You are going to an art museum called the de Young. The museum is a large copper-covered building with a tall tower and palm trees in front, located in Golden Gate Park. You can see artwork from around the world, learn new things, and have fun.

Security officers will be standing by the door when you arrive. Security officers are everywhere in the museum to help you and to protect the art. If you are wearing a backpack, a security officer will ask you to take it off your back and hold it by your side.

Visitor experience staff wear black clothes and a badge. They can help answer questions you may have.

You will go to the white counter to wait in the admissions line to get tickets. Depending on when you arrive, it might be loud or quiet in the lobby.

The staff at the admissions counter will give you tickets that have a QR code and sticker. Place the sticker on your clothes where security officers can see it. The sticker will let security know you have a ticket. 

Tip: tickets can be reserved online before your visit.

You can pick up a museum map at the admissions counter to plan where to go and what to see.

If you have coats and bags, you can leave them at the coat check on the lower level of the building. Your coats and bags will be safe at coat check while you are visiting the museum.

Tip: there is a restroom located right behind the coat check.

There are important rules to follow while you are visiting the museum to help protect the art.

1. Please do not touch the artwork. Artwork can be damaged by touching it.
2. Please walk instead of run. 
3. Please do not eat or drink inside the museum. To eat or drink, you can go to the café or outside the museum. You can drink water at a water fountain. Water fountains are near the restrooms.
   

Art is on different floors of the museum. You can climb stairs or take elevators to see the art. 

There are bathrooms on all three floors of the museum. You can ask a security officer or visitor experience staff member to help you find one. Water fountains are located near the restrooms, too.

Tip: check out our museum map for details on where to find galleries, bathrooms, elevators, and more.

While you walk around the museum, some parts will be crowded and loud, and some will be quiet. Some parts of the museum have bright lights and some parts of the museum are dim. There will be paintings and sculptures to look at. There might be sound or video playing in some areas of the museum.

Before entering a special exhibition, you will need to show the sticker and QR code that you got at the admissions counter.

If you want to go to the top of the Hamon Observation Tower, you can take the elevator to the 9th floor. You do not need a ticket to visit the Hamon Observation Tower. It is free for everyone!

At the top of the tower, there are windows with a big view. You can see the whole city of San Francisco!

If you visit the de Young on a Saturday, you can look for museum staff with art supplies in a cart. They will be inviting visitors like you to sketch in the galleries.  

Tip: the de Young offers free drop-in family programming every Saturday, 11 am to 3 pm.

When you are ready to leave, you can pick up your bags and coats at coat check on the lower level. 

If you did not get to see everything you wanted, you can come back to the museum to see more art another time. Goodbye!

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