San Francisco’s Tenderloin Museum launched a fundraiser to repair severe water damage and flooding in hopes of reopening this fall, the venue announced Wednesday.
According to a Tenderloin Museum news release, on June 27, water flowed from the Cadillac Hotel into the venue’s lobby and exhibits, leading the museum to close its doors. The hotel sits above the museum’s ground floor and leases the space to the exhibition.
On July 29, the Tenderloin Museum started an online fundraiser on Givebutter to help cover uninsured recovery costs, operational losses and water-mitigation efforts. Funds will also help restore damaged exhibitions and replace merchandise.
“The Museum has played a key role in getting people to come to the Tenderloin,” said Randy Shaw, founder of Uptown Tenderloin, Inc., which led to the creation of the Tenderloin Museum. “That’s why it’s so critical to get the funds necessary for it to reopen.”
As of Thursday morning, the fundraiser had received more than $4,000 in donations, with a goal of $150,000. The museum’s reopening timeline depends on community support and donations, although it currently plans to reopen in the fall.
During the museum’s closure, its public programming and events such as walking tours have not stopped and will be relocated to alternate venues. Additionally, the museum’s theatrical production entitled The Compton’s Cafeteria Riot remains running at 835 Larkin St.
Founded in 2015, the Tenderloin Museum at 398 Eddy St. is a nonprofit that tells the neighborhood’s history and evolution. According to the museum, it broke ground on a major expansion project last year that planned to add more than 6,800 square feet by 2028. Because the effort was funded through a separate campaign, those funds are restricted to construction and cannot be redirected, the museum said.
Instead, the Tenderloin Museum said it hopes to receive additional support from the community.
“This museum has always belonged to the neighborhood it serves, built by volunteers, donors and neighbors who believed its stories mattered,” said Katie Conry, Tenderloin Museum executive director, in a statement. “Water damage forced us to close our doors, but it did not touch what this institution stands for. We are asking the community that built this museum to help us rebuild it, and we are deeply grateful for every bit of support that comes our way.”
