San Francisco's Contemporary Jewish Museum announces gallery closure
Image courtesy CJMs Facebook page.
SAN FRANCISCO - The Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco announced on social media Wednesday that it will be closing its galleries to the public before the end of the year.
The museum said they are facing a "challenging financial landscape" and that attendance has not rebounded since the pandemic.
CJM said their Board of Trustees made the decision to scale back operations and that the gallery will close to the public for at least one year, starting on Dec. 15, 2024.
The reduction in operations also means staffing cuts for the museum.
Officials with the museum said this was an extremely difficult decision.
"This temporary closure will allow The Museum to take the steps necessary to ensure its future," the post read. "You, our community, have played a vital role in our history. You help us to center the voices of Jewish artists through our exhibitions and programming, educate thousands of children about Jewish culture, and work together to counter antisemitism and intolerance of all kinds."
Museum officials explained that this sabbatical will give them time to innovate and reevaluate their operation, "with the clear goal of emerging as a more resilient institution."
In the meantime, the museum will be free of charge through its closing date.