The San Francisco Cartoon Art Museum, a fixture in the Bay Area for 42 years, has announced its closure. The museum ceased operations on Sunday, citing ongoing financial difficulties exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and a slow recovery.
In a statement on its website, the museum indicated that while its current location at Fisherman’s Wharf is closing, it may explore possibilities for a future iteration. The organization is in the process of packing and reassessing its next steps. The museum’s lease at its current site was set to end, according to executive director Summerlea Kashar, who assured the public that the museum would not disappear entirely.
Previously located on Mission Street, the museum relocated 10 years ago after its rent doubled. The move to Fisherman’s Wharf, however, did not fully resolve its financial challenges.
This closure follows a crisis in June when Andrew Farago, a former curator at the museum, was arrested. He faced 20 counts of invasion of privacy for allegedly using a hidden camera to record party guests in the bathroom of his Berkeley home. The alleged recordings occurred on May 23 at a party hosted by Farago, where both adults and children used the bathroom. Farago subsequently lost his position at the museum and was placed on administrative leave upon learning of the allegations.
In an email to party guests, Farago reportedly apologized, stating, “I hid my phone in our bathroom for the purpose of spying on our guests, my closest friends in the world. I had never done anything like this before and don’t know what possessed me to do it.” Court records indicated this apology was part of his statement.
The San Francisco Cartoon Art Museum, which offered classes for children and exhibits aimed at promoting cartoon art, had seen over 80,000 visitors. Its closure marks the end of an era for a cultural institution that championed the art of illustration and animation.