The Oceanside Museum of Art unveiled plans Thursday, Feb. 26, for a major campus expansion designed by San Diego firm Safdie Rabines Architects, marking a new phase in the museum’s growth and the public launch of its $10 million Campaign for Expansion.
The expansion incorporates the historic Oceanside Fire Station No. 1 and will grow OMA’s campus by 50% to span a full city block, stewarding two Irving J. Gill landmarks — the former 1934 City Hall and the 1929 Fire Station.
With the addition of the fire station, the museum’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 be expanded, allowing for additional public art, an informal gathering terrace and a café. The design improves circulation between galleries, public areas and outdoor plazas, with indoor and outdoor experiences flowing together and creating new opportunities to showcase Southern California artists within the Oceanside Cultural District.
“As Oceanside Museum of Art grows, our commitment to the community grows with it,” Oceanside Museum of Art Executive Director Maria Mingalone said. “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.”
Safdie Rabines Architects, the design team for OMA’s expansion, is a local firm with a history of contributing to the region’s architecture, including civic buildings and the campuses of UC San Diego and UCLA. The firm’s design for OMA brings a contemporary approach that respects the historic architectural integrity of Fire Station No. 1. Built in 1929 and designed by pioneering modernist architect Irving J. Gill, Fire Station 1 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 elements.
Founding partners Taal Safdie and Ricardo Rabines said the project is an opportunity to expand the museum as a vital community hub.
The expansion will increase gallery space from 7,000 to 10,000 square feet, and will create two new gallery spaces: a community gallery inside the former fire station bay where fire trucks once parked, designed to be accessible to all, and a dedicated space to showcase OMA’s growing permanent collection gallery, allowing OMA to exhibit and steward its expanding collection of Southern California art.
Behind the scenes, collection storage will grow from 600 to 2,000 square feet, increasing OMA’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 OMA’s education programs, among them Literacy Through Art and ArtQuest, which serves every third and fifth grader within the 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, encouraging visitors to linger, connect and return.
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, the campaign raised more than $9 million in major gifts from nearly 80 donors, including individuals, foundations, civic organizations, county funds and public partners.
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 (D-38th District), which will be directed toward the historic rehabilitation and expansion of the campus. Now in its public phase, the campaign invites the broader community to participate in shaping the museum’s future.
Construction is anticipated to begin in early 2027, with a projected public dedication date in spring 2028.
More information about Oceanside Museum of Art and the Campaign for Expansion is available at oma-online.org/expansion.
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