The Bay Traveling Through SFO Airport? Check Out the Art Museum
Nov 24, 2025
Guests Daniel Calderon, an exhibition curator at SFO Museum, Nicole Mullen, in charge of exhibitions, and Bao Lee, associate curator of public engagement, offer insight into the unique art experiences at San Francisco International Airport. They discuss the importance of the airport as a cultural venue, including the impactful AIDS Memorial Quilt and the innovative Women of Afrofuturism exhibition. Listeners learn about post-security tours and how mosaic art is chosen for its durability, making this unexpected museum a must-visit for travelers.
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Accredited Museum In An Airport
- SFO Museum is the only airport museum accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, making it uniquely positioned to present serious exhibitions in a transit space.
- Curators aim to capture travelers' attention and encourage short, meaningful museum experiences between flights.
AIDS Quilt Brought To DC In Protest
- Daniel describes the AIDS Memorial Quilt's origin and how panels were driven to Washington D.C. in 1987 as protest on the National Mall.
- The quilt began as 1,920 panels that publicly demanded attention during a government neglect of the epidemic.
Scale And Memory Of The Quilt
- The quilt has expanded massively: over 50,000 panels and 6,000+ blocks now memorialize tens of thousands of names.
- Displaying a few blocks at SFO helps educate travelers who might not know the quilt's history.