News Press Release

SFMOMA Introduces Audio Tours en Español Both Spanish And English Tours Available On New Mp3 Players

Release date: June 22, 2002

Starting this week, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) offers audio tours of its permanent collection in Spanish as well as English. Both versions are available on new lightweight, random-access MP3 players that allow visitors to customize their visits, selecting the language and artworks of their choice and setting their own pace and direction through the galleries.

"SFMOMA is committed to serving as wide a range of visitors as possible. Spanish speakers are an important part of our community; we are very happy to offer this new pathway to increased enjoyment and understanding of modern and contemporary art," explains John S. Weber, the Leanne and George Roberts Curator of Education and Public Programs.

Since 1995 the Museum has offered a digital audio tour of its permanent collection of painting, sculpture and photography. The tour, entitled A Few Notes on Modern Art, features lively commentary, with curators, artists, critics and historians describing more than 100 works in the Museum's collection. The audio tour includes such masterpieces as Henri Matisse's Femme au Chapeau (Woman with the Hat), 1905; Diego Rivera's The Flower Carrier, 1935; and Frida Kahlo's Frieda and Diego Rivera, 1931.

In addition, more than 20 segments of the tour offer special explorations of the connections between 20th-century art and music. These segments feature classical music by such composers as Claude Debussy and Carlos Chavez, jazz numbers by Miles Davis and Dave Brubeck and rock music by pop icon Nico and the Velvet Underground, all reproduced in high-quality stereo sound.

The SFMOMA audio tour is available for rental in the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Atrium for $3 on a first-come, first-served basis. For groups of 10 or more, it may be reserved in advance by calling 415/357-4197. (Private guided tours in Spanish are also available for groups by advance reservation.)

The audio tour was created by the SFMOMA Education Department, produced by Antenna Audio of Sausalito, California, and made possible by generous grants from the Acacia Foundation and the Flora Family Foundation.

Media Contacts

  • Polly Winograd Ikonen, 415/357-4173,
  • Libby Garrison, 415/357-4177,

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San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
151 Third Street
San Francisco, CA 94103

Museum hours: Open daily (except Wednesdays): 11 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.; open late Thursdays, until 8:45 p.m. Summer hours (Memorial Day to Labor Day): Open at 10 a.m. Closed Wednesdays and the following public holidays: New Year's Day, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas. The Museum is open the Wednesday between Christmas and New Year's Day.

Koret Visitor Education Center: Open daily (except Wednesdays): 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; open late Thursdays, until 8:30 p.m. Summer hours: Open at 10 a.m.

Admission prices: adults: $18; seniors: $13; students: $11; SFMOMA members and children 12 and under: free. Admission is free the first Tuesday of each month and half-price on Thursdays after 6 p.m.

SFMOMA is easily accessible by Muni, BART, Golden Gate Transit, SamTrans, and Caltrain. Hourly, daily, and monthly parking is available at the SFMOMA Garage at 147 Minna Street. For parking information, call 415.348.0971.

Visit our Web site at www.sfmoma.org or call 415.357.4000 for more information.

SFMOMA is supported by a broad array of contributors committed to helping advance its mission. Major annual support is provided by Grants for the Arts/San Francisco Hotel Tax Fund, the Koret Foundation, and the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund. First Tuesdays are always free, thanks to AT&T. KidstART free admission for children 12 and under is made possible by Charles Schwab & Co.

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