The Museum of Riverside officially broke ground Friday morning on a comprehensive renovation of its historic 1912 post office building, launching a transformation project that will modernize the institution while preserving its downtown landmark status.
Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson joined community members at the ceremonial "drywall smashing" event, emphasizing the project's multi-generational significance.
"This museum was here when I was a kid. My mom brought me here. This museum was here for my kids," Dawson said. "And now we're going to do this for the next generation of families to enjoy and hear stories about their city, but also about the greater world around them."
City Councilmember Philip Falcone reflected on childhood memories of visiting exhibits like “the infamous mountain lion” and “the Cyclops cat.” He emphasized the museum’s educational mission beyond nostalgia.
"Museums exist to really make us think, to make us question things, make us expand our minds and learn something new about maybe a far-off land or a different culture," Falcone said. "This museum will not be defined by what once was, despite the past being so important. It's carrying that and then looking at how do we take that for the next generation of Riversiders."
The project, funded by Measure Z and the city of Riverside, will preserve the distinctive character of the original building while creating accessible, community-centered spaces for exhibitions and programs. Pfeiffer Partners, a Perkins Eastman studio, designed the renovation, with construction by Irvine-based BNBuilders. The museum is expected to reopen in 2027.
City Manager Mike Futrell acknowledged the collaborative effort involving multiple city departments and thanked the mayor and City Council for their funding commitment.
The museum has operated without its main facility for several years, maintaining programming at Heritage House and participating in monthly ArtsWalk events. Despite the challenges of being displaced, the institution has continued serving the community while stewarding more than 200,000 artifacts and 2,000 linear feet of archives covering natural history, Indigenous resources and regional history.
Dawson highlighted Riverside's approach to balancing preservation with progress.
"We are so eager to honor our past … we don't forget where we came from, but we also are bold and forward-thinking and visionary, and we want to take everything that we do here to the next level," she said.
For Dawson, the project holds personal significance. Her daughter earned a master’s degree in museum studies in 2023—an interest that began at the Museum of Riverside.
"Her love of museums, where do you think it started? Right here," Dawson said. "And it's where my love started too—not only for my city, my people, my community, but everything we do here."
Originally opened in 1924 as the Cornelius Earle Rumsey Indian Collection in City Hall's basement, the museum moved to its current Mission Inn Avenue location in 1948. The building served as a U.S. post office from its construction in 1912 until the museum's arrival.
Falcone noted the significance of the Mission Inn Avenue location, calling it “the sacred boulevard” near internationally renowned institutions including the Riverside Art Museum and the Mission Inn Hotel & Spa. He encouraged residents to view upcoming construction activity as "the sound of progress" toward delivering "a world-class institution this community deserves."
The museum operates three historic sites: the main downtown facility, Heritage House and the National Historic Landmark Harada House. During the renovation period, Heritage House continues offering tours Friday through Sunday.
The renovation will transform the intimate, sometimes cramped quarters that longtime visitors remember into modern, accessible spaces while preserving the building’s historic character. The project represents both a practical upgrade and a symbolic statement about Riverside’s commitment to honoring its past while embracing bold change.
