activities · 23
what they do
direct service · 17
- Art Collection and Curation Art Collection Stewardship & ExhibitionMaintains a permanent collection of artworks, including notable pieces like Claude Monet's "Water Lilies" and contemporary works, making over 80,000 images from its collection available for access.
- Art Conservation and Preservation Art Collection Stewardship & ExhibitionOperates a conservation department with specialized units (objects, paintings, paper, textiles) to provide treatment, preservation, and technical study of artworks, including condition assessments for acquisitions and loans, and collaborates on exhibition design, climate control, and disaster preparedness.
- Collect and maintain artworks in permanent collection Art Collection Stewardship & ExhibitionAcquires and preserves artworks spanning historical and contemporary periods, including pieces such as "Water Lilies" by Claude Monet (c. 1914–1917), "Numbers and Trees: Tanzania Series 1, Baobab, Tree #9, Iramba" by Charles Gaines (2025), and "While the Night hides and the Shadow seeks" by Rupy C. Tut (2024). The collection includes over 80,000 images accessible to the public.
- Collects and maintains fine art and cultural objects Art Collection Stewardship & ExhibitionAcquires and stewards a permanent collection of over 80,000 artworks and cultural objects, including works by Claude Monet, Charles Gaines, and Sara Flores, spanning diverse geographies and time periods.
- Exhibition Hosting and Organization Art Collection Stewardship & ExhibitionHosts and organizes a diverse range of art exhibitions at the de Young museum and Legion of Honor, featuring both permanent collection displays and temporary shows by various artists and themes, with exhibitions running for several months to years.
- Host and organize temporary exhibitionsProduces and hosts temporary exhibitions across its museum sites, including "Monet and Venice" at the de Young (through July 26, 2026), "Ferlinghetti for San Francisco" at the Legion of Honor (through July 19, 2026), and future exhibitions such as "The Etruscans: From the Heart of Ancient Italy" (May–September 2026), with planning and curation led internally.
- Host public cultural events and performances Temporary Art & Cultural ExhibitionsOrganizes and hosts public events including chamber music concerts with the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra and poetry readings in thematic galleries, such as readings by queer poets in the Arts of Africa galleries.
- Hosts public programs and cultural events Temporary Art & Cultural ExhibitionsOrganizes concerts, poetry readings, and interviews, such as chamber music performances and events featuring queer poets and floral designers, to engage diverse audiences in the museum's galleries.
- Hosts temporary and long-term exhibitions Art Collection Stewardship & ExhibitionPresents a rotating schedule of exhibitions at the de Young and Legion of Honor museums, including major shows such as "Monet and Venice," "The Etruscans: From the Heart of Ancient Italy," and "Rose B. Simpson: LEXICON," with exhibitions running through 2028.
- Provide art conservation services Art Collection Stewardship & ExhibitionOperates a conservation department with specialized units for objects, paintings, paper, and textiles, providing treatment, preservation, and technical study of artworks, including condition assessments for acquisitions and loans, and integrating conservation insights into exhibition and storage practices.
- Provides art conservation and technical preservation services Art Collection Stewardship & ExhibitionOperates a conservation department with specialized units for objects, paintings, paper, and textiles, providing treatment, preservation, and technical study of artworks, including condition assessments for acquisitions and loans, and integrating conservation expertise into exhibition and storage planning.
- Public Events and Programming Cultural Heritage Events with Food and PerformanceHosts various public events, including chamber music concerts, poetry readings, and an annual gala, to engage the community and enrich the visitor experience.
- Repatriate cultural and ancestral materials Repatriation of Cultural HeritageUndertakes repatriation of Native American, Māori, Mexican, and other culturally significant ancestral remains and objects to their communities or countries of origin, including the return of 91 Ohlone Ancestral human remains in 1996, over half of Teotihuacan mural fragments to Mexico in 1981, and agreements to repatriate materials to the Philippines and Nigeria in 2025.
- Repatriates human remains, funerary objects, and cultural artifacts Repatriation of Cultural HeritageConducts repatriation of Native American, Māori, Ohlone, and other ancestral remains and cultural items in accordance with legal and ethical standards, including transfers to the Choctaw Nation, Chickasaw Nation, Pueblo of Acoma, Philippines, and Mexico.
- Repatriation and Deaccessioning of Cultural Heritage Repatriation of Cultural HeritageEngages in the repatriation and deaccessioning of cultural heritage items, including Native American human remains and funerary objects, Māori Ancestral human remains, Teotihuacan mural fragments, and Benin royal court objects, in collaboration with relevant authorities and indigenous communities.
- Share conservation and curatorial knowledge through public engagement Art Collection Stewardship & ExhibitionDisseminates findings from conservation and curatorial work through exhibitions, educational programs, web-based media, and public content such as interviews with artists and designers, including an interview with floral designer Judy Leung about her installation at the Legion of Honor.
- Shares conservation and curatorial research with the public Art Collection Stewardship & ExhibitionDisseminates findings from conservation and curatorial work through exhibitions, educational programs, and digital media to enhance public understanding of art and preservation.
capacity building · 6
- Conservator Training Programs Art Collection Stewardship & ExhibitionOffers internship and fellowship programs to educate and train emerging conservators in art preservation and technical study.
- Educational PublicationsProduces publications, such as books commemorating museum anniversaries, to share knowledge and celebrate milestones related to its collections and institutions.
- Offers training and professional development in art conservation Art Collection Stewardship & ExhibitionProvides internship and fellowship programs to train emerging conservators in specialized techniques and museum practices.
- Produce commemorative publicationsProduces and publishes books and special editions to mark institutional milestones, including a publication for the centennial of the Legion of Honor and another for the 125th anniversary of the de Young Museum.
- Produces commemorative and scholarly publicationsProduces publications such as "Gifts of Art" and anniversary volumes for the Legion of Honor and de Young Museum to document and celebrate institutional history and collections.
- Train emerging conservators through internships and fellowships Art Collection Stewardship & ExhibitionOffers internship and fellowship programs designed to educate and train emerging professionals in the field of art conservation.
strategies · 16
how they think
Theories of action extracted from this org's own source material. Click any to see the full field of orgs running the same approach.
- Comprehensive Provenance and Ethical Repatriation Practice collaborative_repatriationThe museum advances repatriation and ethical stewardship by conducting rigorous provenance research, consulting with communities of origin, and adhering to legal and professional standards such as NAGPRA, CalNAGPRA, and UNESCO conventions, particularly for African and Indigenous artworks.
- Comprehensive Provenance and Ethical Repatriation Practice provenance_research_and_consultationThe museum advances repatriation and ethical stewardship by conducting rigorous provenance research, consulting with communities of origin, and adhering to legal and professional standards such as NAGPRA, CalNAGPRA, and UNESCO Convention, ensuring culturally responsive and legally compliant collection practices.
- Comprehensive and Ethical Collection Stewardship inclusive_contemporary_collectionBuilds and maintains art collections through focused acquisition strategies—including Impressionist, conceptual, and inclusive contemporary works—while adhering to legal, ethical, and cultural standards for provenance, repatriation, and consultation with communities of origin.
- Culturally Responsive Collection and Exhibition Curation inclusive_contemporary_collectionThe museum centers cultural representation and equity by collecting and exhibiting works from Indigenous, global majority, and regional artists, and by integrating their perspectives into long-term exhibitions and programming.
- Culturally Responsive Curation and Conservation Indigenous-centered curationCenters cultural representation and Indigenous perspectives in exhibitions and integrates diverse cultural knowledge into conservation practices, ensuring respectful and accurate stewardship of artworks from global and Indigenous communities.
- Family and Youth Engagement family_and_youth_engagementDesigns accessible, curated content to introduce children and youth to art, fostering early and inclusive engagement with museum collections.
- Inclusive and Culturally Centered Collection and Curation inclusive_contemporary_collectionThe museum prioritizes equitable representation by collecting and exhibiting works by Indigenous, global majority, and regional artists, and by centering Indigenous perspectives—such as Yurok visual traditions and Indigenous American art—in long-term exhibitions and curatorial frameworks.
- Integrated Art Conservation with Cultural Sensitivity integrated_conservationConservation is embedded in the museum’s core mission, combining technical study and treatment with culturally responsive practices that respect the diverse origins and meanings of artworks.
- Integrated Conservation Practice integrated conservationEmbeds conservation—including treatment, technical study, and preservation—directly into the museum’s core mission, ensuring long-term care and scholarly understanding of the collection.
- Integrated and Culturally Responsive Conservation integrated_conservationConservation is embedded in the museum’s core mission, combining technical study and preservation with culturally informed practices that respect the diverse origins of artworks, particularly those from cultures distinct from the conservators’ own.
- Interdisciplinary and Community-Engaged Programming interdisciplinary_programmingThe museum fosters connections across artistic disciplines and with local communities by integrating literary arts with visual art through poetry readings and written responses, and by creating accessible, curated content to engage youth and families.
- Interdisciplinary and Public Engagement Programming interdisciplinary_programmingThe museum fosters public engagement through interdisciplinary programs that connect art with literature and place, family-friendly content, and digital access to collections, broadening audience reach and deepening interpretation.
- Public Access and Scholarly Dissemination digital_accessThe museum expands access to its collections through digital platforms and scholarly publications, while managing reproduction rights through a formal licensing framework to support research, education, and responsible use.
- Public Access and Scholarly Engagement digital_accessEnhances public and academic understanding of its collections through digital access, scholarly publications, rights management, and interdisciplinary programming that connects art with literature and community identity.
- Scholarly and Digital Knowledge Dissemination digital_accessThe museum supports research and public access by producing scholarly publications and maintaining a digital gallery, while managing reproduction rights through a formal licensing framework.
- Specialized Art Historical Collection Development impressionist_art_collectionThe museum builds and preserves focused collections in key art historical areas, including major Impressionist works and contemporary conceptual art that integrates numerical systems and natural forms, supporting scholarly and public engagement with these movements.
named programs · 10
what they call their work
Benin Bronzes Restitution Initiative
Deaccessioning and repatriation of four Benin royal court–style artworks, including two confirmed Benin Bronzes, in collaboration with Nigerian authorities and the Oba of Benin
CalNAGPRA Repatriation Initiative
State-mandated identification, consultation, and repatriation of California Native American human remains and cultural items in accordance with California Health & Safety Code §§ 8010-30
Conservation Department
Specialized preservation and technical study of artworks across four disciplines: objects, paintings, paper, and textiles, including collaboration on exhibitions, loans, and environmental controls
International Repatriation Program
Proactive return of Ancestral human remains and cultural objects to countries of origin, including Māori remains to New Zealand, Teotihuacan mural fragments to Mexico, and human remains to the Philippines
Internship and Fellowship Programs
Educational programs within the Conservation department for emerging conservators.
NAGPRA Compliance and Repatriation
Ongoing consultation and repatriation of Native American human remains and cultural items under federal NAGPRA law, including inventory completion, notices of intent, and physical transfers to affiliated Tribes
Online Collections Database
Publicly accessible database with images and information about many works in the museum's collections, continuously updated.
Provenance Research and Repatriation
Ongoing research into the collection history of artworks and cultural items, with efforts to repatriate items to their communities of origin in compliance with NAGPRA, CalNAGPRA, and international treaties.
Rights and Reproductions
Management of image licensing for scholarly and commercial use, including high-resolution file distribution, fee collection, and copyright clearance
Rights and Reproductions Services
Manages requests for images from the permanent collection for commercial or scholarly publications, including licensing agreements and fee collection.
relationships · 24
who they work with
- American Institute for Conservation Partner — Collaborates by directing the public to its resources for conservation education and professional development.
- Bank of America Funder — Provides major support to the Conservation department.
- California State Library Government — Partners with the museum through the Groundwork Grants program, administered in collaboration with Myriad Consulting and Training.
- Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska Partner — Consultation in process regarding a NAGPRA claim for 12 cultural items.
- Chickasaw Nation Partner — Received transfer of control of three unassociated funerary objects in June 2024.
- Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Partner — Received transfer of control of three unassociated funerary objects in June 2024.
- Digital Benin Network — Member institution that contributes data on Benin Kingdom objects in FAMSF’s collection.
- Found Floral Partner — Collaborates with floral designer Judy Leung on an installation at the Legion of Honor
- Government of Mexico Partner — Entered into agreement in 1981 for repatriation of over 35 Teotihuacan mural fragments.
- Legion of Honor Partner — Co-manages and displays artworks in shared collection; some works are on view at Legion of Honor.
- McCoy Jones Collection Partner — Collaborates on the exhibition of textiles from Central Asia and the Middle East
- Museum Stores Partner — Handles product development and personal use inquiries related to artwork reproductions.
- Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa Partner — Received repatriation of eight Māori Ancestral human remains in 2018.
- Myriad Consulting and Training Partner — Co-administers the Groundwork Grants program with the California State Library, which supports the museum's Conservation department.
- National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) Partner — Jointly supported archaeological excavation project that identified provenience of Teotihuacan mural fragments.
- Philippine National Commission for Culture and the Arts Partner — Agreed to repatriation of two crania on May 21, 2025.
- Pueblo of Acoma Partner — Consultation in process for a NAGPRA claim; previously repatriated a shield in 2023.
- San Francisco Ballet Orchestra Partner — Collaborates on a chamber music concert at the Legion of Honor
- Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Partner — Submitted Notice of Intended Repatriation for two lots of objects of cultural patrimony.
- Svane Gift Partner — Provides a gift collection of works by Bay Area artists for exhibition
- The Stockman Family Foundation Funder — Provides major support to the Conservation department.
- United Auburn Indian Community of the Auburn Rancheria of California Partner — Submitted Notice of Intended Repatriation for two lots of objects of cultural patrimony.
- Wilton Rancheria Partner — Submitted Notice of Intended Repatriation for two lots of objects of cultural patrimony.
- de Young Partner — Co-manages and displays artworks in shared collection; some works are on view at de Young.