About the Project

Building Our Future: SFMOMA Expands

 
Building Our Future: SFMOMA Expands; 4 min. 30 seconds

About the Expansion

 Snøhetta, SFMOMA Expansion View from Yerba Buena; image courtesy Snøhetta
 

We're planning a major expansion to support the continuing development of our collections, programs, and audiences and to showcase our expanded permanent collection, including the Doris and Donald Fisher Collection, one of the finest collections of modern and contemporary art in the world, and gifts to the museum through the recent Collections Campaign.

The years since our current building opened in 1995 have been a time of tremendous growth at SFMOMA. The museum's collection has more than doubled in size, annual attendance has tripled, and our membership has grown apace. Meanwhile, our exhibition program has become one of the world's strongest, organizing groundbreaking shows that travel to leading museums internationally.

Motivated by these ongoing advances, initial planning for an expansion was already underway when, in 2009, SFMOMA formed a partnership with the Fisher family to house and display the art collection of Gap founders Doris and Donald Fisher. The expansion will enable this renowned collection to be shared with the people of San Francisco and visitors from around the world; works from the Fishers' holdings will be presented alongside art from the SFMOMA collection in the expanded museum.

The expansion, to be designed by the architecture firm Snøhetta, will consist of an addition that connects to the rear of the museum spanning from Minna to Howard Streets (see the sketches). The additional gallery and public space will enable us to significantly enhance our exhibitions and educational offerings.

The total projected budget for the expansion is $555 million; thus far, $437 million has been pledged, including $100 million for the endowment. Groundbreaking is scheduled for summer 2013 and completion is projected in early 2016.

Beyond the physical extension of the building, this project represents a transformation of the museum as a whole. By enhancing our programs and collections and bringing the Fisher Collection into public view, we are expanding SFMOMA's role as a place for learning, inspiration, and interaction, for residents of the Bay Area and beyond.