Uptown Tenderloin Museum

Located in the historic Cadillac Hotel, the Uptown Tenderloin Museum will feature state of the art, multi-media, interactive exhibitions on two floors with restored architecture, historical neon signage and a performance space. The museum will uncover the hidden history of the Uptown Tenderloin neighborhood with dynamic exhibit displays.

The Uptown Tenderloin has a rich cultural history. The neighborhood housed the internationally-famous Blackhawk Jazz Club active in the late 1940's - early 1960's featuring such jazz legends as Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck and Thelonious Monk. SF's queer rights movement began here. Uptown Tenderloin activism cemented the foundation for grassroots community action in the city. Famous rock bands like Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, the Grateful Dead, Santana and Jefferson Airplane recorded some of their greatest successes in the neighborhood. An influx of immigrants in the 1970's-early 1980's created a rich, Southeast Asian & South Asian cultural footprint. With 380 buildings listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the neighborhood's stunning architecture includes the world's largest collection of historic SROs (single room occupancy hotels).

For over a century, the Uptown Tenderloin has been a leading venue for live San Francisco entertainment. Finished basements under SROs were commonly used for popular music, and the Musicians Union was headquartered here. From the Savoy Theater to the still thriving Great American Music Hall, Exit Theater and Golden Gate Theater, the Uptown Tenderloin is a place where people come to be entertained.

The Uptown Tenderloin is also known for its "illicit" activities. The neighborhood hosted illegal card games and speakeasies, which flourished during Prohibition. Until the late 1950's, most local restaurants offered opportunities to gamble on horseracing or sporting events, a trend that continued into the 1980's as Southeast Asian immigrants congregated to play pai gow poker, a Chinese gambling game. The neighborhood also had its share of strip clubs and porno theaters, most of which are gone.

Activism is central to the Uptown Tenderloin's history. In July 1966, activists led a protest at Compton's Cafeteria and helped launch San Francisco's LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual & transgender) movement. In the 1960's, Reverend Cecil Williams began promoting civil rights through his activist-oriented ministry at Glide Memorial Church. The 1980's saw residents organize to preserve residential hotels, and to rezone the neighborhood to prevent gentrification. Southeast Asian refugees also organized to protect their homes in the face of unscrupulous landlords.

By uncovering the neighborhood's culturally rich, diverse history and attracting people to patronize local businesses, the Uptown Tenderloin Museum will propel the neighborhood toward a brighter future.

To find out how you can get involved in the future museum, please visit our Contact page. Tax-deductible contributions toward the museum's development can be made by donating here.