San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)

Introduction

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), founded in 1935, was the first museum on the West Coast devoted to modern and contemporary art. Located in San Francisco’s SoMa district, its collection spans painting, sculpture, photography, architecture and design, media arts, and contemporary practice.

Art and Artists

The collection contains substantial Jewish material, including Frank Stella’s Had Gadya series, photographs and works engaging synagogues and Jewish life, and work by Jewish artists including Barnett Newman and others. Israeli artists are also present, including Barry Frydlender, Omer Fast, Elad Lassry, Naama Tsabar, and Ron Arad.

The central gap is visibility. The research found minimal evidence of dedicated exhibitions for both Jewish and Israeli works.

Policies

SFMOMA has strong visitor rules governing petitioning, solicitation, leafleting, placards, signs, and banners, giving it a clear framework for political activity inside the museum. However, visitors seeking to report bias or discrimination are still directed to general contact channels rather than a dedicated reporting process.

No public policy was found that explicitly prohibits antisemitism.

Community Engagement and Programming

The research did not identify sustained Jewish institutional partnerships or substantive Jewish educational programming.

The museum recognizes other heritage observances but has historically not recognized Jewish American Heritage Month.

Problematic Events

In April 2024, more than 200 current and former staff members signed an open letter calling for a ceasefire and urging the museum to commit to Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) boycott principles.

Bottom Line

SFMOMA’s Jewish and Israeli holdings are not matched by meaningful institutional engagement. Dedicated exhibitions, Jewish programming, community partnerships, bias-reporting mechanisms, and explicit antisemitism protections remain limited or absent. These gaps leave the museum’s overall approach fragmented and critically deficient.