Friday, March 22, 2024

Latest Posts

Art Museums In Orange County Ca

Getty Center And Getty Villa

2 FREE Art Museums in Orange County (Irvine Museum & OCMA) Travel with Kids

You can find European paintings, drawings, sculptures, illuminated manuscripts, decorative arts, and European and American photographs in the J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Center

The J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Villa in Malibu coast in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, on the other hand, houses approximately 44,000 works of art from the museums extensive collection of Greek, Roman, and Etruscan antiquities. Over 1,200 are on view.

Go Visit An Orange County Museum Soon

I took about a month to research and write this article, and it turned out to be even more fun than I anticipated. We are truly fortunate to have a wide range of museums in Orange County offering high quality exhibits and collections. Its easy to travel halfway around the world and set aside time for museums, but when were at home we forget about the little gems in our own backyard. I hope Ive inspired you to visit one soon.

Other Southern California Art Museum Include:

  • American Museum of Ceramic Art in Pomona
  • Autry National Center
  • Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena
  • Pacific Asian Museum in Pasadena
  • Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Springs
  • Orange County Museum of Art in Newport Beach
  • Riverside Art Museum in Riverside
  • The Riverside Municipal Museum in Riverside
  • San Luis Obispo Museum of Art in San Luis Obispo
  • Santa Barbara Museum of Art in Santa Barbara
  • Torrance Art Museum in Torrance

Recommended Reading: Where To Eat Near Brooklyn Museum

Art Museums In California

Home » Culture » Art Museums in California

Museums play a crucial role in preserving local culture. They also have the power to support artists not just by giving them exhibitions, but also by acquiring their work. Museums can create a more equitable public understanding of art and artists. And if it is done right, museums can help guard against the case of under-recognized artists who do not get their due as a result of their gender, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status.

What’s in this post:

Huntington Beach Newport Beach And Laguna Beach

15 Best Things to Do in Costa Mesa (CA)

International Surfing Museum, Huntington Beach Founded several decades ago by Natalie Kotsch, a woman whos never surfed, this small museum is about three blocks from the ocean and preserves over 100 years of surfing history.

ExplorOcean, Newport Beach Located near the Balboa Fun Zone Ferris Wheel and consisting of two facilities the Richard and Betty Steele Model Pavilion and the East Wing Gallery .

Balboa Island Museum, Balboa Peninsula Open seven days a week and located in a historic building on Marine Avenue, this museum offers exhibits on the history of Balboa Island and Newport Beach.

Laguna Art Museum, Laguna Beach Offering a mix of historical and contemporary exhibitions and some pop culture shows dealing with topics such as surfing, cars and tattoos, the museums location about 300 feet from the ocean is one of the most spectacular in the world.

Don’t Miss: National September 11 Memorial And Museum

Orange Santa Ana And Tustin

Hilbert Museum of California Art, Orange Opened in 2016 and located at the Chapman University in Old Towne Orange, this museum shares the California Scene painting movement collection of Mark and Janet Hilbert as well as loaned pieces in rotating exhibits. The art includes oils, watercolors, sketches and lithographs of rural and urban scenes, coastal views, farms, ranches, freeways and landscapes representing the states everyday life from around 1920 to 1970. Closed Sunday and Monday, with free admission.

Discovery Cube, Santa Ana Dubbed the amusement park for your mind, this childrens science museum has immersive, interactive science activities hands-on exhibits that delight children .

Heritage Museum of Orange County, Santa Ana A collection of restored 1890s homes and buildings set amid extensive gardens, of which the 1898 home of Hiram Clay Kellogg is the focal point. This is a popular field trip location for local schoolchildren, and they put together a Kellogg House virtual tour for teachers use during the pandemic. Availability varies see the website for open days and hours.

Bowers Kidseum, Santa Ana Closed for renovations at the time of this writing, but historically it was a childrens museum focused on ethnic arts and culture.

Lyon Air Museum, Santa Ana Located on the west side of John Wayne Airport, this aerospace museum houses a fleet of historically significant World War II-era aircraft and vehicles along with related memorabilia.

San Juan Capistrano And San Clemente

The ONeill Museum, San Juan Capistrano The Garcia/Pryor residence, now known as the ONeill Museum, was built between 1870 and 1880 by José Dolores Garcia. The San Juan Capistrano Historical Society has restored and furnished it in keeping with 1880s design and decor. Its open Wednesday through Saturday, 9-Noon and 1-4pm.

Surfing Heritage and Culture Center, San Clemente Surfing artifacts, surfboards, memorabilia, photography, video, periodical and scholarly works from all over the world present a comprehensive overview on the history and culture of surfing. Open Tuesday-Sunday with free admission donations appreciated.

If that list of Orange County museums doesnt have anything that strikes your fancy, be sure to check out the museums in nearby Los Angeles and San Diego. You can find them under the Southern California tab in our top-navigation bar.

Photo of Aboard the Catalina Ferry by via flickr Photo of Nixon Helicopter at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library by Tim Evanson via flickr Photo of Discovery Cube Dino Quest, Santa Ana by debairdvia flickr Photo of Surfer in Huntington Beach by Rudy via flickr Photo of Farm at Pretend City, Irvine by Kristin Ausk via flickr and Photo of San Clemente Surfers by Bennilover via flickr .

Don’t Miss: Parking Near Museum Of Illusions Nyc

Museum Of Contemporary Art San Diego

This museum is the regions foremost forum devoted to the exploration and presentation of the art of our time. It also presents works across all media created since 1950.

This art museum is located in the heart of downtown San Diego and in the coastal community of La Jolla. The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego provides an unprecedented variety of exhibition spaces and experiences for the community. This museum also showcases an internationally recognized collection and a dynamic schedule of exhibitions and public programs.

The Best 10 Museums In Orange County Ca

OCMA Season 4 (Best Art Museum in Orange County)
  • Tangata Restaurant at this location.

    The Bowers Museum is a gem! It includes a wonderful permanent artifact collection from around more

  • Not-for-profitFree WiFi

    I’ve been to the discovery museum when I was younger… so I wasn’t expecting much change over more

  • Museums

    This is a placeholder

    DO-NUT miss the chance to visit this cool Donut Life Museum. Great for kids and families. Don’t more

  • Art Museums

    This is a placeholder

    What an awesome find! An art/fashion gallery in the middle of the South Coast Plaza. Everything is very unique…starting with the name…very rebellious. The more

  • Not-for-profitFree parking

    Tip: although the museum is free, they now require you to sign up for tickets online. The staff more

  • Museums

    This is a placeholder

    . That afternoon they were able to show us the space at the Gray Matter Museum. We decided to think on it more

  • Santa Ana

    This is a placeholder

    occasions. I’m sure the Heritage Museum sponsors a variety of different events. I got to see the inside more

    Request Information

  • San Juan Capistrano

    This is a placeholder

    therefore I signed up to become a member. It’s outdoor and some inside (museums area & the original more

  • Museums

    This is a placeholder

    Jurassic Con is a fun and free, little convention that’s taken place in the Ralph B. Clark Interpretive Center for the last couple years. They’ve gathered more

  • 1
  • Got search feedback? Help us improve.

  • You May Like: Museums In Minneapolis St Paul

    Hilbert Museum Of California Art

    You might have been to the Circle of Orange for food or antique shopping, but within Chapman University is the Hilbert Museum of California Art exhibiting art from the Hilbert Collection. With artworks including oils, watercolors, and drawings this small gallery is an excellent local stop whenever youre in Orange County.

    University Art Museums And Art Galleries In California

    The following is the list of the university art museums and art galleries in California:

    • Beall Center for Art + Technology in U of California Irvine
    • California State University, Long Beach University Art Museum
    • Fisher Gallery in University of Southern California, Los Angeles
    • Fowler Art Museum in UCLA, Los Angeles
    • Grand Central Art Center in California State University Fullerton
    • Hammer Museum in UCLA, Los Angeles
    • The Luckman in California State University, Los Angeles
    • Pasadena City College Art Gallery in Pasadena
    • Pomona College Museum of Art in Claremont
    • Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery in Scripts College, Claremont
    • San Francisco State University Fine Arts Gallery
    • Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University in Palo Alto
    • University of California, Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive
    • University of California, Northridge, Art Galleries in Northridge
    • University of California, Riverside, California Museum of Photography
    • Art, Design & Architecture Museum in UC Santa Barbara

    Recommended Reading: 911 Museum Nyc Free Day

    Orange County Museum Of Art

    With a new immersive, artistic, and architectural experience unlike any other, The Orange County Museum of Art will become one of OCs most significant works of art itself. While you wait for the doors to open, check out their virtual tour online. See its collections online, comprising over 4,500 works of art produced during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries by artists worldwide.

    Los Angeles County Museum Of Art

    File:Orange County Museum of Art exterior.jpg

    This art museum is devoted to collecting works of art, including the La Brea tar pits, that span both history, and geography. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art is the largest art museum in the western United States and it represents Los Angeles uniquely diverse population. The museums collection includes over 120,000 objects dating from ancient civilizations to the present South Americas civilization.

    Don’t Miss: Museum Hotel Kansas City Mo

    The New Ocma Will Be A Work Of Art Inside And Out

    In September 2019, OCMA broke ground on its permanent home at Segerstrom Center for the Arts opening to the public at 5 PM on October 8, 2022. Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Thom Mayne of Morphosis Studio, the state-of-the-art 53,000 square foot building is double the size of the museums former location in Newport Beach. Moving to the regions premier cultural campus in Costa Mesa will provide OCMA with a central location, expanded gallery space, and inviting public areas, further enabling the museum to engage the public through art.

    With 25,000 square feet dedicated to galleries, OCMA will be able to simultaneously showcase its collection and major traveling exhibitions. Additionally, a sculptural wing hovering over the lobby atrium creates a prominent location for the 10,000 square foot education center that can be configured as a black-box theater or a light-filled studio. Beyond its functionality, the building is exceptionally community-oriented. Large sets of public stairs and a roof terrace are central features that connect OCMA to the Segerstrom Center for the Arts and its Julia and George Argyros Plaza and serve as communal hubs for gathering. A distinctive façade of undulating bands of terracotta panels wrap the exterior and continue inside the museum beckoning visitors to enter.

    Orlando’s Art Season Preview: Welcome Backyour Browser Indicates If You’ve Visited This Link

    Shakespeare center. PHELAN EBENHACK Home Again, Home Again Orlando Shakes is billing its upcoming season as “The Homecoming.” That must make actor Davis Gaines the homecoming king. When the Shakes had to shutter their performance space at the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center last season because of the pandemic,

    Orlando

    Read Also: The Academy Of Motion Pictures Museum

    The Best 10 Art Museums In Orange County Ca

  • Not-for-profitFree parking

    with this wonderful, FREE artmuseum. The exhibits were fantastic and the museum is such a nice size more

  • Art Museums

    This is a placeholder

    the Laguna ArtMuseum now and again for the past 40 years, and they have had some wonderful exhibitions more

  • Art Museums

    This is a placeholder

    A hidden gem at Chapman University. Great if you are looking to view contemporary art of just to get a feel for it. The shows inside are always rotating and more

  • Art Museums

    This is a placeholder

    What an awesome find! An art/fashion gallery in the middle of the South Coast Plaza. Everything is very unique…starting with the name…very rebellious. The more

  • Art Museums

    This is a placeholder

    Cool little artmuseum, nothing much to it. They do have a huge book full of more artwork which more

  • Walk-ins welcomeLarge group friendly

    When they say Flutter is an experience, they mean it! I went thinking it was an artmuseum and came more

  • Hollywood

    This is a placeholder

    over-priced as well. $50 for a jigsaw puzzle. If you’re a Van Gogh fan go to an artmuseum and see the real thing. more

  • 1919 Cafe at this location.

    too crowded except for certain parts of the artmuseum. There are honestly so many options that more

  • Los Angeles County Museum of Art

    1917Mid-Wilshire

    This is a placeholder

    LACMA is definitely one of the best artmuseums in the US and certainly one of the very top in LA more

  • 1
  • Got search feedback? Help us improve.

  • Orange County Center For Contemporary Art

    Irvine Museum & OCMA (Orange County Museum of Art)

    The Orange County Center for Contemporary Art is back and open for private viewing appointments. This gallery, located in the Downtown Santa Ana Artists Villages heart, holds an artwalk every first Saturday of every month. If youre looking to view artworks that explore contemporary art that promotes artistic experimentation and risk-taking that goes back to the 1980s, this is the place to go.

    Recommended Reading: Metropolitan Museum Of Art Online Store

    Best Museums In Orange County

    Nov 4, 2020 | Orange County Lifestyle |

    We all know that the pleasant climate and the many fun and entertaining attractions make Orange County an incredibly popular place to visit. Note that during your stay, you may enjoy many fun and exciting activities. This is because there is something for everybody in this beautiful part of California. There is no doubt that OC is an excellent cultural hub for a world of unique and memorable experiences.

    From science and automobiles to cultural paintings and historical artifacts, there are many different types of museums that you can explore that will definitely give you a glimpse into the various cultures of the world as well as snapshots into important historical periods, which is excellent.

    If you have little ones, you know that they love to touch and explore. The good news is that Orange County has museums that are an ideal place for kids to be kids. You can let your kids have a fun time at these fantastic museums as they see and explore a wide range of interesting and interactive exhibits, awesome play spaces, and live animals.

    Check out our list of the best museums throughout Orange County!

    Museum Of Contemporary Art Los Angeles

    It is the only museum of California art in Los Angeles that is devoted exclusively to the masterpieces of contemporary artists. This art museum is committed to the collection, presentation, and interpretation of work produced since 1940 in all media. All the works of art in this museum are preserved for future generations.

    Read Also: Museum Of Flight Seattle Tickets

    Free Orange County Museums

    Unfortunately, there are few free Orange County museums, but I do want to highlight the three from this article that do not charge admission Hilbert Art Museum, Irvine Museum of Art and the Surfing Heritage and Culture Center. All three also offer free parking.

    Some of these museums offer free days and others offer discounts through sites like Groupon.

    Costa Mesa And Irvine

    Muzeo Museum

    Orange County Museum of Art, Costa Mesa At the time of this writing, the museum is in the process of moving from its prior Newport Beach location to a new, 53,000-square foot facility being built on a long-designated spot at Costa Mesas Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Its expected to open in October 2022, in conjunction with the California Biennial. A temporary exhibit space was set up in the South Coast Plaza shopping center, but it appears thats currently closed due to the pandemic.

    Heroes Hall Museum, Costa Mesa Celebrates the legacy of Orange County veterans and others who have served our nation with rotating exhibits in its two-story building on the fairground property. Open Wednesday through Sunday, 11am-5pm.

    Pretend City, Irvine A childrens museum thats designed as a child-size interconnected city with everything from a home and the beach to a Trader Joes, a meditation studio and lots more where children can dress up and assume real-world roles. The experience seeks to combine education with fun and develop creativity.

    UCI Institute and Museum of California Art , Irvine Already one of our favorite Orange County museums its the only California museum dedicated to the preservation of California Impressionism paintings, an art style that flourished here from 1890 to 1930 this is one to keep your eye on. Its received donations of a couple of extensive collections in recent years and is presently working on an expansion plan.

    Don’t Miss: African American Music Museum In Nashville Tn

    Best Free Museums In Orange County And Los Angeles

    We have compiled a list of the best free museums in Los Angeles and Orange County. Both Los Angeles and Orange County have some great museums that are both fun and educational. The best part is that they are also kid-friendly . Make sure to let us know if we missed a favorite museum of yours and well gladly add them. Happy Freebie!!

    Note: Some museums are FREE only on a specific day of the week. Please call ahead to ensure.

    Latest Posts

    Popular Articles