Santa Monica High School Gold Gym & Exploration Building

The Exploration Building and Gold Gymnasium form a 111,000-square-foot academic and athletic hub designed to enhance the student experience at one of California’s most historic public high schools. Serving more than 3,000 students, the interconnected facilities anchor the heart of campus with flexible, technology-rich environments that support modern learning, creativity, and wellness. The Exploration Building unites four Career Pathway Academies—engineering, health and wellness, law and public policy, and media—through adaptable studios, open collaboration zones, and rooftop outdoor classrooms that leverage Southern California’s climate. 

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Adjacent, the Gold Gym offers purpose-built athletic spaces, including a two-court main gym, auxiliary practice courts, and dance and fitness studios that open to outdoor training areas. Together, the buildings promote transparency, daylight, and indoor–outdoor connectivity, reinforcing a campus culture centered on exploration, movement, and student engagement while establishing a forward-looking academic village within the evolving SAMOHI campus.