SFO airport

Monsters move in to SFO Airport

Art, , , , ,

Frankenstein

The newest offering from the SFO Museum at San Francisco International Airport is an exhibition about monsters.

Not the kind that live under the bed, but the monsters made famous by Universal Pictures, which pretty much invented the monster movie genre in 1923 with the Hunchback of Notre Dame and the Phantom of the Opera, starring Lon Chaney in 1925.

Dracula, starring Bela Lugosi in the first talking vampire movie, followed in 1931, and within a year, fans were being frightened by Frankenstein, which was inspired by Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel. Later came The Mummy and a series of mummy movies, The Werewolf of London (1935) and The Creature from the Black Lagoon.

Revenge of the Creature prop head c. 1955_courtesy SFO Museum

One big fan of monster memorabilia is Metallica’s Kirk Hammett,
and its part of his collection of monster movie props, original artwork, themed novelty toys and other creature collectibles that are on display in SFO Terminal 2 through November 2015.

Some of Hammett’s custom-made monster guitars are on display too.

Guitars_Custom Monster_from the Kirk Hammett Collection_ courtesy SFO Museum

(Photos courtesy of SFO Museum)

SFO Museum celebrates aviators at the 1915 World’s Fair

Aviation history, , , ,
SFO_Art Smith ( left) with his biplane and fairgoers at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition,

Art Smith (at left) with his biplane and fairgoers at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, San Francisco 1915. Courtesy SFO Museum

A new exhibition at San Francisco International Airport displays images of the popular aeronautical programs that were presented at San Francisco’s 1915 World’s Fair – known as the Panama-Pacific International Exposition.

SFO_Lincoln Beachey performing in his biplane over the Panama-Pacific International Exposition grounds,

Lincoln Beachey performing in his biplane over the Panama-Pacific International Exposition grounds, San Francisco December 25, 1913 – courtesy SFO Museum

Included in Fancy Flying: Aviation at the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition – are twenty-one recently created black and white gelatin silver prints made from the vintage glass plate negatives of the Cardinell-Vincent Company. Many show famous birdmen of the day, including Lincoln Beachey and Art Smith, who performed aerial acrobatics for the crowds.

SFO_Art Smith performing an illuminated night flight at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition,

Art Smith performing an illuminated night flight at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, San Francisco 1915 – Courtesy SFO Museum

Many fairgoers got their first look at an airplane at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition and many paid what was then a considerable sum of money – $10.00 – for an air tour over San Francisco Bay in a floatplane made by the Loughead brothers, who later changed the spelling of their name to Lockheed.

Fancy Flying: Aviation at the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition is part of the citywide centennial celebration and is on display in the pre-security area of the SFO International Terminal through August 31, 2015. (Open Sunday to Friday; closed Saturday and holidays).

Can’t get to SFO before August? Here’s a link to an online exhibition of some of the images.

Museum Monday: Egyptian Revival at SFO Airport

Airports, Museum Monday, Museums, ,
SFO MUSEUM EGYPTIAN CIGARETTE CASES

On display at SFO Airport: Egyptian-inspired cigarette packs. Courtesy SFO Museum

The SFO Museum’s newest exhibit at SFO Airport highlights the design style known as Egyptian Revival and features objects ranging from nineteenth-century mantel clocks and ornate Victorian table stands to Art Deco beaded purses and cigarettes and cigarette cases.

SFO MUSEUM Egyptian cigar bands

Cleopatra, the Rosetta Stone and King Tutankahamun’s tomb are just a few reasons why the West has a thing for Ancient Egypt. And, according to the notes for this exhibit, “No other ancient civilization’s art and architecture has captivated the Western world in quite the same manner,” and influenced everything from commercial buildings, movie theaters, films and opera to decorative arts, clothing, mass-produced items, operas, and advertisements.

SFOMuseum Egypt beaded purse

Beaded purse c. 1920s From the collection of Jennifer Whitehair – courtesy SFO Museum

Egyptian Revival: An Everlasting Allure is located pre-security in the International Terminal Main Hall Departures Lobby at San Francisco International Airport and will be on view through July 5, 2015.

SFO Airport concert: Big Brother & the Holding Company

Music, , ,

big-brother-holding-company

Far out, man!

As part of the SFO Winter Music Festival, San Francisco International Airport will be offering a free concert by the iconic ‘60s rock band Big Brother & The Holding Company, which played with Janis Joplin from 1965 to 1968.

The free one-hour concert will be held at noon, on Wednesday, December 10, pre-security, in the main hall of the International Terminal – right next to the SFO Museum’s “When Art Rocked” exhibit, which features San Francisco music posters from 1966-1971; including posters from Big Brother and The Holding Company.

Big Brother

Big Brother and the Holding Company November 23–25, 1967 Artist: Joe Gomez Avalon Ballroom San Francisco. Courtesy SFO Museum

Not planning on being at SFO on Wednesday? Bummer.

But you can check out the rock poster exhibit here, see a list of other concerts in the SFO series here and and download free music by some of the performers here.

SFO inks deal with Uber & Lyft

ground transporation, , , , ,

Uber app

Airports around the country are grappling with how – and if – they can regulate and collect revenue from  taxi-alternative companies such as Lyft, Sidecar and UberX, which maintain that they do not fall under the same rules that apply to traditional taxis that operate at airports.

Some airports have taken a hands-off approach to the problem, but San Francisco International Airport has been adamant that these ‘transportation network companies’ are operating illegally at the airport.

But things have changed.

Earlier this month SFO announced that it had come to an agreement withe Sidecar to allows that company to operate legally at the airport.

Now comes word that the airport has worked out a deal that allows Lyft and UberX to pick up and drop off at SFO as well.

All three companies should be operating – legally – at the airport within the next 30 days and the deals will no doubt serve as a guide to help these companies work out their differences with other airports as well.