After two years of assembling artistic depictions of human sexuality, hosting ongoing exhibits and even an Erotic Hall of Fame with inductees that included Hugh Hefner, the entire contents of the museum will be put up for sale, museum owner Mark Volper said.
The sale of art items will begin after the doors close on Sunday, Marina Smorodinsky, museum director, told XBIZ. “In the meantime, people can stop by and look. We would like for the entire museum to be purchased.”
Smorodinsky added that items for sale will be listed on the museum’s website as well as on eBay.
During the museum’s reign as one of the first and only museums in the U.S. to exclusively feature erotic art, museum curators celebrated big-name artists such as Andres Serrano Tom of Finland, Mel Roberts and others. The museum was even victim to an art heist several years ago that made away with an original Picasso etching titled "Block 1664.” The etching was never recovered.
The museum’s mission statement was to celebrate the positive potential of human sexuality, but more often than not, it was overshadowed by the Internet.
"Sex is everywhere these days, on the Internet, on TV, in the movies," Volper said. "One thing we found in time, was that there is a change in the way people are consuming sex as a product these days. That combined with the recent natural disasters, the war, a drop in tourism, it's been a tough time for a controversial entertainment institution."
Curator Eric Singley attributed the museum’s closure to tough times in Los Angeles for museums and lower-than-expected attendance at most of the mainstream museums.
“We understand the other museums dedicated to sexuality in the U.S. have not been meeting their expectations either,” Singley said.
But there is still hope that new ownership will revive the museum and take it to the next level.
"We've done the hard work by building this amazing facility,” Volper said. “It just needs the right expertise to take it to the last mile."
Until new ownership is assumed, the museum gift shop will remain open.
"We had hoped to educate, entertain and inspire,” Smorodinsky said. “For two years, our venue was a vehicle for many progressive artists to showcase their talent, and we regret that due to circumstances beyond our control we have to close our doors.”