The Oceanside Museum of Art, which in December announced plans to increase its footprint by 50 percent in downtown Oceanside, today unveiled the design plans for its expanded block-long campus, as well as a public fundraising campaign to support the project.
In December, the 30-year-old museum announced it had negotiated a new, extended lease with the city of Oceanside that will allow it to expand into the city-owned, 1929-era Fire Station No. 1, which sits next door and just east of the museum at the corner of Pier View Way at North Nevada Street.
The museum’s major campus plan was designed by San Diego-based Safdie Rabines Architects. With the addition of the fire station building, OMA’s footprint will increase from 20,000 to 30,000 square feet, adding new capacity for exhibitions, a dedicated education center and a new roster of public programs. Outdoor space will also be expanded, allowing for additional public art, an informal gathering terrace, and a café.
As part of Oceanside Museum of Art’s planned expansion, two new galleries will open in the former Fire Station No. 1 building, including this community gallery in a former fire truck parking bay. (Safdie Rabines Architects)
Museum officials said the design will improve circulation between galleries, public areas and outdoor plazas.
“As Oceanside Museum of Art grows, our commitment to the community grows with it,” said Maria Mingalone, Executive Director of Oceanside Museum of Art, in a statement. “This expansion allows us to preserve an important historic landmark while boldly investing in the future of artists and our cultural community, creating new opportunities for arts education, and meaningful public gathering spaces. This ensures OMA remains a vibrant cultural hub for generations to come.”
As part of the Oceanside Museum of Art’s planned expansion, the existing gallery building, right, will connect with the former Fire Station No. 1, left, where new galleries, education and storage spaces are planned. (Safdie Rabines Architects)
Safdie Rabines Architects has a long history of contributing to the region’s architecture, including multiple buildings at UC San Diego including the new Epstein Family Amphitheater, bridges, libraries, apartments and civic buildings around San Diego and more.
The firm’s design for OMA will combine a contemporary approach and a respect for the historic modernist architectural integrity of Fire Station 1, which — like the 1934-era Oceanside City Hall on the west side of OMA — was designed by renowned architect Irving J. Gill, who died in 1936.
As part of the museum’s expansion, the fire station building will be restored to reflect its original design, including its signature arches, windows and historic fire hose drying tower. The renovation leverages Gill’s signature arcades to connect OMA’s central pavilion and terrace with surrounding outdoor spaces enhanced with sculpture, public art, gardens, public gathering spaces and landscape.
A bird’s-eye view of the future Oceanside Museum of Art campus, which will expand to stretch a full city block with the inclusion of the city-owned Fire Station No. 1 in the bottom left corner of the block at Pier View Way and North Nevada Street. (Safdie Rabines Architects)
“This project is an opportunity to expand the museum as a vital community hub. We have designed new indoor-outdoor spaces that create fluid connections between all three buildings and activate this coastal area. Art al fresco, from Gill to Gill,” said Taal Safdie and Ricardo Rabines, founding partners of Safdie Rabines Architects, in a statement.
The expansion will increase gallery space from 7,000 to 10,000 square feet, and will create two new galleries: a community gallery inside the former fire station bay where fire trucks once parked, and a dedicated space to showcase OMA’s growing permanent collection gallery, allowing OMA to exhibit its growing collection of Southern California art.
Behind the scenes, the museum’s art collection storage area will grow from 600 to 2,000 square feet, increasing the museum’s ability to collect, preserve and document the region’s art history; and to offer varied exhibitions of Southern California artists that are familiar to visitors.
A dedicated arts education center will support the growth of the museum’s education programs, including Literacy Through Art and ArtQuest, which serves third- and fifth-graders win Oceanside Unified School District, and Discovery Art Tours for districts throughout the county. New multi-use spaces will accommodate lectures, workshops, community gatherings, rentals and informal social experiences.
OMA launched the quiet phase of its $10 million Campaign for Expansion in March 2024 and surpassed 90% of its fundraising goal in just over 18 months. Before entering the public phase of fundraising today, the campaign raised more than $9 million in major gifts from nearly 80 donors, including individuals, foundations, civic organizations, county funds and public partners.
Major support has come from individuals in the community, the city of Oceanside, and local foundations, with $3.59 million in state funding secured by State Sen. Catherine Blakespear, which will be directed toward the historic rehabilitation and expansion of the campus.
Construction is anticipated to begin in early 2027, with a projected public dedication in spring 2028.
The museum will be hosting an open house to share its plans from noon to 4 p.m. March 1 at 704 Pier View Way, Oceanside. Visit oma-online.org/expansion.