Instead of a red carpet and a sea of white tablecloths, crowds attending Friday’s inaugural bash at the Institute of Contemporary Art San Francisco will be greeted by a photo booth and a taco bar, with sticker sheets handed out to any children who tag along. Sneakers, not high heels, will be the likely dress code. “Festive, not fancy, is our vibe,” said director Alison Gass.
The no-gala approach—launching a major museum with the casual cool of a tech startup—is one element in a broader strategy for the Bay Area’s newest cultural institution, a $5 million venture guided and funded mainly by Silicon Valley tech titans.
Tech Titans Are Backing a Museum with a Taco Party, Not a Gala
