'Cultural icon': San Francisco's Legion of Honor turns 100 with big bash, free admission

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A San Francisco original is celebrating a big milestone this weekend. The Legion of Honor museum is turning 100 years old. On Saturday, a celebration was happening at the historic landmark at Land's End.

It was time to party, cue the marching bands, or maybe you just want to ponder and think about art and the long history of San Francisco's Legion of Honor.

"It's a wonderful day, we've got thousands of people here- it's the real spirit of San Francisco," said Thomas Campbell, Director and CEO, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.

The Legion of Honor at Land's End is turning 100 years old and the celebration is huge with dozens of birthday cakes. This museum is home to one of the largest European art collections in California. A bridge between past and present which began in 1924, when the doors first opened.

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"It was true, the vision of the founder - Alma and Aldolph Spreckels - this museum was forged in the aftermath of the 1906 Earthquake and WWI, they had the vision to create this museum," Campbell said.

"The arts are unifying our country, I think it's going to be the salvation of our country. When we can come together and forget our differences, be inspired together, laugh together, cry together, being inspired," said Representative Nancy Pelosi.

The Legion of Honor's neo classical design has a French connection, a replica of the Palais De La Legion D'honneure in Paris.

"The main value we can find in years of exchanges between the U.S. and France is the dignity of human beings, it's most important," said Francois Lecointre, Grand Chancellor of the Order of the Legion of Honour, France.

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This building also serves as a memorial to California soldiers killed in World War I.

"I'm here to pay homage to those who need to be honored," said Francisco Mijango.

Mejango came dressed as a WWI soldier to honor the fallen and celebrate a San Francisco original.

"This is one of those cultural icons the city has to offer, you only turn 100 once in your lifetime, I didn't want to miss the big celebration," he said.

Admission to the Legion of Honor is free through Veteran's Day.