Building Outlaws: How to Retreat, Rebuild, and Reconnect
December 19, 2026 – January 2, 2028
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
An exhibition offering a view into Northern California counterculture initiatives that proposed alternatives to Modernist ideals
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
151 3rd StreetSan Francisco, CA 94103Monday–Tuesday 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Thursday 12 p.m.–8 p.m.
Friday–Sunday 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
General: $30
Seniors (65+): $25
Students (full time, with ID): $23
Youth (18 and under): Free
ADA Accessible
Northern California has long been a place of radical reinvention. However, the period between the Vietnam War and the introduction of the World Wide Web heightened tensions between the mainstream and the margins, urban and rural, individual and collective—sparking innovation and social change. Responding to military conscription and institutional overreach, groups like the Merry Pranksters, the Diggers, and the Black Panthers retreated from the mainstream and wrote manifestoes, instructions, and guides, which today offer a perspective on rebuilding during chaos. For this exhibition, Berkeley’s Girls Garage was commissioned by SFMOMA to design and build an immersive geodesic dome and furniture that will display a selection of how-to manuals, film, photos, and posters from the period.
Exhibiting Artists
Baulines Craft Guild, Girls Garage, Seven Sisters Construction Inc, Stellar Arts Collective, Sutter Street Commune, The Black Panther Party, The Diggers, The Dunnites, The Farm, The Merry Pranksters
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary art in the United States and a thriving cultural center for the Bay Area.
Things to Do Around Here
Sa'ana Cafe has tasty coffee right around the corner from the museum, and when you step inside you somehow feel far from the madding crowd.
Alex Gill, Publicist, SFMOMA
I’d suggest the Yerba Buena location of Joyride Pizza. The outside seating has an amazing view of Yerba Buena gardens and SFMOMA, and is a peaceful setting. Plus, it’s the only pizza place I’ve been to where the gluten-free crust is almost as good as the regular one!
Julie Lamb, Web Program Manager, SFMOMA
The rooftop gardens in Salesforce Park offer a serene escape just three blocks from the museum—perfect for a midday walk and even some bird-watching or people watching.
Cristina Chan, Managing Editor, SFMOMA