of the greatest cities in North America it’s hard to keep up! There is always something opening that is the must-see at any given time. Case in point… the de Young Museum in San Francisco. Founded in 1895 in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, the de Young has been the city’s museum of fine art for over 100 years. But, the de Young recently reopened in a state-of-the-art new building designed by Herzog & de Meuron. Built of copper, I wanted to see the building while it was still in its industrial state before it oxidizes and turns green; an organic process in keeping with its natural environment in the park. My love of architecture and art combined with a special exhibit on the fashion of Vivienne Westwood was a draw I couldn’t ignore. My expectations of the building proved a little high, but the 360-degree view of San Francisco from the observation tower was worthwhile as were the subtleties of the tower and the punched copper as you gain distance and perspective from the museum. I look forward to visiting again in several years to see how it has changed... God knows there will be enough to keep me busy in the meantime.