A county of verdant parks, plush resorts, stellar shopping and incredible beaches, Orange County is also home to artful sophistication in renowned museums throughout town. Read on to find out more about Riviera Orange County’s top museum picks.
Dan Budnik, ‘March on Washington' ‐ Martin Luther King Jr. after delivering his, 'I Have a Dream' speech, Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C., August 28, 1963, © The Estate of Dan Budnick, courtesy of Peter Fetterman Gallery
The Bowers Museum in Santa Ana houses a world-class fine art collection situated in the heart of Orange County. Follow multilayered narratives across continents and cultures in each of the nine permanent exhibits available on the property. Bowers Museum’s current exhibition, The Power of Photography, highlights 70 curated prints from The Peter Fetterman Gallery that glimpse into the beauty and reminiscence of the past and is open through Jan. 14, 2024.
The Orange County Museum of Art in Costa Mesa recently toasted its first anniversary.
The Orange County Museum of Art in Costa Mesa consistently brings innovative, diverse exhibits to its well-known site, in addition to the household OCMA Collection containing over 4,500 objects spanning the 20th and 21st centuries. On display through Jan. 7, 2024, Jennifer Guidi: And So It Is showcases layered painting practices and meditative states of being on canvas, emphasizing the importance of color in relation to place. Join the museum in celebrating its first anniversary this October with a slew of exciting events.
Paul Wonner's "Still Life with Flowers and a Note to KMK" is featured in Laguna Art Museum's new exhibit Breaking The Rules: Paul Wonner and Theophilus Brown.
Laguna Beach, with its flourishing artist colony, is home to the seaside Laguna Art Museum. The museum aims to preserve the California experience within the framework of trailblazing contemporary artists. Laguna Art Museum’s newest exhibition, Breaking The Rules: Paul Wonner and Theophilus Brown, open until Jan. 7, 2024, celebrates the inclusivity and accomplishments of two artists pertinent to the Bay Area Figuration.
Located at the renowned Chapman University in Orange, the Hilbert Museum of California Art provides perspective on the Golden State’s artistic heritage and the present day. Devoted entirely to the California scene, the museum houses treasures from artistic luminaries, spanning from the 1930s to the 1970s, alongside exciting emerging names. During the museum’s triple-size expansion, exhibits have been temporarily moved to Hilbert Temporary in downtown Orange, including the short-term exhibition AMERICAN STORIES: Midcentury Magazine Illustrations from The Hilbert Collection.
The University of California, Irvine is now home to a brand-new art museum, the Jackson & Shanaz Langson Institute & Museum of California Art. Containing over 4,500 works spanning the 19th and 20th centuries, the museum highlights genres ranging from California Impressionism and plein-air painting to Post-War and contemporary art. On view now is the exhibition Bohemian of the Arroyo Seco: Idah Meacham Strobridge, a holistic look at bookbinder and author Idah Meacham Strobridge and the meaning of the Western landscape.
Connected to the historic Carnegie Building, the heritage-driven MUZEO Museum and Cultural Center gives greater Anaheim a lively arts anchor, celebrating local memories through permanent exhibits that delve into O.C. history and its diverse communities. Be sure to catch The 59th Annual Anaheim Art Association Juried Art Show, in accordance with the Anaheim Art Association, which showcases myriad works from Anaheim artists, ranging from acrylics to watercolors and much more! The show is open now through Nov. 5, 2023.
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