Organized by guest curator Glen Helfand, this exhibition explores the changing role of the museum in society, focusing specifically on the de Young. Museum Pieces will consist of 18 commissioned works in a variety of media including painting, sculpture, video, photography, installation, and digital media and sound, by San Francisco Bay Area artists and collaborative teams, including David Ireland, Tom Marioni, Deborah Oropallo, and Rigo ‘99.

Many of the works on display in Museum Pieces will concern the de Young itself, addressing its origins, history, the challenges posed by its present-day condition, and its future, while some will address both the de Young and museums as a whole. The exhibition will take place concurrently with the display of plans for the new de Young building by architects Herzog and de Meuron.