The museum is often referred to as the “jewel of the Balboa Park”. Timken Museum of Art is a perfect showcase for its distinguished Putnam Foundation Collection. 

The museum is opened in 1965 as a permanent home for the Putnam Foundation Collection. The holdings have since grown to include 40 European and American paintings, as well as Russian icons from 1300 to 1900.

The Timken Museum is outwardly distinctive, too. Rather than displaying the Spanish Renaissance style typical of many other buildings in Balboa Park, it was constructed with sleek, modern lines. Built primarily of elegant materials the museum was designed with guidance from art-world titans.