Welcome to The San Diego Museum of Art in beautiful Balboa Park, San Diego. Compiled here are some of our top tips to help you get the most from your visit to the art museum and Balboa Park. Getting to the Museum The San Diego Museum of Art is located at 1450 El Prado in the heart of Balboa Park. Walk, bike, bus, trolley, or drive. There are countless ways to get here. The best access to the Museum is by way of Park Boulevard or the historic Cabrillo Bridge. Explore our helpful driving directions to Balboa Park and the Museum for details on how to best approach the Museum by car from the north, east, south, or west. Parking in Balboa Park is available to the public throughout the…

‘Access for All’ grants $40 million in funding to museums nationwide, aiming to reduce barriers to museum visits San Diego, CA. (October 2023) – The San Diego Museum of Art (SDMA) is pleased to announce that it is a recipient of the ‘Access for All’ grant funded by the Art Bridges Foundation, a national arts nonprofit founded by philanthropist Alice Walton. SDMA will receive $1.6 million over three years to develop tailored programming for the local community, to launch in January 2024, including: Access for All is a $40 million nationwide initiative from Art Bridges Foundation aimed at closing access and opportunity gaps that prevent all communities from experiencing art. This $40 million in funding to 64 art museums and cultural institutions nationwide, aims to increase access to art across…

Experience Color and Its Enduring Role in Korean Art and Culture San Diego, CA. (July 2023)– The San Diego Museum of Art (SDMA) is pleased to announce the special exhibition Korea in Color: A Legacy of Auspicious Images, which sheds light on the use of color in Korean painting—known as polychrome painting (chaesaekhwa)—and its role in Korean culture. On view from October 28, 2023, through March 3, 2024, the exhibition will make its U.S. debut at The San Diego Museum of Art after traveling from the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Gwacheon in South Korea (MMCA). Exploring the continued influence of polychrome painting and its legacy of auspicious imagery, the exhibition will showcase contemporary works in dialogue with historical masterpieces. Fifty works of art from multiple lenders span a variety of…

These two historic institutions unite to create a dynamic cultural destination celebrating the beauty and diversity of visual arts San Diego, CA. (May 23, 2023) – The San Diego Museum of Art and The Museum of Photographic Arts announced today that they will merge to become one unified institution. This strategic merger will allow the combination of collections, resources, and expertise for the benefit of the San Diego community and beyond. The San Diego Museum of Art (SDMA) is one of the city’s oldest and most esteemed institutions, founded in 1926 with a collection that spans over 5,000 years of art history. The San Diego Museum of Art has more than 22,000 works of art, having added thousands of photographs to its collection over the last eight years, and has…

This bequest is a transformative gift for the Museum to further position the institution’s positive impact on the community SAN DIEGO, Calif. (March 27, 2023) – The San Diego Museum of Art announced today the receipt of a $2.4 million bequest from the estate of Dr. Janet Brody Esser to acquire and display works of art by Black artists and artists of the African diaspora. In addition, the Museum has received more than 200 volumes from Dr. Esser’s library and select works of art from her personal collection, including a drawing by local artist Marianela de la Hoz and four lithographs by Luis Jiménez. Her bequest made possible the inaugural acquisition of a mixed-media work by contemporary artist Nick Cave and a recent major exhibition of work by Justin Sterling. As…

Electing a Global Studio Marks an Important Step Towards a Transformational Investment at the Museum and for San Diego San Diego, CA. (March 7, 2023) – Following a comprehensive search, The San Diego Museum of Art announces the selection of renowned international architectural firm Foster + Partners as the Design Architect for a future renovation project set to enhance the Museum’s facilities and visitor experience. These climate-conscious enhancements will make it possible to continue serving a diverse and growing community throughout Southern California and beyond. The project will begin its detailed planning phase in the coming months and is expected to break ground in 2026. Situated within Balboa Park, a historic urban cultural oasis, the Museum’s renovation plan aims to increase art display and further enrich the public’s interaction with…

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (January 2023) – The San Diego Museum of Art welcomes Rachel Jans as Associate Curator of Modern & Contemporary Art beginning December 1. Jans will curate exhibitions, advise on acquisitions, and conduct research for all modern and contemporary art at the Museum. With more than 10 years of experience, she joins the institution from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art where she served as Assistant Curator of Painting and Sculpture. “We are thrilled to welcome Rachel to The San Diego Museum of Art and believe that she will play a critical role in continuing to provide visitors with a cultural and thought-provoking experience at the Museum,” said Roxana Velásquez, Maruja Baldwin Executive Director and CEO at The San Diego Museum of Art. “Her extensive experience in…

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (October 2022)  – The San Diego Museum of Art and the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD) are pleased to present internationally renowned artist Sergio Hernández as the featured speaker for the 22nd annual Axline Lecture on Monday, November 14, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. PST. This year’s Axline Lecture will be a hybrid event with a limited number of tickets available for in-person attendance, and additional tickets available for virtual viewing via Livestream. The Museum will also be featuring Sergio Hernández: Embers of Oaxaca, a dedicated exhibition with works by Sergio Hernández on view from November 12, 2022, through February 12, 2023. Oaxacan-based Sergio Hernández is among Mexico’s leading contemporary artists. Focusing on the wonders of the natural world, including native species of southern Mexico, the…