San Francisco has a joyful invitation to look at everyday objects in a whole new way. At the Museum of Craft and Design in Dogpatch, OBJECTS: USA is now on view through January 17, 2027, bringing together more than 70 historic and contemporary works that celebrate the imagination of American makers.
The exhibition revisits one of the most influential craft shows ever staged. In 1969, the Smithsonian debuted OBJECTS: USA, shining a national spotlight on artists working in clay, fiber, glass, metal, wood, enamel and mosaic, and helping establish the studio craft movement. This new presentation, organized in partnership with R & Company, places those pioneers in conversation with today’s creators.
Visitors will find furniture, fiber, sculpture, jewelry and experimental design by Wendell Castle, Kay Sekimachi, George Nakashima and Art Smith alongside contemporary makers including the Haas Brothers, Kim Mupangilalai, Jolie Ngo, Roberto Lugo, Tanya Aguiñiga and Nicole Cherubini. Each piece challenges the line between art, craft and utility — a lamp, a chair or a vessel can be both useful and unforgettable.
Presented during the nation’s 250th anniversary and as part of Craft in America’s Handwork: Celebrating American Craft 2026, the show has special resonance in the Bay Area, a historic heartland of studio craft. Find it at 2569 Third Street — a bright, hands-on celebration of how humans make objects, and how objects make us human.
Photo: Courtesy of R & Company / Museum of Craft and Design
