Legion of Honor Museum

Address: 100 34th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA (Legion of Honor)

Website: https://legionofhonor.famsf.org

Legion of Honor is a fine arts museum located in San Francisco’s Lincoln Park, housing European paintings, sculpture and decorative arts and functioning as one of the two museums that form the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. The building is modelled on the French Palais de la Légion d’Honneur and was opened in 1924 as a civic memorial.

Collections emphasize European works across several centuries and include a distinguished assembly of sculptures by Auguste Rodin. Galleries are organised by period and medium, and the museum stages temporary exhibitions alongside its permanent holdings.

Founded through a civic benefaction as both a museum and a memorial, the building and its holdings have been maintained and expanded through the 20th century to the present. The museum combines gallery spaces with outdoor sculpture and formal terraces.

Sited in Lincoln Park on the northwestern edge of San Francisco, the museum overlooks the Presidio and offers clear views toward the Golden Gate and the Pacific coast.

• Foundation: Opened in 1924 as a replica-inspired Beaux-Arts building and established as a war memorial, it is part of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.

What to See#

• Rodin Gallery: A dedicated gallery presenting an internationally significant collection of Rodin sculptures, including castings of major works.
• Main galleries: Main exhibition halls that hold European paintings, decorative arts and antiquities spanning several centuries of Western art history.
• Terraces and viewpoints: Outdoor terraces and viewpoints that provide framed vistas of the Golden Gate and the coastal landscape to the north and west.

The Legion of Honor is in Lincoln Park in the northwest of San Francisco near the Lands End area. From central San Francisco you can reach it by Muni buses serving the Richmond District (check current routes such as those along Geary/California avenues) and then expect a 10-20 minute uphill walk from the bus stop; by car it’s a 15-25 minute drive from downtown San Francisco depending on traffic, with on‑site parking and street parking nearby.

• Go in the late afternoon for long shadows and quieter galleries - the Legion's hilltop setting also gives some of the best sunset views toward the Golden Gate.
• Don't miss the Rodin Sculpture Garden on the museum grounds - the outdoor sculptures are a highlight that many visitors overlook while heading straight for the galleries.
• If you plan to visit both San Francisco Fine Arts Museums, check for combined tickets or memberships that cover both the Legion of Honor and the de Young; it's an easy way to see both collections over separate visits.