Museum of Performance & Design

Established in 1947, San Francisco Performing Arts Library and Museum (SF PALM) is the only West Coast library/museum dedicated to performing arts. Its collection includes photographs, scene and costume designs, videotapes, periodicals, sheet music and books chronicling a century of San Francisco’s performing arts history; recent acquisitions include a prized collection of 2,500 tapes from pioneering rock station KSAN and the entire David Hockney Stage Design Archive worth $2.5 million. ach year, more than 11,000 children and adults visit the Library to use the research facilities, attend performances, exhibitions, symposia, and conversations with artists. SF PALM also serves as the official archive for many local arts groups including Hewlett grantees SF Ballet, SF Opera, Stern Grove Festival and the Ethnic Dance Festival and partners with 14 oither Bay Area arts organizations to present off-site exhibitions. Ongoing support for SF PALM furthers the Foundation’s interest in stimulating increased access to, and participation in the arts. Moreover, the educational component of SF PALM's work, both for school children and scholars advances program strategy around arts education. Over the next three years general operating support will also enable SF PALM to lay the foundation for a new facility under its new name "The Museum of Performance and Design."