Everyone is invited to the New de Young Museum Topping Off!

The tradition of topping off began more than 1,000 years ago in Scandinavia. The completion of a building’s skeleton was celebrated with the placing of a tree atop the new structure.

Join the Fine Arts Museums’ Trustees, Staff, and Members at Golden Gate Park’s Music Concourse and celebrate the new de Young museum with a day of performances, previews, and activities for the whole family.

The de Young Topping Off is free to the public. Visitors are encouraged to use the free Golden Gate Park Shuttle.

Beginning at noon:

• Family Fair Place: Hands-on art-making projects for children: origami, Mrs. Grossman’s sticker art; family portraits by Exquisite Corpse Portraits; wood sculpture demo, Geoffrey Nwogu; create your own collage, Cynthia Tom; make your own fresco tile, Jose Galindo; design a canvas square for the new de Young Mural, Mural Exchange Project; live model sketching, Rick Rodrigues, City College museum drawing class.
• Curatorial Chat Room: There’s almost nothing more curators like to do than talk about art. Chat with them about everything from housekeeping — cleaning and readying the art for presentation — to where does everything go — your longtime favorites and new acquisitions.
• Music: Gee Yung Lion Dancers; SF Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band; SF Opera Center; John Santos and the Machete Ensemble; surprise guest performances; and also music to your ears, San Francisco Poet Laureate devorah major.
• Acquisitions: Designer previews from the new de Young Store and items for your personal collection.
• Model Tent: See samples of the new building materials, take a photo tour through the new de Young to date.

2 pm:

• Kudos and Comments: This is the opportunity to thank the many who have contributed to the new de Young.
• The Main Event: The palm tree is raised to the top of the new de Young in Golden Gate Park.