The Twin Pines Art Center is a coalition of studio artists and three arts organizations:
Peninsula Arts Council of San Mateo County, the Belmont Arts Council, and the Peninsula Museum of Art.

Peninsula Arts Council is the County's Local Arts Partner, dedicated to supporting and strengthening our cultural organizations, improving the quality of life, and promoting our culturally rich community. The Belmont Arts Council's Gallery offers changing exhibitions of work by local artists.

The Museum includes the formal Gallery, Museum Store, and Art Reference Library.
Twelve rooms on the second floor (and penthouse) provide working studios for visual artists.

About the Building

In 1908 George Center, a close associate of Senator Ralston, built his estate in what we know now as Twin Pines Park. Reacting to the 1906 Earthquake, Mr. Center built very, very solidly with reinforced concrete foundations, walls, and even the upper floors.

Inside, the finishing touches range from fine to faux. Look closely at the paneling and moldings, which range from Honduras mahogany to oak to Douglas fir faux-finished to mimic mahogany.

The Center property was sold in 1925 to a group of doctors led by Dr. Rebec, and the property became a well-known psychiatric hospital.

When the Manor House became the Twin Pines Hospital, the original kitchen was removed and the annex was built to provide an institutional kitchen with medical consulting rooms above. The administrative offices added to the North side of the building were ultimately used by the Belmont Police Department.

In the mid-1970's, state funding of community mental health facilities was eliminated, and the Twin Pines Hospital (and many others) closed.
The City of Belmont acted quickly, passing a bond measure in order to purchase the entire property and create Twin Pines Park.

The San Mateo County Arts Council leased the Manor House from the City and moved in during September of 1976. The County Arts Council converted the institutional kitchen into a formal art gallery and provided exhibitions and other programs as the County's Local Arts Partner until December of 2002.