Museo ItaloAmericano

The Museo ItaloAmericano holds the distinction of being the first museum in the United States dedicated exclusively to Italian and Italian-American art and culture. It began its life in 1978 in a small space located directly above Caffe Malvina in the North Beach neighborhood. The museum later moved to its current home within the Fort Mason Center in 1985. Its founding was driven by a mission to preserve the heritage, struggles, and accomplishments of Italian immigrants who settled along the Pacific coast.