In a press release, San Francisco’s Cartoon Art Museum announced it will close on Sunday, August 2, after deciding not to renew its lease (on 781 Beach Street) when it expires at the end of August. While the institution will remain active, they say “for now, we will be packing up, taking time to regroup, and determining what the next chapter of the Cartoon Art Museum should be.”
Summerlea Kashar, the museum’s executive director, elaborates, “After navigating the pandemic and the difficult recovery that followed, it is time to close this chapter. We are not disappearing. We will take this time to recharge, reset and consider what comes next. We hope our community will continue to follow and support us as those plans take shape.”
The Museum has relocated and faced financial difficulties several times since it was founded in 1984. It moved to 781 Beach Street in 2016, after the rent doubled on its previous location. The announcement notes, “Ten years ago, the cartoon community came together to begin a new chapter for the museum. Scores of funders supported our move to Beach Street in Fisherman’s Wharf. Since then, we have faced significant challenges, including the pandemic and the slow recovery that followed. But we have also enjoyed many successes and countless opportunities to celebrate cartoon art and the people who create it.”
The museum also received unwanted attention earlier this year when former curator Andrew Farago was reported to have been arrested in June, on charges of violating his guests’ bathroom privacy with a cellphone camera. While the museum’s closure may be an unfortunate coincidence, relocating would provide as clean of a break as possible.
In the meantime, you can visit the museum during its final weekend at 781 Beach Street, and/or take a look at past exhibits, special events, and artists’ showcases on the official website.
