WHY THE MUSEUM CLOSED

In 1993, as part of the Base Realignment and Closure program, Congress determined that Naval Station Treasure Island was to be closed.  In 1997, the Navy ceased operations on Treasure Island and began the process of turning the island over to the City of San Francisco.

Although the Association had proposed to continue operating the Museum during the transition, the Navy decided otherwise.  It closed the museum exhibits and offices.  The collection and archives were placed in storage on Treasure Island.  Eventually, the Navy planned to turn the collection over to another exhibit facility.  However, as the Navy wound down its transition operations in 2002, those plans fell through.

The Navy then contacted the Treasure Island Museum Association and several other Bay Area stakeholders, seeking to identify a replacement custodian for the collection and prevent its imminent removal from California.

The Association communicated with a number of interested museums and organizations, and identified considerable support for preserving the collection in the Bay Area.  The Treasure Island Development Authority, the agency in charge of redeveloping the island for the City of San Francisco, has been in negotiations with the Navy to retain the collection on the island.  This will only be resolved with the finalization of the transfer, expected in early 2011.

Next: What is the future of the museum?