San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

Mario Botta's new building for the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art opened in 1995 and became an instant architectural landmark. The elegant brick facade and striated turret is an icon in the city's skyline and its light-filled galleries and striking central staircase are now as big an attraction to visitors as the art presented within.This superbly reproduced and beautifully illustrated book features over 40 color images by architectural photographer Richard Barnes, working drawings by the architect and photographs documenting the building's construction. There is a brief illustrated story of the Museum's illustrious 65 year history and a grand pictorial tour of its interior. As Mario Botta says: In museums, the real challenge is to discover that perfect balance where the architecture and art enrich one another.