More than sixty years ago, Russell Hartley started a private collection in his home with the purpose of collecting and preserving material documenting the history of dance. Mr. Hartley, who was both a dancer and costume designer for the San Francisco Ballet in the 1940s and 1950s, searched second-hand shops, traveled to Europe to purchase dance artifacts, and in 1947, established the San Francisco Dance Archives. As the collection grew, it expanded to include all of the performing arts, and in 1975 moved to space at a branch of the San Francisco public library system as the Archives for the Performing Arts. In 1983, the growing collection was moved to the Opera House, giving the collection 1,000 square feet for storage. At his passing, Mr. Hartley bequeathed his collection to the Archives. At that time, a board was developed and 2 full-time professional staff laid the groundwork toward the creation of an institution.

In 1989 the collection was moved to a larger facility in the Civic Center area. The facility underwent extensive renovation to accommodate the collection, and at the same time the organization took a new name: the San Francisco Performing Arts Library & Museum. The collection continued to grow and in 1999 the Performing Arts Library moved to its present home in the Veterans Building in the San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center. This larger space better accommodated the growing collection, expanded staff, and ever increasing number of researchers using the resources. It also enabled the Museum to exhibit the collection and to hold presentations, classes and special events.

In the 21st century, the roles of museums and libraries have changed dramatically with the advent of the digital age. After much research and input from museum professionals, the organization’s Board of Trustees voted to create the Museum of Performance & Design so as to offer increased services and multifaceted programs to meet the changing needs of its users. On the occasion of its 60th anniversary in 2007, the organization changed its name and focus to offer a greater scope of exhibitions and museum programming and still maintaining its mission of collecting and preserving performing arts materials from the past and present.

BUDGET AND FUNDING
The Museum of Performance & Design is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization incorporated in the State of California with an annual budget of nearly $1 million. It relies on a variety of funding sources, including memberships, bequests, corporate and foundation grants, and individual gifts. It is also funded in part by the San Francisco Hotel Tax Fund/Grants for the Arts, the San Francisco Arts Commission, the California State Library, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Earned income is produced from admission and entry donations, user fees, exhibition services, merchandise, and special events.