Museum of Science and Curiosity
Sacramento, California
Client
Museum of Science and Curiosity
Completion
2021
LEED Status
Platinum
Size
52,000 sq ft
Cost
$40.8 Million
Delivery Method
Design-Build
Connecting Past and Future in the Heart of Sacramento
The SMUD Museum of Science and Curiosity (MOSAC) is a transformation project at the confluence of history, science, and community impact. Formerly the Powerhouse Science Center, MOSAC reimagines a long-dormant riverfront power station as a vibrant hub for science education, exploration, and civic engagement. Set against the banks of the Sacramento River, the museum is a cornerstone in the city’s riverfront revitalization and a destination for learning that connects past innovation with future discovery.
Sectors
EducationA New Chapter on the Riverfront
The design of MOSAC grows directly from its context—physically and symbolically. Occupying the site of a once-abandoned PG&E power station, the museum forms a key part of Sacramento’s waterfront activation. It anchors the Robert T. Matsui Waterfront Park and serves as a southern gateway to the 32-mile American River Bike Trail, inviting cyclists, families, and visitors to engage with science through architecture and landscape.
Merging History and Modernity
Vacant for over 50 years, the original 30,000-square-foot structure was carefully rehabilitated, including the construction of a new interior floor level. A striking two-story, 22,000-square-foot addition extends from the east, housing classrooms, a café, offices, and a light-filled lobby. A 120-seat planetarium punctuates the building’s mass, its zinc-clad hemispheric dome signaling the museum’s outward-looking mission. The facade is inscribed with angled vector lines—connecting the building to satellites, landmarks, and broader ideas—reminding visitors of our place within a vast, interconnected world.
The restored river-facing facade of the 1912 power station preserves the Classical Revival architecture of the original PG&E facility, anchoring MOSAC in Sacramento’s industrial and civic history.
Preserving Legacy, Advancing Sustainability
Originally designed in 1912 by noted architect Willis Polk in the Classical Revival style, the PG&E River Station B was formally closed in 1954 and lay dormant until MOSAC’s rebirth. Now listed on the National, California, and Sacramento Registers of Historic Places, the building is both a preserved landmark and a cutting-edge cultural destination. MOSAC is LEED Platinum certified, affirming its commitment not only to educational excellence, but also to environmental stewardship and sustainable design.
Recognition
2022, California Preservation Foundation
Preservation Design Award—Rehabilitation
2022, ULI Sacramento
Vision Honor Awards—Building Healthy Places
2022, LAI Land Economics Society
International Skyline Award
2022, DBIA National
Award of Merit—Rehabilitation, Renovation and/or Restoration
2021, AIA Central Valley
Regional Recognition Award
2022, ENR California
Best Project (Northern California)—Renovation/Restoration
2021, Metal Construction News
Project Excellence Awards—Retrofit Metal Roof
2021, Sacramento Business Journal
Best Real Estate Projects—Adaptive Reuse