Museum of Riverside as it stands today sitting at 20,000 ft. Expansion will expand the museum to about 30,000 sq. ft.
Riverside, CA — The Museum of Riverside started its major rehabilitation project in June of 2025 and is currently past itshalfway point, slated to open in Spring of 2028. Originally 20,000 square feet, the project will increase its size to 30,000 square feet. This allows for more room for frequent exhibition changes and hosting events that were impossible due to the environmental and security limits.
The Museum of Riverside Executive Director, Robyn G. Peterson, gave insight on some key milestones on construction: underground maintenance, installing steel for the expansion, and developing new exhibitions that will focus on Riversideand its communities, anthropology, and natural history rather than external content.
For Peterson, the project’s significance is more than just an extension of space. She describes the project as a “rehabilitation” rather than a simple restoration, a distinction that indicates adapting a historic structure to purposefully serve modern civic needs. Peterson emphasized that the new galleries inside the museum will present the full picture of the community’s story. By addressing both the city’s triumphs and painful eras-including key civil rights struggles-the museum aims to ensure past mistakes are never repeated.
Peterson explained the intent is to present stories in a way that relates to everyone’s lives and make the museum relevant to all community members.
Even though the Museum of Riverside is closed due to the rehabilitation project, the institution has found ways to keep an active presence in the community. As a department of the City of Riverside, the Museum of Riverside is responsiblefor three historic sites: the main museum, the National Historic Landmark Harada House, and the Victorian Heritage House.
The Museum of Riverside has collaborated with its other locations to host events. One example organized at its HeritageHouse location is the “Movies on the Lawn” series. Participants get the opportunity to watch a historic movie in a historic setting.
Downtown Riverside also hosts their monthly Artswalk, which happens every first Thursday of the month. The Artswalk is a celebration of the arts featuring galleries, performers, artists, vendors, and creative spaces throughout Downtown Riverside. Institution staff set up booths outside the museum during the event to share construction updates and projectmilestones with passersby, along with interactive activities.
During September’s Artswalk, the Museum of Riverside collaborated with Division 9 Gallery to install a mural along the Orange Street Pedestrian Walkway outside of its construction site, turning a construction inconvenience into a vibrant, lively gathering spot.
Although the institution’s mission is not in the fine arts, Peterson believed that this would be a great opportunity to build community engagement and partnership. She clarified that the
museum works with artists when their contributions align with and enhance the museum’s broader mission, noting thatDivision 9 Gallery Owner, Cosme Cordova, helped connect them with the artist team. While the museum won’t change itsmission to include fine art, it remains open for more collaboration opportunities with other cultural groups in the future.
Looking ahead to Spring 2028, when the Museum of Riverside reopens its doors, it will return not only as an expanded historical building, but as a dynamic civic forum. With a brand new, versatile gallery space, a new loading dock, an upgraded environmental system, and much more, the institution will thrive as a living space for education and community outreach.
Combining Riverside’s complicated past with modern community realities, the rehabilitated museum aims to ensure that Riverside’s complete and complex narrative is conserved for generations to come.
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Article By: Ryan Martinez, Inland Valley News
