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 founding director of ICA San Jose. 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.
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The developer Vornado Realty Trust provided The Cube to ICA SF rent-free for two years in an effort to lure foot traffic downtown amid the city’s post-pandemic vacancy crisis.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported Wednesday that the Wharton School of Business had secured a deal with Vornado to take over the lease at The Cube for more than 10 years. The Chronicle reported that Wharton would take occupancy within 18 months.
The Trump Organization, President Donald Trump’s family business, owns a 30% stake in the property (opens in new tab), which includes The Cube at 345 Montgomery St., as well as a 52-story skyscraper at 555 California St. and 315 Montgomery St.
The move to The Cube last October marked a significant leap for ICA SF, which had been housed in a small Dogpatch warehouse a fraction of the size. 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 featuring works by Dominique Fung and Heidi Lau at Pier 24, formerly home to Pier 24 Photography, which closed this year.
In 2027, the museum will return to its roots in the Dogpatch, opening “The Stack” at the Dogpatch Power Station. The public art project 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.”