SFMOMA holds the finest modern art collection on the West Coast. Clarion Alley in the Mission is its populist counterpart — an outdoor gallery of rotating murals by local artists.
Why It’s Worth Your Time
SFMOMA occupies a spectacular Mario Botta building expanded by Snøhetta in 2016 — Rothko, Frida Kahlo, Cindy Sherman, Richard Diebenkorn, and the largest Bay Area figurative collection anywhere. First two floors are free. Clarion Alley in the Mission (between 17th and 18th Streets) is a significant outdoor mural galleries in the US — rotating works reflecting Mission politics, Latino heritage, and SF history.
What Stands Out
- Rothko, Kahlo, Sherman
- Bay Area figurative collection
- Snøhetta 2016 expansion
- First two floors free
- Clarion Alley murals
- Mission District location
- Rotating street art