Costa Mesa - 3333 Avenue of the Arts - CA 92626
The UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art marks a significant moment in the cultural life of Southern California, uniting a major public university with one of the region’s most influential contemporary art institutions. This new chapter builds on decades of curatorial ambition and educational leadership, reinforcing a shared commitment to public access, research, and meaningful engagement with the art of our time. Operating across two locations in Costa Mesa and Irvine, the museum serves both local communities and a broader national and international audience.
Rooted in a history that stretches back to 1962, the museum has continually evolved while remaining focused on presenting innovative and relevant art. From its earliest days as a small gallery founded by visionary patrons, it grew into a leading institution dedicated to twentieth- and twenty-first-century artistic practices. Today, that legacy is carried forward through an ambitious exhibition program that includes new commissions, performances, public talks, and interdisciplinary projects designed to spark dialogue and curiosity.
Photography occupies an important place within the museum’s exhibitions and collection, reflecting the medium’s central role in shaping contemporary visual culture. The collection includes significant photographic works that explore documentary traditions, conceptual approaches, and experimental image-making, often addressing social change, identity, and the rapidly shifting media landscape. These works regularly appear in rotating exhibitions, where photography is presented alongside painting, sculpture, video, and installation, encouraging viewers to consider its evolving relationship to other art forms.
The integration with UC Irvine further strengthens the museum’s photography program by connecting exhibitions to academic research, teaching, and critical scholarship. Students and faculty engage directly with photographic works through courses, lectures, and curatorial projects, reinforcing photography’s dual role as an artistic practice and a tool for inquiry. With a collection of more than 4,600 objects and a forward-looking vision, the UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art stands as a vital platform for contemporary art, fostering lasting connections between artists, images, and the communities they inspire.
Website
