Worth a visit (Legion of Honor)

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Product:	Legion of Honor
Date:	21/01/01 (5 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: beautiful view, good gallery

Disadvantages: two buses

Go to Lincon Park on a beautiful clear day, and the view from the Legion of Honor will be breathtaking. Located in the north west of the city, this art gallery is not the most acessible. From down-town SFO, you need to take two buses and it will take you around 45 minutes. You can get a bus - muni - map from the tourist information in the city centre at Powell street (just south of Union square on Powell and Market) or most bus stops have route maps, so you can work out the best way for you to get there.

The bus which takes you into Lincon park will stop right outside the Legion of Honor. The museum building itself is impressive, built in the Classical tradition, it is flanked by white columns with a statue of Rodin's 'The Thinker' placed out front, gazing out to the ocean.

The collection is varied, but concentrates on easel paintings, with a good European and Ancient collection. Most of the oil paintings are on the first floor.

One of the best galleries in my opinion, are the slightly darkened rooms which contain the beautiful early Northern paintings and those of the Early Italian Renaissance. The collection is not as wide as our own National Gallery's, but the museum and its collection is of a size that can easily be viewed in a morning, leaving the visitor satisfied but not bored!

Since I have visited this museum, its sister Museum 'The de young museum', housed in golden Gate park has colsed for rebuilding, so it is possible that they have altered the hang of works here.

The Legion of Honor has a good museum shop on the ground floor, stocking books, cards and higher end gifts. There is also a cafe with slightly expensive prices, but the quality of the cakes, sandwiches and salads matches this, plus there is an area where you can sit outside on a fine day.

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