By Sam Whiting, Reporter Updated May 30, 2025 10:21 a.m. San Francisco Chronicle
When the Counterculture Museum opened Thursday afternoon on the corner of Haight and Ashbury streets in San Francisco, its first two paying customers were waiting at the door in boho-chic paisley and patchwork dresses.
Kaszmir Figura, 20, of Warsaw, Poland, and Bianca Czeslawski, 23, of Chicago met just three weeks ago in the Green Tortoise Hostel, while bumming around the city. They had already visited the new museum’s sister institution, the Beat Museum in North Beach, and were eager to embrace more of San Francisco’s vintage vibe.
“It’s amazing, the collection and how broad it is, how many eras it covers,” said Figura, who also bought a book about Jim Morrison, “No One Here Gets Out Alive.”
Czeslawski is on a gap year after graduating from the University of Wisconsin. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with my life so I came to San Francisco for the first time, for inspiration,” she said.
After paying the $10 entrance fee, the pair spent an hour looking at the display cases in the Counterculture Museum and planned a return trip — maybe several.
“It requires another visit to absorb everything,” said Figura, noting three mannequins in tie-dye granny dresses that could supply additional throwback fashion ideas.
“Anyone who comes here needs to set aside at least an hour or two,” added Czeslawski. “I’m really excited to look through the book collection. I’m looking for some Joan Didion.”
The opening, in a former clothing store, was intended to be soft, but it was actually loud with Jimi Hendrix’s electric guitar-heavy rendition of “C’mon (Let the Good Times Roll)” blaring from speakers on the counter.
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