Eames Institute Purchases Birkenstock Novato Site for $36M Museum

The former Birkenstock building in Novato, a mid-century modern architectural landmark, has been purchased by the Eames Institute to transform it into a world-class art and design museum celebrating the legacy of designers Ray and Charles Eames. The 88.5-acre campus, originally built in the 1960s for McGraw-Hill and later home to Birkenstock until 2020, will be reimagined by Herzog & de Meuron, the Swiss architecture firm behind the de Young Museum, as a public space featuring permanent and traveling exhibits, workshops, educational programs, and community spaces. The museum aims to democratize design and art, offering an extraordinary experience for visitors of all ages while potentially boosting tourism and the local economy in Novato. The Eames Institute, which holds over 40,000 Eames-related objects and archives, has been actively expanding its operations, including acquiring architectural bookstores and publishers, and currently runs tours in Richmond, California. This project aligns with the Institute's mission to share the Eameses' innovative and problem-solving design philosophy on a larger scale, with plans to maintain much of the campus's original footprint while enhancing accessibility via public transport. The initiative has been welcomed by the community as a significant educational and cultural addition to the North Bay area.