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Gerard Koskovich
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Vandals Strike GLBT History Museum: Front
Windows Shattered in Early-Morning Incident
San Francisco -- Shortly before 5:00 a.m. on Monday, October 29, vandals struck The GLBT History Museum in San Francisco, shattering two large plate glass windows. Located in the Castro District, the museum is an internationally renowned institution devoted to displaying and interpreting the history of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.
"We're grateful for the outpouring of support we are already receiving from people in San Francisco and around the world," said Paul Boneberg, executive director of the GLBT Historical Society, the organization that runs the museum. "That support speaks to the important role the museum plays in advancing understanding of GLBT history and culture."
Boneberg stressed that none of the historical objects on display at the museum were damaged and that no theft occurred. "It's clear that this was vandalism," he said. "We don't know who smashed the windows or why they did it."
According to Boneberg, "When the alarm sounded at 4:50 this morning, the security firm immediately summoned the San Francisco Police Department and notified our staff, who were on the scene very quickly. In short order, the broken glass was removed and the windows were boarded over."
The GLBT History Museum is closed today (Monday, October 29) for further clean up, but will reopen Tuesday for its normal hours, 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
The total cost of the damage is not yet known, but will be minimally a few thousand dollars, Boneberg said. Donations to assist with the repairs and to support the museum can be made online at
ABOUT THE GLBT HISTORY MUSEUM
The GLBT History Museum is the first full-scale, stand-alone museum of its kind in the United States. Currently featured are two major exhibitions: "Our Vast Queer Past: Celebrating San Francisco's GLBT History" and "For Love and Community: Asian Pacific Islander Queers Take Action, 1960s-1990s," plus a special temporary display, "Play Fair! The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence Make Sex Safer." The museum is a project of the GLBT Historical Society, a research center and archives founded in 1985 that houses one of the world's largest collections of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender historical materials. For more information, visit www.glbthistory.org.
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EDITOR'S NOTE: The following photo may be reproduced at no fee. Credit: GLBT Historical Society (San Francisco). Further photos of the damage are available online via a dropbox.
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The GLBT History Museum in San Francisco shortly after vandals
shattered the front windows early on the moning of Oct. 29, 2012. |
