Founded in 1895 in Golden Gate Park, the spacious de Young museum is the city’s prime outlet for classical art from around the world, covering a broad range of artists and eras. The permanent collections, divided by geography, culture and medium, include native textiles from Mesoamerica, 12th century terracotta figures from Mali, Maori statues carved in New Zealand in the 19th century, and American paintings by Diego Rivera, Edward Hopper and Wayne Thiebaud. Ride the elevator to the observation deck for aerial views of Golden Gate Park. <