October 28, 2025

The San Diego Museum of Art Announces Centennial Year Celebration, Marking 100 Years of Art and Community

Museum to Debut Major Exhibitions, Launch Immersive Programs, and Host Public Birthday Bash in 2026

SDMA 100 years logo

SAN DIEGO, CA (October 28, 2025) – The San Diego Museum of Art (SDMA) today announced plans for its momentous 2026 Centennial, celebrating 100 years since the institution first opened its doors as the Fine Arts Gallery of San Diego on February 28, 1926. The year-long celebration will feature can’t-miss exhibitions, an all-day public birthday party, and the expansion of community-focused programming.

“For a century, The San Diego Museum of Art has served as a cultural anchor, inspiring generations through the power of art,” said Roxana Velásquez, Maruja Baldwin Executive Director and CEO of The San Diego Museum of Art. “Our Centennial is not just a reflection on our remarkable history, but a bold declaration of our future. We are celebrating with world-class exhibitions and inclusive initiatives to ensure art remains accessible to everyone in San Diego.”

Four Major Exhibitions Anchor the Centennial Year

The 2026 exhibition calendar highlights the Museum’s permanent collections, landmark acquisitions, and a rare opportunity to experience light-sensitive works by beloved Post-Impressionist master Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

SDMA 100 Years
January 24 – July 26, 2026
The celebration begins with an exhibition rooted in the institution’s history, showcasing archival images and ephemera from the SDMA Archives and the San Diego History Center. A unique feature will be an in-gallery slideshow displaying personal photographs and community memories submitted by the public.

Local Visions: Reimagining the Façade
January 24 – July 26, 2026
Local Visions grew out of an open call inviting local artists to draw inspiration from the Museum’s Spanish Colonial Revival façade through their own contemporary perspectives. A selection of works from the remarkable number of responses was chosen to reflect the diversity of artistic approaches and the shared sense of connection to this historic building. Wagner Humphreys, Lori Mitchell, and Tim Novara were chosen by a Museum jury as Centennial Artist Honorees. Seven additional local artists will join them in showcasing their respective reimaginings of the Museum façade. Together, these works illuminate how a single façade can serve as both subject and symbol; honored, transformed, and reinterpreted in ways that bridge community and architecture, past and present, tradition and innovation.

Cafés and Cabarets: The Spectacular Art of Toulouse-Lautrec
April 4 – September 20, 2026
In 1987, SDMA received a gift from the collection of Baldwin M. Baldwin, a Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec connoisseur whose holdings of the artist’s work were among the most comprehensive in the world. First shown at SDMA in 1972, these light sensitive works can only rarely be displayed. To commemorate this gift and the Museum’s Centennial, this exhibition shares approximately thirty-five works by Toulouse-Lautrec, all from the permanent collection. This once-in-a-generation viewing opportunity will be complemented by a dedicated Community Engagement gallery.

Forging a Legacy: 15 Years of Landmark Acquisitions
May 16 – September 7, 2026
This major exhibition highlights the profound acquisitions and promised gifts received by the Museum, illustrating the growth and commitment to excellence the Museum has strengthened over the last 15 years. SDMA has made great strides to augment its core collections of art from East Asia, South Asia, the Islamic world, Europe, the United States, and Latin America, as well as in the area of photography. In many cases this has led to commissions of works by current artists, bridging the historic with the contemporary. The majority of gifts of art were donated by the community, and include stunning examples by Lucas Cranach, Albrecht Dürer, Jusepe de Ribera, John Singer Sargent, and Francisco de Zurbarán, as well as Impressionist and Modern paintings by Claude Monet and Pablo Picasso; Japanese woodblock prints; and cutting-edge Contemporary work by Hugo Crosthwaite, Richard Deacon, Ala Ebtekar, Lalla Essaydi, Sergio Hernández, Cauleen Smith, and Wang Qingsong.

In addition, the ongoing exhibition A New Vision for the Next Century, launched in August 2025, will continue to showcase the Museum’s future expansion and renovation plans in partnership with world-renowned design firm Foster + Partners.

Centennial Celebration and Community Outreach

SDMA will host a full slate of festive events and solidify its commitment to community access through new partnerships:

Birthday Fest on February 28, 2026: On the exact date of its 100th anniversary, the Museum will offer free admission 10:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. and host a two-part celebration:

  • The Cake Party: A delectable gathering offering unlimited birthday cake, live music, activities, and more. Panama 66 and Burgeon Beer Co. are also collaborating to create a Centennial Beer inspired by the brews of the Prohibition era. Tickets to The Cake Party are slated to go on sale in mid-November.
  • On the Steps Centennial Celebration: A special edition of the Museum’s popular community program on the iconic façade steps featuring live music and dance performances, art-making, notable guest appearances, free Museum admission, and more to be announced.

    Partnership with San Diego Ballet: To honor a century of art, San Diego Ballet will be presenting programming highlighting the museum’s permanent collection and visiting exhibitions during the year. Throughout the season, entitled “A Centennial Celebration,” audiences will experience evocative and intimate performances creating a seamless dialogue between visual and performing arts. Dates and details can be found on the San Diego Ballet website. Media images HERE.

    MySDMA Partnership with San Diego Public Library: Launched in October 2025, in the lead-up to the Centennial year, this new art and literacy program at the City Heights branch of the San Diego Public Library provides weekly, free hands-on art-making activities based on SDMA’s collection. The program also welcomes families to sign up for a free bus tour to visit SDMA on the third Saturday of the month to see art in person, go on guided tours, and participate in hands-on workshops. Guests are invited to register for this opportunity by attending an SDMA program at the City Heights/Weingart Library or connecting with the City Heights/Weingart Library staff.

    Centennial Publication and Limited-Edition Merchandise

    To commemorate this milestone year, SDMA will release an image-led publication, The San Diego Museum of Art: Collection Highlights—Celebrating a Century, featuring many of the works on view in the Forging a Legacy exhibition and collection highlights from the Museum’s full 100-year history. Custom Centennial merchandise, including T-shirts, totes, and lapel pins, will also be available for purchase in The Museum Store.

    The Museum is also launching an interactive Centennial timeline game in its app this January. The game invites visitors to test their knowledge by placing historic events and milestones on a timeline—unlocking fascinating stories and discovering related artworks from the Museum’s collection along the way.

    For more information on The San Diego Museum of Art, these Centennial programs, plus stay up to date on new events, or to purchase tickets or membership, visit SDMArt.org.


    About The San Diego Museum of Art

    Providing a rich and diverse cultural experience, The San Diego Museum of Art houses some of the world’s finest art. Located in the heart of Balboa Park, the Museum’s internationally renowned collection of more than 32,000 works—dating from 3000 BC to present day—includes Spanish and Italian old masters, the Edwin Binney 3rd Collection of South Asian paintings, East Asian art, art from the Americas, Modern and Contemporary art, and the Museum of Photographic Arts at The San Diego Museum of Art (MOPA@SDMA). The Museum regularly features major exhibitions of art from around the world, as well as extensive cultural and community engagement programs for all ages. The San Diego Museum of Art hosts experiences that invite visitors to explore art through music, dance, film, food, and so much more. At The San Diego Museum of Art, exhibition text is always in English and Spanish.

    The San Diego Museum of Art is located at 1450 El Prado in Balboa Park, San Diego, CA, 92101. The Museum of Photographic Arts at The San Diego Museum of Art is located at 1649 El Prado in Balboa Park, San Diego, CA, 92101.

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