Greer's OC

The inaugural programming at the Orange County Museum of Art’s new home located on the Segerstrom Center for the Arts will include the highly anticipated return of the California Biennial, a diverse array of exhibitions, including a survey of artist Fred Eversley, a special project about landscape architect Peter Walker, a monumental outdoor sculpture by Sanford Biggers, and an exhibition drawn from OCMA’s expansive collection that marks the museum’s 60th anniversary and pays homage to the women who founded the museum. 

OCMA opens its building designed by Morphosis under the direction of Pritzker Prizewinning architect Thom Mayne and Partner-in-Charge Brandon Welling, on October 8 with a free 24-hour opening party beginning at 5 p.m.

 “We can’t wait to welcome people into our new home, and our five exhibitions are the perfect way to introduce people to OCMA and our exciting space,” said Heidi Zuckerman, CEO, and Director of the OCMA, who has also curated two of the opening exhibitions. “They not only look back at our first 60 years and the incredible legacy of working with living artists at pivotal times in their careers, but also look forward as we reimagine what a 21st Century museum can be. We hope that people will discover new artists and encounter art in new ways.” 

OCMA’s new 53,000-square-foot building features 25,000 square feet of exhibition galleries as well as 10,000 square feet for education programs, performances, and public gatherings. 

Gallery spaces are spread out between the first and second floors of the museum, utilizing the architecture in unique ways to house both special and permanent collection exhibitions. Sanford Biggers’s work Of many waters... (2022) will be installed on OCMA’s Sculpture Terrace on the spacious rooftop, which is equivalent in size to 70 percent of the building’s footprint and will serve as an extension of the galleries, with open-air spaces that can be configured for installations, programs, and events. 

Open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Free general admission is generously sponsored by Lugano Diamonds. 

OCMA is at 3333 Avenue of the Arts in Costa Mesa.