The M.H. de Young Museum
October 23, 2005 | 10 a.m.

I wasn't sure what to make of San Francisco's new de Young Museum, which opened a few days before I made this visit. But I know I'm not in love. The building's exterior is rather bland, an uninspired large metal box with a hunk of a tower placed at one end. That tower, with its unobstructed vistas of the city and the bay, is certainly the most appealing part of the new museum. But unfortunately, on the day I visited, San Francisco was socked in by fog (surprise!). The inside of the museum is awkwardly chopped up, though it does boast fine details including some pretty amazing wood flooring.