SDMA | West Wing Building Renovation - San Diego Museum of Art

The San Diego Museum of Art
West Wing Is Transforming

First constructed in 1926, The San Diego Museum of Art is a cornerstone of Balboa Park and integral to the cultural fabric of San Diego. The Museum’s west wing, completed in 1966, doubled the Museum’s space, allowing for the additions of an auditorium, the Museum library and archives, and the popular Panama 66 restaurant.

After nearly six decades of daily use of the Museum’s west wing facilities, the significant expansion of the collection, and tremendous advances in technology, an upgrade and renovation are necessary to meet the current and anticipated needs of visitors and of a growing region.

The San Diego Museum of Art has announced plans to renovate the Museum’s west wing to increase exhibition space, further enrich the public’s engagement with art and programming, improve accessibility, and better integrate the west wing with the Museum’s main structure, all while respecting the architectural style and historical significance of Balboa Park. The renovation project aims to create a new education center, a public pavilion connecting visitors to art and the outdoors, and a new rooftop space providing panoramic views of Balboa Park.

Our Next Century

Foster + Partners transformative design of The San Diego Museum of Art integrates a new West Wing with the Museum’s main structure while respecting the architectural style and historical significance of Balboa Park. The current footprint of the Museum’s West Wing will be excavated and redesigned to utilize space two levels below ground and three levels above, significantly increasing exhibition space, art storage facilities, community gather and education spaces, and more.

Transforming Our Space: The physical expansion of gallery and community space will provide more opportunities to welcome members of our community to the Museum with no general admission cost. Increased gallery space will provide more opportunities for a broader range of exhibitions from around the world.
Making Art Accessible for All: The creation of a new entry will make access to the Museum more welcoming and accessible as well as create opportunities to showcase art in a variety of new contexts.
Expanding Community Space: A new rooftop and pavilion will create a beautiful new community space and invite new revenue opportunities by allowing events to coexist with continuous restaurant operation.
Creating Connection: An enhanced design of the Museum’s west wing will allow a ground floor that prioritizes public programs and improves connection from the Plaza de Panama to the Museum sculpture garden.
Expanding Education: A new garden pavilion will form the Learning and Education Hub and include a Museum reading room, art-making facilities, and breakout spaces for learning opportunities across generations.
Safeguarding the Collection: Upgraded and expanded vaults will ensure optimal and efficient care of the Museum’s works of art.
Upgrading Infrastructure: Technological and environmental infrastructure upgrades will reduce operating costs and meet the needs of our growing collection.

Be Part of the Transformation

Explore the Concept Design

Visit our new exhibition A New Vision for the Next Century to see an early concept design of The San Diego Museum of Art west wing renovation and share your feedback through the in-gallery survey.