Tenderloin Museum — Attraction in San Francisco

What a spot.

Yes, you have to walk through the Tenderloin to get here, but that’s the point. (The zero-star reviews for that reason are entirely unfounded…)

The Tenderloin is a community (albeit, not always a safe nor comfortable one.) but you do feel that everyone knows one another while you’re walking through it.

This museum gives context to how it became the neighbourhood it is today. I had no idea about the history of jazz here. The corruption shocked me (wait until you learn where the neighbourhood got its name from..)

I left feeling like the neighbourhood has been burned by cops and city officials, time and time again. But I also left with an understanding of the community that lives there, and how much this area has actually been the only place to take in some from lower income communities.

Go. It’s a vital lesson on the history of SF, and the history of poverty/depravation.

I do think a nod to the opioid crisis and how it’s influenced the area would be an important addition to bring the history up to date.

Thank you for an...

I'm giving this a very rare and coveted 5 star (⭐) rating primarily because there were certain things there that surprised me and that I also "dug". Like that menu the Old Poodle Dog (see photo) and a bunch of really cool old matchbooks that I totally forgot used to be a thing and the hard to get a feel for but bold in its daring use of unconventional "floor" space, scale map of the neighborhood located ON THE CEILING!!! That's right... look up and check it out! Maybe, dare I say, a little (🤏) too much pandering to the LGBTXYZ overlords but ya know... better safe than sorry however the music and recording exhibit easily compensated for any rainbow burnout perceived by this cis boomer. Well worth the I wanna say $6 bucks but make sure it's not more...

I recently stayed on the edge of the Tenderloin and was really glad for the opportunity to visit this museum. It is a small and accessible site offering an intriguing historical perspective of one of San Francisco's most engaging areas. As one familiar with what is problematic about life on these streets, I really appreciated getting a broader perspective, one that made me glad I had chosen to book my stay nearby. There are some amazing photographs, engaging brief films and a great deal of information about many different aspects of the Tenderloin. I found the remainder of my time in the city significantly enhanced by what I learned from...