Mexican Museum Approved for Long Term Lease in San Francisco

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors today unanimously approved a long-term lease for the future home of The Mexican Museum, a Smithsonian affiliate, in the Yerba Buena Garden Arts District.

The approved lease is for the cultural component space that is part of the 706 Mission Street Residential and Mexican Museum Project, a part of which encompasses city-owned land.

The initial introduction of the long-term lease was submitted by San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee, and the lease legislation was co-sponsored by Supervisors Jane Kim, David Campos, Malia Cohen, John Avalos, Eric Mar and Scott Weiner.

Mayor Lee is expected to approve the 66-year lease, which has an option for another 33 years. With the lease in place, and construction set to begin in July, The Mexican Museum is well on its way to realizing its supporters' long-term dream of building a permanent home worthy of the Museum's world-class permanent collection of over 16,000 objects reflecting Pre-Hispanic, Colonial, Popular, Modern and Contemporary Mexican, Mexican-American, Latin American, Latino, and Chicano art.

"This is a historic moment for The Mexican Museum and for the City and County of San Francisco," said Andrew M. Kluger, Chairman of The Mexican Museum Board of Trustees.

The Mexican Museum worked collaboratively in structuring the lease agreement with Millennium Partners, who is building the core and shell for the cultural facility, as well as providing a $5 million endowment to be used to operate the cultural space. The Museum also worked closely with the Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure (OCII, aka "The Successor Agency to the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency"), as the land is being transferred to the City and County of San Francisco after 20 years under the care of the former Redevelopment Agency.

The Successor Agency has been a tremendous partner for the Museum in the predevelopment stages of the project, which has enabled The Mexican Museum to be in a position to enter into the lease with the City. As a result, the Museum's collections will soon be showcased in San Francisco's famous Yerba Buena Garden Arts District, after being housed and displayed at Fort Mason Center for more than 30 years.

"The Mexican Museum will soon take its place among some of the world's most renowned institutions in the heart of San Francisco's dynamic and diverse arts district, further enhancing San Francisco's reputation as a global center for art, culture, and community," said Mayor Lee.

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About The Mexican Museum: Founded by the well-known San Francisco artist Peter Rodriguez in 1975 in the heart of the Mission District, The Mexican Museum is located at Fort Mason Center. It is the realization of his vision to present the aesthetic expression of the Mexican and Mexican American people. Today, the museum's vision has expanded to include the full scope of the Mexican, Chicano and Latino experience - including the arts, history and heritage of their respective cultures.

The Mexican Museum is open Wednesday - Sunday from noon to 4 p.m., located at Fort Mason Center, Building D, Marina Boulevard and Buchanan Street, in San Francisco. FREE Admission. The Museum offers a wide variety of programs, including Family Sundays, exhibitions, special events, lectures and public programming throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. For more information, please visit: http://www.mexicanmuseum.org or call (415) 202-9700.

The Mexican Museum is currently preparing for the construction of its permanent home, which is expected to open in 2018.