Free First Tuesday Museum Day Roundup

By Anna Pulley Thu., Aug. 30 2012 at 10:30 AM

Categories: Architecture, Art, Duh, Events, General Awesomeness, Museums

San Francisco recently surpassed New York as the most expensive place to live in the U.S. This should not come as a shock to anyone who's ever paid $72 for a parking ticket or $7 for a bottle of "organic" water (There's no such thing as organic water!). S.F. was even denied the right to enjoy Subway's $5 footlong sandwich deal because it couldn't afford to do business here at that price. When you're done crying over that incredible injustice, you might as well console yourself with some free visits to S.F.'s finest cultural institutions.

You cannot enjoy this!

Check out "Plantosaurus Rex" at the Conservatory of Flowers

On the list of places with free admission today are Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Cartoon Art Museum (it calls it "pay what you wish" day), Conservatory of Flowers, de Young, Musee Mechanique (always free!), and Legion of Honor. If your schedule lends itself to a museum crawl, definitely put the Contemporary Jewish Museum on your list, since today's your last chance to view the "Do Not Destroy Trees" exhibit for free (It ends Sept. 9).

If you can only visit one museum, however, then we recommend you hit up SFMOMA. The Cindy Sherman photographs are a must-see, of course, but don't dawdle too long. Ben Kinmont's "Prospectus," billed as part conceptual art and "social sculpture," is newly on display."Field Conditions" puts the "art" back in "architecture" with provocative pieces on design, boundaries, and in/visible space. At noon, Julie Lazar from the International Contemporary Arts Network discusses John Cage's enigmatical nothingtoseeness, and presents a screening of Circle of Circuses, which draws on Cage's "Rolywholyover A Circus" composition. Then there are the multiple led and mobile tours, to further justify that new iPad.

Anna Roth

Is there a more San Francisco thing than edible glitter?

Lastly, don't forget to head to the rooftop garden for art you can imbibe. Blue Bottle is serving up a Sherman Ice Cream Float, (scoops by Humphry Slocombe) topped with edible "disco glitter." (SFoodie editor Anna Roth approves!) Just in time for our real summer.

For more events in San Francisco this week and beyond, check out our calendar section. Follow us on Twitter at @ExhibitionistSF and like us on Facebook. Follow Anna Pulley at @annapulley.