Featuring works by Picasso, Monet, Warhol and more, the exhibition reflects the depth and ambition of a museum transformed by visionary collecting and the extraordinary generosity of a community

SAN DIEGO (May 2026)– The San Diego Museum of Art (SDMA) is debuting its upcoming exhibition, Forging a Legacy: 15 Years of Landmark Acquisitions, on view May 21 through September 7, 2026. Drawing from the more than 14,500 works that have joined the Museum’s collection throughout the past 15 years, this selection of over 120 works is testament to the legacy the Museum is creating for San Diego.

Since opening its doors in 1926 as the Fine Arts Gallery of San Diego, the Museum has grown into a world-class institution, building significant collections of Renaissance and Baroque Old Masters alongside Modern and contemporary art, including ground-breaking Modern movements such as Impressionism and German Expressionism.

Over the past 15 years, the Museum has worked to expand its collection to include pieces from across the globe, encompassing East Asia, South Asia, the Islamic world, and Latin America, as well as from Europe and the United States, reflecting a commitment to building a collection as diverse as the city it serves.

This exhibition marks the Museum’s centennial and includes works from renowned artists Nick Cave, Lucas Cranach, Richard Deacon, Pan Gongkai, Claude Monet, Gabriele Münter, Pablo Picasso, Jusepe de Ribera, John Singer Sargent, Cauleen Smith, Andy Warhol and many more. Forging a Legacy also celebrates the extraordinary gift of Toni Bloomberg’s formidable collection of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and Modern works, as well as six engravings by the great Renaissance master Albrecht Dürer gifted by Peter and Miriam Krippl. Among the exhibition’s highlights is a rare grouping of five outstanding South Asian paintings from a single Ramayana series, which have entered the collection through the generosity of Ms. Jas K. Grewal, and build on the strength of the Museum’s world-renowned Edwin Binney 3rd Collection of South Asian paintings. A wall dedicated to Japanese art is a reminder of the over 1,000 historic Japanese woodblock prints in the collection, while work from China ranges from a 14th-century screen to the contemporary photography of Wang Qingsong. Latin American highlights include works by Hugo Crosthwaite, Sergio Hernández, Marianela de la Hoz, Alfredo Jaar and two stunning major night sky works by Vik Muniz.

As the Museum’s collection has grown, so has the caliber of its exhibitions, both at home and touring to prestigious museums worldwide including the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Montreal Museum of Fine Arts; Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum in Madrid; Palacio de Bellas Artes and Museo Nacional de Antropología in Mexico City; National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo; Kyoto City Museum of Art; and Sejong Museum of Art in Seoul. To further showcase the collection, SDMA is currently embarking on an endeavor to expand the Museum’s west wing that is slated to double exhibition space with a multi-use extension designed by renowned international architectural firm Foster + Partners.

“Since we opened our doors 100 years ago, and especially over the past 15 years, we have built something truly extraordinary with our collection that reflects the ambition, diversity, and generosity of this city and its people,” said Roxana Velásquez, Maruja Baldwin Executive Director and CEO of The San Diego Museum of Art. “I’m incredibly proud of what this team and our donors have accomplished together, and I can think of no better way to celebrate than by sharing these works with San Diego and the world. And with our Foster + Partners expansion ahead, I can’t wait to see what the next 100 years bring.”

The remarkable quality of these acquisitions reflects both the Museum’s curatorial vision and the extraordinary generosity of the many individuals who have gifted works to share with San Diego and its many communities.

Funding for this exhibition is made possible through an outpouring of philanthropic support in celebration of The San Diego Museum of Art’s centennial year. The Museum is especially grateful for the generous support from Anonymous, Tom Haney, Lisa Hellerich, Gary and Zoraida Payne, the family of L. Jerral Miles, Renee Persky, and the Donna Van Eekeren Foundation.

To purchase tickets and for more information about SDMA, 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 35,000 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.

General Information: (619) 232-7931
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Website: SDMArt.org
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