What Happened

On June 27, 2026, the Tenderloin Museum experienced severe water damage originating from The Cadillac Hotel that affected the main lobby and portions of the main exhibition space. Out of care for our collection, our staff, and our visitors, we decided to close while we assessed the damage and began necessary repairs. Since then, we’ve learned the repairs needed are more extensive than we first anticipated, and the Museum will remain closed while this work is completed, with the goal of re-opening in the fall. We need to make sure the repairs are made efficiently and safely, which is...

Why We’re Setting Up a Fundraiser

The Museum is asking the community — neighbors, members, friends, partners, and longtime supporters — to help fund uninsured recovery needs and permanent resilience improvements that will help protect the museum from future water intrusion. For over a decade, this Museum has told the story of one of San Francisco’s most vibrant and misunderstood neighborhoods. With your help, we can restore what was lost, keep our mission active during the closure, and reopen ready to welcome this community home.

How Your Donations Will Help:

Restore exhibitions and museum collections;
Replace damaged merchandise and museum equipment;
Sustain free public programs during recovery;
Offset lost operating revenue from the temporary closure;
Invest in improvements that help protect the museum from future disruptions such as enhanced water monitoring, resilient storage solutions, and other preventative measures;
Help the museum reopen stronger than ever!

Where Is the Money Going?

The damage reached deeper than a surface-level cleanup. Repairs include restoring ceilings, walls, and essential building systems, including electrical, plumbing, and fire safety, to make sure the space is structurally sound. From there, our galleries need to be rebuilt to the standard our visitors and collection deserve: new flooring, finishes, and wallpaper matched carefully to what was there before.

We’re also using this as an opportunity to invest in the future. As part of the repair, we’re installing a new drainage system designed to catch and safely direct water before it can cause this kind of damage again. This is one part of a broader push to make the Museum more resilient moving forward.

FAQs

When will the Museum reopen?

We’re aiming to reopen in the fall of 2026, though the exact date will depend on how repairs progress. We’ll share updates here and on our social media as soon as we have them.

What happens if you raise more (or less) than $150,000?

Every dollar raised goes directly toward repair and reopening costs. If we exceed our goal, additional funds will support the Museum’s broader resilience improvements and reopening programming.

Is my donation tax-deductible?

Yes, your donation is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Tenderloin Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Our legal name is Uptown Tenderloin, Inc, and our EIN is 36-4643665. Please consult your financial advisor for the most up-to-date information regarding nonprofit donation tax deductions.

Can my employer match my gift?

Many employers offer donation matching programs. Check with your HR department using our EIN 36-4643665. A matched gift doubles your impact at no extra cost to you.

I can’t donate right now. How else can I help?

Sharing this campaign with your own network costs nothing and helps enormously. You can also support us by attending our programs and events (check our website), getting tickets to see The Compton’s Cafeteria Riot, joining a walking tour, or becoming a member.

Press Release

For more information, please contact Katie Conry, Executive Director of the Tenderloin Museum, at kconry@tenderloinmuseum.org.

Help Rebuild the Tenderloin Museum

Severe water damage has forced us to close. Help us cover uninsured recovery costs, operational losses, and long-term water-mitigation improvements so we can reopen and keep sharing this community’s history.