Image: Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco has announced a July program that pairs curatorial talks, an artist conversation, a two-day artisan fair and new family resources across its de Young and Legion of Honor sites. In a newsletter sent on June 30, the museums highlighted events spanning European painting, contemporary Indigenous art and seasonal shopping, while also noting that Bay Area residents receive free general admission every Saturday at both museums.
The month opens with ‘A Closer Look: Power and Pathos in Southern Baroque Paintings’ on July 11 at 1 pm in the Gunn Theater at the Legion of Honor. Emily A. Beeny, the museums’ chief curator and Barbara A. Wolfe Curator in Charge of European Paintings, will lead the talk. The program is set to examine how 17th-century Rome influenced the course of European art through paintings described by the museums as capturing the drama, grandeur and innovation of the Baroque era.
On July 18 at 1 pm, the schedule shifts to the Koret Auditorium at the de Young for ‘A Talk + Book Signing with Artist Cannupa Hanska Luger.’ The museums say the award-winning artist and cultural innovator will discuss his graphic novel ‘SURVIVA: A Future Ancestral Field Guide,’ which explores futures rooted in Indigenous knowledge and resilience. A book signing will follow the conversation.
The July programming also includes the return of the Summer Artisan Fair, slated for July 17–18 in Wilsey Court at the de Young. The fair is described as one of the museums’ most popular seasonal events and will feature curated jewelry, textiles, ceramics and gifts from independent makers. According to the museums, proceeds are shared between artisans and the Museums, admission is free, and members receive 10% off purchases.
Alongside the public programs, the museums are introducing new family Discovery Guides in English and Spanish for the de Young. The guides are designed to help families engage with art through prompts, activities and storytelling, and will be available at the ticketing desk. The newsletter positions them as part of a broader effort to make museum visits more accessible and interactive for younger visitors and their caregivers.
The July roundup sits within the Fine Arts Museums’ broader calendar, which spans both the de Young in Golden Gate Park and the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park. The newsletter also notes that year-round Free Saturdays for Bay Area residents are underwritten by Diane B. Wilsey, while programming is supported by the Koret Foundation. The museums list their summer hours as Tuesday through Sunday, 9:30 am to 5:15 pm, at both San Francisco locations.
