The question, "Can you judge a book by its cover?" applies to buildings as well as to books. Architecturally, San Francisco Bay Area art museums are as diverse in their design styles as the communities in which they reside.

Every art museum has its own personality. That personality is reflected not only in the art that makes up its collections and exhibitions, but also in the lines, shapes, colors, textures, materials and detail elements (structural, sculptural and organic) the architects and museum leaders choose for the building and its surroundings.

When you look at the images in Arthouses, do you see a match between each museum's architectural details and the types of art described in the captions? What similarities and differences can you spot between designs in the various buildings? Do building designs vary by type of art holdings? Or, by SF Bay Area location?

Explore the wonders and impacts of art museum architecture and design as contained in this regional visual tour.