The Institute of Contemporary Art San Francisco is leaving its downtown home after just one year and moving to a pop-up model of activating sites around the city.
The museum announced Tuesday that it will depart The Cube, the 29,700-square-foot former bank on Montgomery Street where it opened in October 2024. Beginning in early 2026, ICA SF will take its programs on the road, staging projects at the Transamerica Pyramid, Port of San Francisco, and the Dogpatch Power Station.
The initiative has support from the mayor’s office, which has applauded the museum for its efforts in championing downtown.
“We always knew The Cube was a temporary home, a chance to bring our vision to a new part of the city and test new possibilities,” ICA SF director Ali Gass said in a statement. “That time confirmed an evolving vision: Art doesn’t need a single permanent space to make a major impact. Now, with support from the mayor’s office, we’re fully embracing that model — becoming a truly citywide institution.”
Gass opened ICA SF in 2022, after serving as ICA San Jose’s founding director. While the decision to go nomadic is unusual, ICA SF is not a typical museum. It charges no admission and maintains no permanent collection, which makes it more accessible to attendees and financially nimble, Gass said.
The Cube was provided to ICA SF by developer Vornado Trust rent-free for two years in an effort to lure foot traffic downtown amid the city’s post-pandemic vacancy crisis.
It marked a significant leap for the museum, which had been housed in a small Dogpatch warehouse. However, curators and visitors often noted that The Cube posed significant challenges; namely, the scale of the interior made it difficult to present artwork effectively.
After its two current exhibitions close Dec. 7, the museum will pause operations before reopening Jan. 17-25 at the Transamerica Pyramid and its redwood park — coinciding with FOG Art + Design and San Francisco Art Week. Inside the landmark tower’s glass annex, artist Tara Donovan will debut large sculptures made from recycled CDs, while Lily Kwong will transform the park with 3D-printed sculptures.
In the spring, pending Port Commission approval, ICA SF will present a joint exhibition by Dominique Fung and Heidi Lau at Pier 24, guest-curated by Kathy Huang.
ICA SF will transform the 300-foot former smokestack at the Dogpatch Power Plant into a vertical art gallery. | Source: Courtesy Henrik Kam
In 2027, the museum will return to its roots in the Dogpatch, opening “The Stack” at the Dogpatch Power Station. The public art project that will transform the site’s 300-foot smokestack into a vertical gallery overlooking a new 2.75-acre waterfront park.
“Arts and culture are essential to San Francisco’s recovery,” Mayor Daniel Lurie said in a statement. “I’m thrilled that ICA SF’s multiple activations will continue to play a vital role in our downtown recovery.”