Orange County Museum of Art Opens in Costa Mesa

The Orange County Museum of Art (OCMA) opened to the public on October 8, 2022 in Costa Mesa, California, as part of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, which celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2022. The $94.5 million, 5,000-square-meter building was designed by Morphosis Architects, founded by Pritzker Prize winner Thom Mayne, who also designed ENI's Milan headquarters. Admission will be free for the first 10 years, reflecting the museum's inclusivity policy. The museum's permanent collection focuses on 20th-century and contemporary California art, highlighting movements such as mid-century modernism, Bay Area Figuration, California Light and Space, Pop Art, minimalism, and installations. Founding director Heidi Zuckerman emphasized the importance of shared spaces post-pandemic. Opening exhibitions include "13 Women," celebrating the 13 founders of the Balboa Pavilion Gallery in 1962, and the return of the California Biennial, curated by Elizabeth Armstrong, Essence Harden, and Gilbert Vicario. Also on view is "Peter Walker: Minimalist Landscape," honoring landscape architect Peter Walker, co-designer of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. A sculpture by Chris Burden is installed on the terrace.