(a) There are exempted from the taxes imposed by this part the gross receipts from the sale of and the storage, use or other consumption in this state of tangible personal property purchased by the state or any local government entity as part of a public art collection which shall be considered a museum pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (d) or a nonprofit museum regularly open to the public which is operated by or for a local or state government entity, or operated by a nonprofit organization which has qualified for exemption pursuant to Section 23701d, provided:
(1) The property is purchased to replace property which has been physically destroyed by fire, flood, earthquake, or other calamity;
(2) The property is purchased and used exclusively for display purposes within such museum; and
(3) The property is purchased within three years from the date the calamity occurred.
(b) The aggregate amount of the exemption provided by this section shall not exceed the value of the property destroyed on the date the calamity occurred.
(c) The exemption provided by this section extends only to items which have value as museum pieces and does not extend to display cases, shelving, lamps, lighting fixtures, or other items of tangible personal property utilized in the operation of a museum.
(d) For purposes of this section, a “museum” shall only include:
(1) A museum which has a significant portion of its space open to the public without charge; or
(2) A museum open to the public without charge for not less than six hours during any month the museum is open to the public; or
(3) A museum which is open to a segment of the student or adult population without charge; or
(4) A public art collection if that art work is on display in a space which is open to the public without charge.
(Amended by Stats. 1987, Ch. 1266, Sec. 2. Effective September 28, 1987. Operative January 1, 1988, by Sec. 4 of Ch. 1266.)