de Young Museum
Stop by and check out the Bulgari Exhibit!
Very few of us have the means to own a piece of exquisite jewelry designed and crafted by the artisans at Bulgari, but you don’t have to be incredibly wealthy to enjoy a close look at many of the most famous pieces ever produced by this legendary company. From September 21, 2013, to February 17, 2014, visitors to the de Young will get a rare opportunity to see some truly stunning pieces encrusted with some of the world’s largest and most flawless precious and semi-precious stones.
This special exhibition focuses on an especially prolific era for Bulgari artisans; the 1950s through the 1980s, when designers began to create a new style drawn from Greco-Roman classicism, the Italian Renaissance and the jewel crafters of the Roman schools of the 19th Century. This very special exhibition, titled “The Art of Bulgari: La Dolce Vita & Beyond, 1950–1990,” features around 150 stunning pieces, along with early sketches of the pieces on display, as well as other materials from the design and production processes. Aficionados may recognize several pieces from the famous Elizabeth Taylor collection, along with other renowned pieces from private collections all over the world.
The de Young Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco are located in the lush campus of Golden Gate Park. If you want to drive, there is some on-street parking within easy or moderate walking distance, depending on the time of day. There are also plenty of mass transportation routes that run through that part of the park or if the weather is agreeable, you could walk there and take in the sights and sounds of the park and the world-class city that surrounds it. The Museum is closed on most Mondays, and Tuesday through Sunday hours vary somewhat, depending on the time of year. The de Young is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Days, but admission is quite affordable at $10 for adults, with lower prices for kids and seniors. Starting in October, visitors can save a buck by purchasing their tickets online at https://tickets.famsf.org/public/. For more information about the Bulgari exhibit and other exhibits at the Museum, check out the official site at http://deyoung.famsf.org/.