Following a comprehensive search, The San Diego Museum of Art has announced 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 exhibitions and education programs while respecting the architectural style and historical significance of Balboa Park. The renovation project will encompass and focus on the Museum's west-wing infrastructure and facilities, with the goal of creating a new Education Center, a pavilion that will activate visitors to celebrate art and connect with the outdoors, and a new rooftop space providing panoramic views of Balboa Park.
"After a thorough process of interviews with many exceptional firms and a unanimous vote by the board of trustees, we are delighted to have selected Foster + Partners as our Design Architect for this exciting project. Their proven experience and high respect for historical sites made Foster + Partners a great fit. Our shared vision is that this project will feature free access to open art spaces for the public and increase educational opportunities for the community," says Roxana Velásquez, Maruja Baldwin Executive Director and CEO at The San Diego Museum of Art. "Foster + Partners’ impressive expertise, combined with their commitment to community engagement, will help us create a space that makes art more accessible to everyone and, simultaneously, is functional in design and fit for the next 100 years.”
Norman Foster, Founder and Executive Chairman of Foster + Partners and recipient of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, says, “I have always admired San Diego’s rich cultural diversity and deep sense of community. We are delighted to be working with The San Diego Museum of Art to strengthen its roots in the area, reinvigorating a much-loved landmark with the ultimate aim of making art more accessible to the community.”
Foster + Partners is known for their innovative and sustainable design, including Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Bilbao Fine Arts Museum, Prado Museum in Madrid, Apple Park, Norton Museum of Art, Hearst Headquarters, and the Great Court at the British Museum. The firm will work closely with the Museum and the community to create a space that enhances the visitor experience and fits within the historical heritage of Balboa Park and the cultural trajectory of San Diego.
Local firm LPA Design Studio will be collaborating with Foster + Partners as the Architect of Record. LPA is an integrated firm with six offices across California and Texas, providing sustainable design for educational, corporate, and civic facilities. LPA will focus on project management and daily oversight of the renovation project for the Museum.
“Since 1926, The San Diego Museum of Art has engaged a dialogue across art, music and performance, and visual arts, providing a rich and diverse cultural experience for all its visitors,” said Taffin Ann Ray, President of the Board of Trustees at The San Diego Museum of Art. “We are honored to have these two firms partnering with us to amplify and showcase our flourishing museum—this next chapter will further emphasize the Museum's mission of inspiring, educating, and cultivating curiosity for all.”
The Museum plans to organize community engagement activities during the design process, such as public workshops and open house events, to gather feedback and suggestions from the community.
Updates on the project will be available at SDMArt.org in the coming months.
For more information contact:
62ABOVE on behalf of SDMA
Kaitlyn Palocsko, kaitlynp@62above.com| sdma@62above.com
