SFMOMA: Matisse’s Femme au Chapeau Opening

SFMOMA opens “Matisse’s Femme au chapeau: A Modern Scandal” to the public on Saturday, May 16, as the San Francisco museum rolls out opening-weekend programming around one of the best-known works in its collection. The exhibition runs through September 13, 2026, and SFMOMA says it is the only venue for the show because the painting does not travel under the terms of its bequest. (sfmoma.org) The museum has paired the opening with member previews, a Sunday Hat Party and other public events listed on its calendar. (sfmoma.org) Timed tickets are required for the exhibition, with a surcharge on top of museum admission. (sfmoma.org) ### When does the exhibition actually open? Saturday, May 16, is the public opening date for “Matisse’s Femme au chapeau: A Modern Scandal,” according to SFMOMA’s exhibition page. The museum lists member previews from May 14 through May 16 before the broader public run begins. September 13, 2026, is the closing date now listed by SFMOMA for the exhibition. The museum’s press materials describe the show as a major presentation centered on Henri Matisse’s 1905 portrait of his wife, Amélie, and its influence across later generations of artists. (sfmoma.org) ### Why is this show a bigger event than a normal gallery rehanging? SFMOMA says the exhibition restages the 1905 Salon d’Automne debut of “Femme au chapeau” and brings together the largest number of works from that historic display in more than a century. The show places Matisse alongside artists including André Derain, Albert Marquet and Maurice de Vlaminck, then traces responses to the painting by later and contemporary artists. (sfmoma.org) Janet Bishop, SFMOMA’s Thomas Weisel Family Chief Curator, said in the museum’s press release that the exhibition is a chance to share “the full story” of a painting that marked Matisse’s break from convention. (sfmoma.org) SFMOMA also says the show examines the work’s Bay Area history, including its path from the Stein family to the museum’s collection in 1991 through a bequest from Elise S. Haas. ### What is happening during opening weekend? Sunday, May 17, is scheduled to feature a “Hat Party” from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., which SFMOMA describes as a festival celebrating the exhibition with craft-making inspired by the show. (sfmoma.org) The museum calendar also lists “On Creative Courage: Artists in Conversation” at 2 p.m. that day. Saturday, May 16, also falls during member-preview dates listed by the museum, and SFMOMA’s events page shows a Museum Store Jewelry Trunk Show running both May 16 and May 17 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The museum’s press release says the exhibition opens with a Hat Party and will be followed by a Free Community Day on May 24. (sfmoma.org) ### What do visitors need to know before they go? SFMOMA says every visitor needs a timed ticket for the exhibition in addition to museum admission. The museum’s FAQ says the presentation carries a $10 surcharge on weekdays and a $12 surcharge on weekends and holidays, while members and visitors 18 and younger can attend for free. (sfmoma.org) A limited number of same-day tickets may be available on-site on a first-come, first-served basis at the Floor 2 Ticketing Desk, according to the FAQ. SFMOMA also says re-entry to the exhibition is not allowed and tickets are nontransferable and nonrefundable. (sfmoma.org) ### Why is SFMOMA the only place to see it? SFMOMA says the painting entered the museum’s collection in 1991 and does not travel under the terms of its bequest. The museum’s press release says that restriction makes San Francisco the exclusive venue for the exhibition. (sfmoma.org) May 24 is the next date SFMOMA has already attached to the exhibition rollout, with a Free Community Day listed in the press material. Tickets and current scheduling details are posted through SFMOMA’s exhibition FAQ, events listings and exhibition page. (sfmoma.org) (sfmoma.org)