On the west side of the DeYoung, the side closest to the Japanese Tea Garden is a free Sculpture Garden and museum café.
You don’t have to buy anything from the café to enjoy the art. There are several pieces visible around and on the lawn next to the café: the Klaus Oldenberg giant safety pin, some people hatching out of eggs, and a spikey thing that has a rope around to discourage kids from playing on it. No rope around the egg people; they’re fair game.
Egg person and big faucet
A rope discourages kids from playing on the spikey piece. The egg people in the are fair game.
A path behind the back hedges features more art. Down the right side of the lawn is the entrance to the Turrell Skyspace. It’s easy to miss, but don’t. Walk down the path to a round room with a curved bench, and an opening in the ceiling. This hole becomes a frame to viewing the sky, and nudging you to focus on what you can see through opening, instead of taking in the whole scene.
The best feature of the museum café is the large outdoor patio that overlooks the lawn and art. Dining al fresco feels like an indulgence, and The DeYoung wisely made the café available to anyone. Many museums don’t, such as the Palace of the Legion of Honor, and the Academy of Sciences across the concourse. I haven’t been asked, but if asked, I would say this is a design mistake and cuts off a source of revenue, which museums always need.
Like all museum cafes, it is a little bit pricy for what you get, but not insultingly so. This might be because it is open to the general public without requiring admission, and doesn’t have the advantage of holding museum goers hostage to their café and charging over the top.
Since I’m lucky enough to live nearby, I often go the café and sit outside with a book and something to drink, maybe eat. It’s pleasant change from sitting in a coffee shop. If you don’t live nearby, but are in the park and need a break, the DeYoung café and sculpture garden is a welcoming place to spend some time and recharge.
More Free Things
The DeYoung Observatory