OCEANSIDE — A new education center, more galleries, a café, and historic building preservation — these are just some of the elements planned by the Oceanside Museum of Art for its $10 million expansion to the neighboring Fire Station 1 building.
In December, the Oceanside City Council approved an update to the lease for the museum at 704 Pier View Way, expanding its premises to include the now-vacated fire station at 714 Pier View Way and fulfilling plans that have been in the works for 20 years.
The addition of the fire station will expand the museum’s footprint by 10,000 square feet, encompassing an entire city block.
This week, the museum unveiled new designs for the project from Safdie Rabines Architects, featuring a dedicated education center, more exhibit space, additional outdoor areas, an informal gathering terrace, and a café, as well as improved circulation between indoor and outdoor art areas.
“As Oceanside Museum of Art grows, our commitment to the community grows with it,” said museum Executive Director Maria Mingalone. “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.”
The museum also announced a $10 million capital campaign, which has already raised $9 million from nearly 80 donors, including individuals, foundations, community partners, civic organizations, and the city of Oceanside, since March 2024.
A major contribution came from state Sen. Catherine Blakespear (D-Encinitas), who secured $3.59 million in state funding for the project. The city is also contributing $1.5 million.
The museum currently encompasses the historic City Hall building from 1934, designed by the celebrated Southern California architect Irving J. Gill, and a 16,000-square-foot central building constructed in 2008.
The 1929 fire station, also designed by Gill, will be the second historic building to be acquired by the museum. The Oceanside Fire Department vacated the space last year after moving into a newly-built station a few blocks away at 410 N. Freeman Street.
During the transformation of the fire station, the museum will also focus on historic preservation and the restoration of Gill’s signature architectural touches, including the rounded-arch entrances.
The indoor fire pole will also be maintained as part of the museum.
A large part of OMA’s operations focuses on its award-winning education programming, including Literacy Through Art and ArtQuest, which serves around 6,000 students annually.
OMA will also upgrade its art education programming space, currently in the museum basement studio, to a street-level education center. This will allow the museum to expand its programming, such as Literacy Through Art and ArtQuest, which serve every third- and fifth-grader in the Oceanside Unified School District, and Discovery Art Tours, open to districts throughout San Diego County.
The expansion will also add 2,500 feet of gallery space, 1,400 feet for permanent collection storage, and multi-use spaces for lectures, community meetings, and workshops.
“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, said in a statement.
Construction on the expansion is expected to begin in early 2027 and finish in 2028, according to the museum.
On March 1 from noon to 4 p.m., residents are invited to an open house at OMA to learn more about the expansion. Admission to the museum will be free that day from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
More information about the expansion and the campaign can be found online at oma-online.org/expansion.
