SAN FRANCISCO (March 14, 2014)—On Friday, March 28, the de Young will kick off Season 10 of its Friday Nights series, giving the local community a chance to enjoy art, live performances, and hands-on art activities during extended hours at the museum. This series, funded by Hanson Bridgett with additional support from the Winifred Johnson Clive Foundation and the San Francisco Auxiliary of the Fine Arts Museums, marks the 10-year anniversary of the de Young’s lively and engaging Friday evening gatherings.

Each week, Friday Nights at the de Young presents a unique theme that often relates to a special exhibition or notable pieces in the permanent collections on view at the museum. Programming includes performances, curator talks, and interaction with local artists, as well as seasonal à la carte menus at the de Young Café and specialty cocktails. Visitors will have the opportunity to experience the museum in an entirely different nightlife setting, whether choosing to attend a presentation, participate in projects hosted by de Young artists-in-residence, or join in a dance lesson in the middle of Wilsey Court. The museum’s observation tower also has extended hours for Friday Nights until 8 p.m., giving visitors a unique evening view of Golden Gate Park.

“Friday Nights at the de Young is a series of truly grassroots gatherings that have been bringing the community together for a decade now. It draws people of all ages and backgrounds from throughout the Bay Area in celebration of our dynamic local culture. With the diverse performances and activities, in addition to the convenient extended hours and free admission to programs, there’s something for everyone at Friday Nights,” says Renee Baldocchi, director of public programs at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.

The opening celebration of the Friday Nights 10th anniversary on Friday, March 28, will feature an exciting evening of “Modern Swing,” with live music from Silver Moon Big Band and swing dance lessons from Bay Area dance instructor Cynthia Glinka. The evening’s theme ties into special exhibition Modern Nature: Georgia O’Keeffe and Lake George, on view at the de Young through May 11, 2014. Dr. Cody Hartley, director of curatorial affairs at the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe, New Mexico, will give a special lecture in Koret Auditorium at 7 p.m. Visitors can obtain free tickets for this presentation beginning at 5:30 p.m. outside the auditorium.

The opening Friday Nights event will also include an interactive portraiture experience inspired by Alfred Stieglitz, famed American photographer and husband of Georgia O’Keeffe. Visitors are additionally invited to attend the closing reception for the de Young Artist Fellows’ show, Paper and Blade: Storytelling Under the Knife, beginning at 6 p.m. in Kimball Education Gallery.

Season 10 continues each Friday night through November 28, 2013, with a diverse array of new programs. From May 12 through June 9, 2014, the legendary hats from long-running musical Steve Silver’s Beach Blanket Babylon will be featured at the de Young and Friday Nights. Visit deyoungmuseum.org for the complete Friday Nights schedule, March 28‒November 28, 2014.

Enjoy a preview video of Friday Night program highlights here.

Admission to Friday Night programming is free. Admission tickets are required to view the galleries and special exhibitions.

Join the conversation at @deyoungmuseum #fridaynightsdy!

The Season Sponsor of Friday Nights at the de Young is Hanson Bridgett. Additional support is provided by the Winifred Johnson Clive Foundation and the San Francisco Auxiliary of the Fine Arts Museums. The media sponsor is the San Francisco Bay Guardian.

Visiting \ de Young
Golden Gate Park, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, San Francisco, CA 94118. Open 9:30 a.m.‒5:15 p.m. Tuesdays–Sundays; open select holidays including February 17, 2014; closed most Mondays.

Admission Tickets
$10 adults; $7 seniors (65 and above); $6 students with current ID; $6 youths 13–17. Members and children 12 and under are free. General admission is free the first Tuesday of every month. Tickets available at deyoungmuseum.org. Prices subject to change.

About the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, comprising the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park and the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park, are the largest public arts institution in San Francisco.

The de Young originated from the 1894 California Midwinter International Exposition and was established as the Memorial Museum. Thirty years later, it was renamed in honor of Michael H. de Young, a longtime champion of the museum. The present copper-clad, landmark building, designed by Herzog and de Meuron, opened in October 2005. It showcases the institution’s significant collections of American painting, sculpture, and decorative arts from the seventeenth to the twenty-first centuries; art from Africa, Oceania, and the Americas; costume and textile arts; and international contemporary art.

The Legion of Honor was inspired by the French pavilion, a replica of the Palais de la Légion d’Honneur in Paris, at San Francisco’s Panama-Pacific International Exposition of 1915. The museum opened in 1924 in the Beaux Arts–style building designed by George Applegarth on a bluff overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge. Its holdings span four thousand years and include European painting, sculpture, and decorative arts; ancient art from the Mediterranean basin; and the largest collection of works on paper in the American West.

A selection of images from Friday Night programs are available upon request.

Media Contacts
Clara Hatcher \ chatcher@famsf.org

Arlo Crawford \ acrawford@famsf.org