San Francisco Museum of Science and Industry Records, 1926-1953

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Summary

Title:

San Francisco Museum Of Science And Industry Records,

Dates:

1926-1953

Creators:

San Francisco Museum of Science and Industry

Abstract:

Files of the San Francisco Museum of Science & Industry-Marine Section, predecessor of the San Francisco Maritime Museum (1940-1953). This collection of correspondence files was originally divided into two sections, subject and general (1940-1949). The files were left in their original order. Much of the correspondence involves Alma de Brettville Spreckels, Honorary Chairman of the S.F. Museum of Science and Industry, Dr. Howard M. McKinley, Director of the Museum and Walter J. Walsh, Board Member & Attorney for the Museum. The collection also contains two visitor's logbooks.

Extent:

4.2 linear feet

Language:

English.

Preferred citation:

Preferred Citation:

[Item description], HDC 1033, [Location within collection organization identified by series number, file unit number, item number], San Francisco Museum Of Science And Industry Records, 1926-1953 , San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park.

Background

Scope and content:

Files of the San Francisco Museum of Science & Industry-Marine Section, predecessor of the San Francisco Maritime Museum (1940-1953).

This collection of correspondence files was originally divided into two sections, subject and general (1940-1949). The files were left in their original order. Much of the correspondence involves Alma de Brettville Spreckles, Honorary Chairman of the S.F. Museum of Science and Industry, Dr. Howard M. McKinley, Director of the Museum and Walter J. Walsh, Board Member & Attorney for the Museum.

The collection also contains two visitor's logbooks. One volume dated from August 22, 1941 to June 24, 1943. The other volume is from October 24, 1940 to August, 24 1941, with additional material from June 9, 1953 to June 11, 1953 included at the end.

Biographical / historical:

The idea for the creation of the San Francisco Museum of Science and Industry grew out of a marine exhibit at the Golden Gate International Exposition, held on Treasure Island, San Francisco, in 1939-1940. Ship models, assembled by shipping executive Edward S. Clark, and prints were included in the display. After the Exposition was over, the models and prints were gathered and displayed at the Merchants Exchange Building at 465 California Street in San Francisco, in October 1940. A committee of public-spirited citizens, led by Mrs. Adolph B. Spreckles, sponsored the exhibit, which lasted 6 months.

In May of 1941, the San Francisco Museum of Science and Industry was opened, in space at the Aquatic Park Center bath house, which was offered to the new Museum by the San Francisco Park Commission. Future plans for the Museum were to include exhibits of land and air transportation, mining and other industrial and scientific collections as well as native handicraft items. The Museum was hoped to be a center of research for scientists, as well as the general public.

When the U.S. entered World War II, the Aquatic Park Center bath house became a center for anti-aircraft forces. The Museum was dismantled to make room for the Army. The fledgling collections were housed for a short time in the California Palace of the Legion of Honor. The ship models were later loaned to the Maritime Commission to aid in training personnel. After the indoctrination courses were discontinued, the models were made available at the Aquatic Park Center bath house for the benefit of the service men. After the war, the Marine Section of the San Francisco Museum of Science and Industry was opened, again in the bath house. The marine exhibit remained at the bath house until 1949.

The original collection of models and prints were later augmented with more models, historic documents, including photographs, books and various types of nautical equipment.

Acquisition information:

Immediate Source of Acquisition:

Golden Gate National Recreation Area under accession SAFR-1 , transferred internally from another National Park Service unit.

Custodial history:

Custodial History:

The records were created by the San Francisco Museum of Science and Industry, a predecessor organization to the San Francisco Maritime Museum Association, which held them until their donation to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area's National Maritime Museum in October 1984. They were subsequently transferred to the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park on its establishment in 1988.

Processing information:

Processing and Cataloging:

Processed by Mary Gentry.

Completed in October 2002.

ANCS+ Catalog No. SAFR 9906.
This number links the collection to the ANCS+ catalog record and documentation. A portion of the ANCS+ catalog record can be viewed on the NPS Museum Collections Web Catalog by searching for the above number at http://www.museum.nps.gov/safr/page.htm.

Arrangement:

Organized in three series, as follows: Series 1: Correspondence; Series 2: Miscellaneous Records; Series 3: Visitors Logbooks.

Rules or conventions:

Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

Indexed terms

Subjects:: San Francisco Museum of Science and Industry.
Historic ships--California--San Francisco Bay Area.
San Francisco Maritime Museum.
Ship models.
Visitors' books.
Correspondence.
Names:: Spreckels, Alma de Bretteville, 1881-1968.

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:: Processed by Mary Gentry.
Date Prepared:: 2007
Date Encoded:: Machine-readable finding aid generated by MS Word VBA program ANCSPlus_EAD_Generator written by S. Taylor Horton. Data derived from the ANCS+/Rediscovery archives module database. Date of source: 22 May 2003.

Access and use

Restrictions:

Access:

The collection is open for research use. No restrictions noted in the collection record. There may be specific access restrictions noted at lower levels or in the collection file.

Terms of access:

Use:

The San Francisco Maritime NHP possesses physical property rights through ownership of the materials. However, copyright may reside with the individual or corporate body responsible for the creation of the materials, or with their heirs. It is the user's responsibility to respect the provisions of the copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code). Permission to reproduce or publish from this collection must be secured by the user from the copyright holders.