Travelers' Rest

Sixty-one years ago, when San Francisco was just emerging from the whiskers of the Bret Harte era, enthusiastic citizens dug deep into their pokes to establish the San Francisco Art Association. One of the association's major objects was to "maintain a permanent museum of fine arts." Last week S. F. A. A. held its 55th annual exhibition, and fulfilled its promise. After 61 years the San Francisco Art Museum opened with 14 exhibition galleries and a handsome lady director brought on from Cincinnati.

San Francisco's art museum is a small segment of an elaborate $6,000,000 development called the Civic Center & War Memorial, flanking the City Hall. One of twin classical buildings is the Opera House, opened with great trumpetings three years ago (TIME, Oct. 17, 1932). The other is officially known as the Veterans' Building, containing American Legion lodge rooms, trophy and souvenir galleries, an auditorium decorated with eight murals by Frank Brangwyn, offices, rest rooms. High over the veterans' heads on the fourth floor are the 14 galleries of the museum. Beautifully laid out, scientifically lit, all it needs is a permanent collection of pictures. Curator Grace Louise McCann Morley, a native Californian, was able to fill most of her wall space last week with the S. F. A. A. annual exhibition. After that will come the traveling international show of the Carnegie Institute. What Director Morley will do about pictures after that is a problem to be faced when the time comes.

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