With 79 percent of the capital campaign goal raised two years ahead of the groundbreaking for the expansion of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), the museum’s Board of Trustees has approved visitor- and city-friendly enhancements to the original design program and, in turn, has raised the capital campaign goal to $555 million from $480 million, an increase of 15 percent. These additional funds will enable the museum to increase the number and types of spaces dedicated to education, public engagement, exhibitions, collections, and programs. Expanding strategically on the conceptual design announcement made in May 2011, SFMOMA today unveiled new design details including ground-level galleries and orientation spaces that will be free to the public and new educational spaces throughout the museum. The design also features new pedestrian pathways that lead to and through the museum from the surrounding streets, creating a nexus for the neighborhood. The expansion is designed by architectural firm Snøhetta in collaboration with SFMOMA; groundbreaking is scheduled for summer 2013, and completion is projected in early 2016.
“The success of the quiet phase of the capital campaign and the first phase of the Collections Campaign demonstrate the community’s commitment to helping us grow as an institution and in our capability to offer an unparalleled experience of the art of our time,” says SFMOMA Director Neal Benezra. “San Francisco has always been a magnet for the creative spirit, and the generosity of early supporters of the campaign demonstrates the community’s desire for an even more accessible and engaging space for contemporary art. As we enter the public phase of the campaign, we hope even more people in the community will support us in creating an even more dynamic institution, one that naturally draws people into the museum and encourages them to experience and engage with art in new ways.”
“The city of San Francisco has a great partner in SFMOMA, and all of our residents and visitors will be enriched by the expansion. The enormous generosity of the donors to the capital campaign is very much appreciated,” said Mayor Ed Lee of San Francisco. “Art lovers, schoolchildren, our hospitality industry, construction trades, and the Yerba Buena neighborhood will all benefit.” – www.sfmoma.org