San Francisco museums serve up culture and cocktails after hours
Posted by admin on Jul 14, 2009
While the club scene in San Francisco is still a lure, some of the latest hot spots are to be found in major museums in the city. The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, noted for its film series in the 1970s, and the Asian Art Museum, which launched Art After Hours in 1998, were among the first to host a series of evening events merging cocktails with culture.
Museums currently offering popular evening events — many of which feature DJs, drinks, and special exhibits — include the California Academy of Sciences, the Contemporary Jewish Museum, the de Young Museum, and the Exploratorium. Here’s a list of this year’s not to be missed after-hours museum events.
"NightLife" at the California Academy of Sciences
When: Thursdays, 6-10 p.m.
Admission: $10. Cash bar.
Note: Nightlife is for patrons age 21 and over; a valid ID is required for entry.
The Academy of Science is many things under one roof — an aquarium, a planetarium, a natural history museum, and more. Located in Golden Gate Park, the new 412,000 square-foot structure is not only physically impressive, but it just may be the greenest museum on the planet, with a 2.5-acre Living Roof, an expansive solar canopy, an extensive water reclamation system, and walls insulated with recycled blue jeans.
Every Thursday night, the Academy opens its doors from 6-10 p.m. for "NightLife," an opportunity for adults to explore the museum in a whole new light. Some of San Francisco’s most popular DJs provide dance music while guests mingle and explore the Academy’s exhibits and aquarium. Food and cocktails are available for purchase. Each week features provocative science programming and a few surprises. calacademy.org/nightlife
"After Dark" at the Exploratorium
When: Thursdays (beginning October 2009), bar opens at 7 p.m., museum open until 9:30 p.m.
Admission: $14. Cash bar.
Housed within the walls of San Francisco’s Palace of Fine Arts, the Exploratorium is a collage of hundreds of science, art, and interactive human perception exhibits. Its founders created the "hands on" movement among museums, which aims to provide the joy of discovery through activity and participation, rather than just observation.
Beginning in October 2009, Thursday evening hours mix cocktails, conversation, and adult-oriented programming on science and the arts. Along with music and a cash bar, each night showcases a different theme. It’s like a field trip for adults. exploratorium.edu/afterdark
"Matcha" at the Asian Art Museum
When: First Thursday of the month (June - November), 5-9 p.m.
Admission: Free with museum admission, which is $12 for adults and $7 for students with ID, or $10 after 5 p.m. Cash bar.
The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco is one of the largest museums in the Western world devoted exclusively to Asian art. Their exhibits showcase 6,000 years of history, trek across seven major regions, and sample the cultures of numerous countries.
Named after the Japanese powdered green tea known for its richness and flavor, the after-hours event "Matcha" combines art, performance, music, mingling, and more. Participants can experience live performances, browse through the galleries, mingle with friends over cocktails, create art, enjoy special tours, or chill to the hip beats of DJs and musicians. asianart.org/matcha.htm
Friday nights at the de Young Museum
When: Fridays (June - November), 5-8:45 p.m.
Admission: Free with museum admission, which is $10 for adults and $6 for college students with ID. Cash bar.
The de Young showcases priceless collections of American art from the 17th through the 20th centuries, as well as art of the native Americas, Africa, and the Pacific. The museum is housed in Golden Gate Park in a state-of-the-art facility that integrates art, architecture, and the natural landscape in one beautiful, multi-faceted destination.
Friday nights at the de Young offer a variety of interdisciplinary arts programs, including live music, films, lectures, a poetry series, occasional tango milongas and swing dancing, performance art, and hands-on art making for young and old. The cafe is open and serves a special menu. For sunset watchers, the view from the de Young’s 144-foot observation tower is stunning. famsf.org/deyoung
"Oy Vey!" at the Contemporary Jewish Museum
When: First Thursday of the month (June - September), 5-8 p.m.
Admission: $5. Cash bar.
Housed in a stylish architectural wonder, the Contemporary Jewish Museum engages audiences through dynamic exhibitions and programs that explore contemporary perspectives on Jewish culture, history, art, and ideas.
The first Thursday of the month from June through September, guests are invited to unwind with a signature cocktail, listen to music, kvetch with friends, and see art and/or film and performance pieces at "Oy Vey!" On view throughout the series: "Chagall and the Artists of the Russian Jewish Theater, 1919-1949." thecjm.org
While you’re in the neighborhood: Adjacent to the museum, the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival turns Jessie Square into a free, downtown open-air dance party every first Thursday of the month from May through October. Live bands provide groovin’ rhythms, from polka to salsa, swing to bhangra, and beyond from 6-7:30 p.m. as part of the "Let’s Go Dance @ Jessie" series. ybgf.org/Programs/LetsGoDance.php
Thursday nights at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
When: Thursdays, 6-8:45 p.m.
Admission: $7.50 for adults, $4.50 for students with valid ID
Founded in 1935, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art was the first museum on the West Coast devoted to modern and contemporary art. It features a dynamic schedule of thought-provoking exhibitions on view, including more than 26,000 artworks, photographs, and design objects. Located just a short walk from downtown San Francisco, SFMOMA’s landmark building features a soaring atrium topped by a signature turret and circular skylight.
Every Thursday at SFMOMA admission is half-price from 6-8:45 p.m. The extended hours offer a great opportunity to see the latest in the galleries and to check out the goodies in the Museum Store, which stays open until 9:30 p.m. Caffe Museo has extended hours until 9 p.m. Also on Thursdays, visitors can usually count on a free film screening beginning at 7 p.m. sfmoma.org