Legion of Honor reopens in San Francisco for 1st time since last year

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ByAmy Hollyfield KGO logo
Friday, May 7, 2021
Legion of Honor reopens in San Francisco
There was a line of people at the door of the Legion of Honor Museum in San Francisco Friday morning to get inside for the first time this year.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- There was a line of people at the door of the Legion of Honor Museum in San Francisco Friday morning to get inside for the first time this year.

"It is so exciting to be reopening today. We have been only open for about a month in the past year. We opened really quickly in October and then we had to close back down. So we are really excited to get people into the galleries," said Shaquille Heath, The Manager of Communications.

Jane Utsumi drove in from Nipomo and was one of the first visitors inside Friday.

RELATED: Murder of Nia Wilson in Oakland inspires powerful SF Legion of Honor exhibit

A new exhibit opening at San Francisco's Legion of Honor by Kenyan American artist Wangechi Mutu will offer a chance to consider themes of race and violence through a powerful lens.

"This is worth a drive. This is worth a five hour drive to come here," Utsumi said.

San Francisco resident Michele Woolfe-Avramov said it is her favorite place in the city.

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"I missed it terribly. This is just exhilarating," she said once inside.

There are two new exhibits on display right now: The Last Supper from Pompeii which is downstairs and "I am speaking are you listening" which is outside in the courtyard. The artist said she was inspired by the 2018 stabbing death of 18-year-old Nia Wilson of Oakland.

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"She heard of Nia's killing by a white man on BART and she did what artists do best- made art. This honors black womanhood and violence against black women," Heath said.

Visitors are required to book a timed ticket in advance of their arrival.