Big Night of Swing Dancing Delivers for Treasure Island Museum

Saturday night’s successful Swing Dance Benefit promises an exciting year for the museum.

The Treasure Island Museum celebrated the 85th Anniversary of the Golden Gate International Exposition on Saturday, February 17, 2024, with its third annual Swing Dance Benefit, held in the lobby of historical Building One. Live music by the Nick Rossi Swing Six delighted guests as they danced the night away, decked out in vintage attire and having the time of their lives. Best of all, the colorful festivities helped raise money for the museum.

“I’m so grateful to be surrounded by such a stylish and cheerful group that supports the Treasure Island Museum at its annual benefit,” said Philippa Frey, Board Member and Vice President at the Treasure Island Museum. “We did achieve some financial success, but the real reward is in the priceless smiles from our exuberant guests.”

With support from individual and corporate sponsors, such as Treasure Island Community Development, PCL Construction, and Helioroast Coffee, the evening highlighted the museum’s vital role as a cultural, intellectual, and artistic center for San Francisco. Funds raised from events like this enable the museum to maintain free admission, expand its services within the community, develop new exhibitions and education programs, and preserve valuable art, artifacts, and oral histories for future generations.

There are currently more than ~1,000 artifacts in the museum basement’s collection room and only two paid members on the team. With Saturday’s benefit and much-appreciated funds from the Treasure Island Community Development team, the museum will be able to keep the staff it needs to ensure the museum remains a vital, far-reaching public resource.

The larger goal is to expand the museum’s current gallery, accommodating less than 10% of its extensive collection. With increased financial support, the museum would love to take down the front wall of the adjacent room, effectively doubling the gallery’s size. This expansion will allow for displaying a wider array of items, enriching the experience for all visitors.

While the annual swing dance fundraiser is one of the year’s biggest for the Treasure Island Museum (in the works since October 2023), its staff finds ways to raise funds throughout the year, including recently starting a membership program and selling merchandise.

With Treasure Island’s visionary redevelopment knocking at the door, the museum’s team wants to step up to the incoming demand and be able to serve a rapidly increasing community that’s notably more engaged with on-island happenings. Saturday night’s success is a source of great pride for the museum team, reaffirming their commitment to preserving Treasure Island’s storied past, and we are told they look forward to documenting the island’s next thrilling chapter with equal passion and dedication.

Photos by Philippa Frey, Cross Media International, Inc.