House of Charm facts for kids
Side of the House of Charm
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| Location | Balboa Park, San Diego, California |
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The House of Charm is a beautiful historic building in Balboa Park, San Diego. It was first built for a big event called the Panama-California Exposition in 1915. Like many buildings from that time, it has a special look called Mission Revival Style architecture.
The building got its current name, "House of Charm," during another big event in the park, the California Pacific International Exposition, held from 1935 to 1936. Today, it is home to the San Diego Art Institute and the Mingei International Museum. It also provides practice space for the famous Old Globe Theatre. This important building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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A Grand Fair: Panama-California Exposition (1915–1916)
San Diego hosted the Panama-California Exposition in 1915. This event celebrated the opening of the Panama Canal. It also showed that San Diego would be the first American port on the Pacific coast north of the canal.
At the time, San Diego was a small city. It was the smallest city to ever hold such a big international fair. But the Exposition was a huge hit! It was so popular that it stayed open for a second year.
The Building's Many Names
The building we now call the House of Charm had many different names over the years. It was first known as the Mining Building. This name was chosen to show off the rich minerals of the San Diego area.
It was also briefly called the "Arts and Crafts Building." But when the fair opened in 1915, it was officially the "Indian Arts Building." When the fair continued into 1916, the exhibits changed. The building was renamed again, this time to the "Russia and Brazil Building."
From 1917 to 1922, it was called the "Science of Man Building." It displayed items that showed how humans developed over time. Later, it was used for snack stands and flower shows.
Saving the Fair Buildings
Bertram Goodhue, the main architect for the 1915–16 Exposition, thought the temporary buildings should be taken down. These buildings were along El Prado, Balboa Park's main street.
However, the people of San Diego wanted to keep them. With help from the government, they fixed up these buildings in 1922 and 1933. This meant most of the original buildings were ready to be used again for the second big fair in 1935.
Another Big Fair: California Pacific International Exposition (1935–1936)
The California-Pacific International Exposition used many of the old buildings from the 1915–16 fair. These included the Science of Man Building, which had the Mission Revival Style architecture.
During this 1935–36 fair, the building was given its current name: the House of Charm. In 1935, it held shops selling women's clothes, jewelry, and perfumes. It also had a drug store and a place to get refreshments. In 1936, its name changed one more time to the Palace of International Arts. This section showed beautiful gems and items from around the world. Some were for sale, and some were just for display.
What Happened Later?
People often wondered if the building was strong enough, as it was not meant to last forever. Still, it continued to be used through the 1940s and 1950s. Different groups used the space. These included the Model Railroad Museum and the San Diego Hall of Champions. The San Diego Men's Art Club, which later became the San Diego Art Institute, also used it.
In 1978, the building was declared unsafe and had to be emptied. But the San Diego Art Institute moved back in after safety sprinklers were put in. During the 1980s, many groups wanted to use the building. However, none could afford the repairs it needed.
Finally, in 1989, the city of San Diego decided to tear down and rebuild the House of Charm. The House of Hospitality building was also in bad shape and rebuilt. The new House of Charm opened on September 21, 1996. Its outside looks exactly like the original, with all its fancy decorations.
Today, the building is home to the San Diego Art Institute, the Mingei International Museum, and rehearsal space for the Old Globe Theatre.
San Diego Art Institute: Museum of the Living Artist
San Diego Art Institute (SDAI) has a large gallery inside the House of Charm. It is called the Museum of the Living Artist (MoLA). This gallery is about 10,000 square feet. It shows art made by artists from San Diego.
A new art show opens every four to six weeks. There are also special shows featuring just one artist. With over 30 shows each year, SDAI helps new local artists. The Institute also has many programs for learning and reaching out to the community. The David Fleet Young Artists' Gallery displays art by students from local schools. The Outreach through Exhibition Series asks artists to create art about community topics.
Mingei International Museum
The Mingei International Museum shows the beauty of everyday objects. It features folk art, craft, and design from all times and cultures. The word "mingei" means 'art of the people.' A Japanese scholar named Sōetsu Yanagi created this word. He combined the Japanese words for 'all people' (min) and 'art' (gei).
Yanagi taught that it is important to make and use objects that show skill and heart. The Mingei International Museum started in 1978. It collects, protects, and displays these arts of daily use. These items come from unknown artists of long ago, from traditional cultures, and from modern designers.
