The Crocker Art Museum will open to the public at 10 a.m. Sunday on the long-awaited 10.10.10.

The grand opening will include a performance by the Sacramento Youth Jazz Band, the symphony and orchestra and numerous cultural dances as well as an art car show and a 9:30 p.m. laser light show to cap off the day.

Visitors to the Crocker will now be able to tour the all-new 125,000-square-foot Teel Family Pavilion, which effectively triples the museum’s size.

“People aren’t going to be able to come in here and really see the Crocker in a couple of hours,” said Chief Curator Scott Shields.

Visitors will still be able to visit the historic home of the Crocker Art Museum they’ve come to know and love, as it is still used as gallery space. Shields said the interior space is much larger than most people expect when they see it from the outside.

Here is a brief rundown on what you can expect when you visit:

The first floor will be free and includes the museum store, cafe, meeting room and limited gallery space.

Seating for the new cafe on the first floor.

The second floor includes Oceanic and African art, prehistoric art, works on paper, a section on the Crocker’s history and ceramics. The second floor also houses the temporary exhibition space, which currently has works by internationally known California artist Wayne Thiebaud.

Oceanic art on the second floor.

Oceanic spirit canoe on the second floor.

African mask on the second floor.

Ancient art on the second floor.

Work on paper artwork on the second floor:  "Pope Alexander III Presenting a Ceremonial Umbrella to Doge Sebastiano Ziani at Ancona."

Room with displays of vases in the old Crocker space on the second floor.

Temporary exhibition space on the second floor with works by Thiebaud.

The third floor contains the Crocker’s prized California and American Art section as well as the European and Asian art sections. Shields said many of the European works haven’t been seen for decades, and much of the collection was collected by the Crocker family in the 1870s.

"Progress II" by Luis Jimenez in the Californian and American Art section on the third floor.

A portion of the California and American Art section on the third floor.

Another portion of the California and American Art section on the third floor.

Image by: dfg

“River Intersection” by Thiebaud in the California and American Art section.

"The Oriental Shop" by Joseph Kleitsch in the California and American Art section.

A portion of the European Art section on the third floor.

"Peasant Wedding Dance" by Pieter Brueghel II in the European Art section.

Hallway leading to the Asian Art section on the third floor.

A portion of the Asian Art section on the third floor.

The public opening of The Crocker Art Museum is from 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. on Sunday (10.10.10). Members will be allowed in on Saturday earlier.

For more information about the new Crocker, check out this article.

Admission to the new museum will be $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and college students, $5 for youths 7-17 and free for children 6 and under and Crocker members. The first floor of the Museum, including the cafe, theatre and gift shop, will be free at all times.

The museum is located at 216 O St.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.