Art Talks: Bringing the Museums to You
Art Talks are now available onsite and live online!
Schedule a presentation for your audience here.
Art Talks are entertaining, educational, multi-media art presentations delivered by museum speakers. These talks can be presented to your group either onsite at your venue or using online (Zoom) technology. Select Art Talks are offered in Mandarin or Spanish. Onsite talks are $200 and live online talks are $150.
Please note: If you request a talk to be presented online (Zoom), we ask that you host this on your platform and provide technical support during the program.
Below you will find descriptions of the Art Talks currently available.
To learn more and to reserve talks we have available now, email us at AT@famsf.org.
Manet & Morisot NEW
October 11 2025 – March 1, 2026, Legion of Honor
This is the first major exhibition dedicated to the artistic exchange between two groundbreaking artists ––French Impressionists Édouard Manet (1832-1883) and Berthe Morisot (1841-1895). Manet was the 19th century’s great pioneer of modern painting, and Morisot, the sole female founding member of the Impressionist group. They were friends, colleagues, and eventually family. The story of their relationship has often been told through Manet’s early portraits of Morisot, with Morisot’s own artistic work seen as an offshoot of Manet’s. While Morisot looked to Manet for inspiration and approval during her early career, new scholarship reveals that in his final years Manet was increasingly influenced by Morisot’s views on subject matter, color, and technique. Rich in new research, this exhibition offers a fresh look at this celebrated artistic friendship, revealing that Manet learned at least as much from Morisot as she had from him. Manet & Morisot
Behind the Scenes at Bouquets to Art
Bouquets to Art is one of the most popular and highly anticipated events at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. Have you ever wondered how this annual floral celebration got started? This talk will reveal what goes on behind-the-scenes to make this highly successful event happen each year. Learn how talented Bay Area designers use flowers and other natural elements to create dazzling displays inspired by works of art in the museum’s collections. Don’t miss your chance to get an inside look at this unique event that’s become a San Francisco tradition. Bouquets to Art
The World of Jane Austen: Art, Fashion, and Eligible Gentlemen
Join us for a stroll through the British galleries of the Legion of Honor as we explore the world of beloved English author Jane Austen. We’ll see paintings that Austen herself would have seen; portraits of ladies, gentlemen, and military officers by famous artists such as Thomas Gainsborough and Joshua Reynolds. We’ll look at trends in fashion, country estates, and gardens, and talk about how “new money” was changing society. You will gain a fresh perspective of Jane Austen’s life and times, and a deeper understanding of her ever-popular novels.
Dressed to Thrill: Fashion in Art at the Legion of Honor
It’s often said that you can’t judge a book by its cover. But can a person’s clothing tell us something about who they are, or the world they lived in? This informative and entertaining talk explores the fashions seen in the vast art collections of the Legion of Honor. Hear how revolution, religion, and politics have shaped the way people dress. From ancient Greece to the court of Versailles, this presentation gives you a front row seat at a fashion show 2000 years in the making
New Art Talks Coming Soon:
Monet in Venice
The Etruscans: From the Heart of Ancient Italy
