Expansion News

Rendering of SFMOMA MuseumStore at 51 Yerba Buena Lane; courtesy Dan Worden and Shopworks, LLC

March 19, 2013 -- The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) announced today that its main MuseumStore will relocate to a nearby address, opening later this year, while the museum’s building is temporarily closed for expansion construction from June 3, 2013 through early 2016. The store, which is popular with both the museum’s local audiences and out-of-towners, will also provide a platform for engaging would-be visitors when SFMOMA’s building is closed and for sharing information about the many exhibitions and programs the museum will present throughout the region during its off-site phase.

The MuseumStore will relocate to 51 Yerba Buena Lane, in a space formerly occupied by the Museum of Craft and Folk Art. The off-site store’s opening date is still to be determined, pending necessary renovation of the approximately 2,600-square-foot leased property, but it is expected to be open to the public by summer 2013.

“When we made the decision in 2011 to take our exhibitions and programs on the road during construction, it was clear that the MuseumStore would have to temporarily close along with the rest of the building to ensure a holistic transformation of all the museum’s spaces,” said Ikuko Satoda, Deputy Museum Director of Administration and Finance at SFMOMA. “Knowing how much the store is a part of the overall SFMOMA experience, we were thrilled when an ideal interim location recently became available right here in the Yerba Buena neighborhood. This location makes it possible for us to engage with potential visitors about our expansion in close proximity to the actual construction site, and also encourage loyal MuseumStore customers to stay in the immediate area and spend more time and money in the neighborhood.”

SFMOMA is still in the early stages of planning the off-site store, which will be smaller than its current store space. MuseumStore Director Jana Machin says the range of merchandise will be more focused. “We will still offer the same fabulous, well-curated selection of gifts and books our customers have come to expect, just in a smaller store format.”

The product mix will likely represent the same types of items currently offered at the main store: decorative design objects; unique items for the home, kitchen, and workspace; the city’s finest selection of art books; gifts and books for children; and artisan jewelry and accessories.

The store will also continue its popular Artists’ Series product line, which engages artists and designers represented in the museum’s collection—such as Jason Munn, Rex Ray, Jack Stauffacher, and Martin Venezky—to create limited-edition items that bring art and design into everyday objects.

Proceeds from SFMOMA's MuseumStore support the museum's exhibitions and educational programs. The MuseumStore currently has two locations: the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art at 151 Third Street, and the departure level at the SFO International Terminal. The airport location will continue normal operations during expansion construction.

For more information about products, call the MuseumStore at 415.357.4035 or visit sfmoma.org, where many items are also available for purchase online.