Help Us Open Our (New) Doors!

For 10 years, the Tenderloin Museum has celebrated and preserved the history of one of San Francisco’s most vibrant and misunderstood neighborhoods. Now, we’re embarking on our most ambitious project yet: expanding into a new 6,850-square-foot historic space next door to our current location at 398 Eddy Street. This expansion will triple our size and allow us to bring more of the Tenderloin community’s stories, voices, and creativity to life.

Why Your Support Matters
Your donation directly supports:

New Exhibits & Stories: From Indo-American hotelier history to San Francisco’s first neon sign gallery, your gift helps us preserve the rich cultural legacy of the Tenderloin.
Community & Arts Programs: Expand educational programming, arts showcases, and neighborhood events that bring people together.
Connection & Gathering Spaces: Create spaces where residents, visitors, and artists can engage, learn, and celebrate the Tenderloin’s history and culture.

Every gift moves us from a finished building to a functioning cultural anchor, ready to host exhibits, programs, and community gatherings. Give now, and help bring these new stories to life in 2026!

Here’s a Sneak Peek at What We’re Planning:

Boxing in the Bay – Summer 2026
Our inaugural exhibit in the new space uncovers the rich, largely uncollected history of Newman’s Boxing Gym—once home to local legends and icons like Ali and Sugar Ray—and brings San Francisco’s colorful boxing story to life through rare photos, ephemera, and oral histories.

Signs of the Times: Little Saigon Remembered – Fall 2026
Artist Michelle “Meng” Nguyen will create large-scale works inspired by her upbringing in Little Saigon, transforming our new space with art, stories, and community workshops that explore the history and culture of the Tenderloin’s Viet diaspora.

Youth in the Tenderloin – Winter 2026/27
This exhibit spotlights the 4,000 young people who call the Tenderloin home, tracing the rise of youth-serving organizations—from Head Start to the Boys & Girls Club—and pairing photos and artifacts with new oral histories from the neighborhood.

Art & Activism in the Tenderloin – Spring 2027
In partnership with Hospitality House’s Community Arts Program, this exhibition celebrates 60 years of art-driven activism in the Tenderloin, featuring work from CAP’s archive, community artists, and the stories of the neighborhood’s radical creative movement.

Your Impact, Your Recognition

Gift	Recognition & Benefits
$25–49	Key Contributor: Special recognition on our website
$50–99	Community Contributor: Personalized note from the Museum, a selection of Tenderloin Museum merchandise, plus all previous benefits
$100–499	Cornerstone Contributor: Tenderloin Museum membership, plus all previous benefits
$500–999	Neighborhood Champion: Private walking tour of the neighborhood for up to 20 people, plus all previous benefits
$1,000–2,499	Foundation Builder: Take-home piece of Tenderloin history, personal hard hat tour of the expansion space, lunch with museum team at your favorite Tenderloin restaurant, and an invitation to our special preview event, plus all previous benefits
$2,500–4,999	Opening Day Sponsor: Host a private event at the museum, plus all previous benefits
$5,000–9,999	Anchor Investor: Premium recognition with your name on a permanent plaque in our new expansion space, plus all previous benefits
$10,000+	Custom recognition package! Please contact us for details

Donors will have the chance to sign a temporary exhibit wall or beam, leaving a hidden mark in the expanded museum for generations to come!

Ways to Support

Online: Donate now via Givebutter. Your contribution goes directly to the expansion and programs.
By Mail: Tenderloin Museum, Attn: Expansion Campaign, 398 Eddy Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Corporate Matching: Many employers match gifts. Check with your company or contact us.

A Vision for Growth
This expansion is more than just walls and exhibits—it’s a commitment to revitalizing the Tenderloin and San Francisco as a whole. Your gift helps us:

Celebrate a neighborhood rich with history, creativity, and resilience.
Amplify voices often overlooked in mainstream narratives.
Create a cultural anchor that supports both community and economic vitality.

Be the donor who helps us open our doors!
Your support ensures that the stories, people, and spirit of the Tenderloin are preserved and shared for years to come.

Donate Now – Every gift counts!

Some reward benefits are subject to availability and may be changed at the discretion of the Tenderloin Museum.

Tenderloin Museum Expansion Project

By Uptown Tenderloin Inc

Tenderloin Museum Expansion Project

Help the Tenderloin Museum expand its footprint — making it three times larger — to tell more stories, open new exhibits, and preserve the history and vitality of the community