Madison Museum of Contemporary Art

Madison Museum of Contemporary Art Contemporary art museum on State Street. Free admission. More info at www.mmoca.org.

MISSION

The Madison Museum of Contemporary Art is an independent organization that exhibits, collects, and preserves modern and contemporary art to provide transformative experiences that educate, reflect, and inspire us as individuals and a community. COLLECTION

The Museum's collection traces its origins to a major gift from Rudolph and Louise Langer in 1968. Through donations and Museum purcha

ses, the collection has grown to become an important community resource. Works span the twentieth and twenty-first centuries and include paintings, sculpture, photography, prints, and drawings. Romare Bearden, Deborah Butterfield, John Steuart Curry, Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Cindy Sherman are among the many esteemed artists represented in the collection. EXHIBITIONS

Exhibitions are the cornerstone of MMoCA's public programs and have featured many of the most respected artists of the last century, including Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, Chuck Close, Sol LeWitt, George Segal, Jim Dine, Rodney Graham, Georgia O'Keeffe, Claes Oldenburg, Ursula von Rydingsvard, and John Wilde. The main galleries, located on the second floor, host the Museum's major exhibitions. The Henry Street Gallery presents exhibitions from the Museum's permanent collection while the State Street Gallery offers a changing roster of exhibitions and installations. MMoCA's rooftop sculpture garden presents major works on a rotating basis in an illuminated garden setting. EDUCATION

MMoCA's education department organizes lectures, films, panel discussions, docent-led tours, and children's art classes, as well as outreach programs like Art on Tour, Art Cart, and ArtZone. The education department also undertakes special projects like the online exhibition Modern Art/Contemporary Art/MMoCA Collects. MEMBERSHIP

MMoCA members provide critical support for the Museum's exhibitions and education programs. Members receive free or discounted admission to Museum events; opportunities to meet artists and curators; a subscription to the Museum's newsletter; and a tax deduction for contributions. MUSEUM RESTAURANT

MMoCA is excited for the possibilities a new restaurant will bring, and anticipate that a new restaurant will be in place in 2022. Follow us on social media to be the among the first to know more about the new rooftop restaurant. MUSEUM RENTALS

The Museum restaurant, lobby, lecture hall, and rooftop sculpture garden are available for special occasions.

Join our team at MMoCA! We are hiring a full-time Curator of Learning and Community Engagement to shape our vision for i...
05/29/2026

Join our team at MMoCA!

We are hiring a full-time Curator of Learning and Community Engagement to shape our vision for inclusive, intergenerational, and community-centered engagement with contemporary art.

đź”— Learn more and apply before June 12 at mmoca.org/employment.

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Show off your green thumb! 🌱Last week, we planted hundreds of native species in the Rooftop Sculpture Garden, cultivatin...
05/28/2026

Show off your green thumb! 🌱

Last week, we planted hundreds of native species in the Rooftop Sculpture Garden, cultivating a vibrant ecosystem that serves as a habitat for pollinators and a space for community inspiration.

To help maintain this space, we are looking for volunteers to w**d, water, prune, and more. No previous experience necessary, just a willingness to learn and get your hands in the soil!

Ready to dig in?

đź”— mmoca.org/volunteer

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Explore themes in “David R. Harper: Good Morning Sweetheart” through a screening of the classic film, “The Wizard of Oz....
05/27/2026

Explore themes in “David R. Harper: Good Morning Sweetheart” through a screening of the classic film, “The Wizard of Oz.” The film’s sepia tones and dreamlike journey mirror the surrealist aesthetics in Harper’s work, highlighting deeper exhibition themes.

Organized by the Teen Forum, this screening invites comparisons of surrealism, longing, and the uncanny across both the exhibit and the film.

Admission to this event is free. Space is limited, RSVP early to save your seat! 🎟️

đź“… Thursday, June 18
⌚ 7 PM
📍 Lecture Hall

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Image courtesy of SWANK Motion Pictures, Inc.

What has been your favorite exhibition at MMoCA?Over 125 Years we have had a lot of exhibitions. From “Do Ho Suh” to “im...
05/26/2026

What has been your favorite exhibition at MMoCA?

Over 125 Years we have had a lot of exhibitions. From “Do Ho Suh” to “imaginary i” MMoCA has brought a variety of modern and contemporary art to Madison.

Find your new favorite on June 4 at the 125th Anniversary Party and Spring Opening Celebration!

đź“… Thursday, June 4
⌚ Public Reception 6–9 PM
📍 Main Galleries

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Images courtesy of Sharon Vanorny, Shalicia Johnson Arrowstar Photography, and Maurice Thaler.

05/25/2026

Dive into the hidden details. 🔎

“Mother, Father, Please Help Me" was created by Gelsy Verna over several years. Layered with images and marks, it acts as a palimpsest, revealing traces of earlier versions beneath the surface. Discover more about these hidden layers with Sylvia Palinkas, Assistant Director of Development, Membership & Donor Relations.

See this work and our new exhibition 'Extended Play: A-Side' during our 125th Anniversary Party and Spring Opening Celebration on June 4.

đź“… Thursday, June 4
⌚ Public Reception 6–9 PM
📍 Main Galleries

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125 years and counting…Celebrate MMoCA’s 125-year legacy of free access to cutting-edge modern and contemporary art in M...
05/22/2026

125 years and counting…

Celebrate MMoCA’s 125-year legacy of free access to cutting-edge modern and contemporary art in Madison at our Anniversary Party and Spring Opening Celebration!

Enjoy cake and a DJ set by FINDING IJEOMA, with festivities extending to the newly renovated Rooftop Sculpture Garden.

Be the first to see the new abstract exhibition “Extended Play: A-Side”, plus “David R. Harper: Good Morning Sweetheart” and “Gelsy Verna: Mother, Father, Please Help Me.”

đź“… Thursday, June 4
⌚ Public Reception 6–9 PM
📍 Main Galleries

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05/21/2026

The notes, and works are coming together 🎶

Discover the world of postwar American abstraction through "Extended Play: A-Side," the first chapter in a two-part exhibition. Highlighting the Washington Color School alongside Sam Gilliam’s groundbreaking methods, this exhibition demonstrates how the improvisational nature and rhythms of jazz inspired artists to redefine color and form.

Be among the first to explore this new exhibition by joining us on June 4 for MMoCA's 125th Anniversary Party and Spring Opening Celebration.

đź“… Opening Thursday, June 4
⌚ Public Reception 6–9 PM
📍 Main Galleries

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05/20/2026

Creating deja vu in a gallery space đź’¤

David R. Harper explores the translation of dreams into reality. By ideating during sleep, Harper utilizes new mediums to bridge the gap between subconscious visions and the tangible world.

Watch the full video on our YouTube channel or by clicking the link in our linktr.ee.

🎨 On view through August 30, 2026
🏛️ State Street Gallery
🎟️ Admission is always free at MMoCA

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Summer is coming back and so is the Art Cart!Starting in June, the Art Cart will bring free outdoor art programming to p...
05/19/2026

Summer is coming back and so is the Art Cart!

Starting in June, the Art Cart will bring free outdoor art programming to parks, festivals, and beaches throughout Dane County. These sessions are perfect for families, featuring projects led by experts for children ages three and older.

No registration is required, though adults must accompany children.

đź”— See the schedule here mmoca.org/artcart

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Art Cart is a joint project of the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (MMoCA) and Madison School & Community Recreation (MSCR). Art Cart EXTRA! is organized by MMoCA.

Discover how understanding developsIn this talk, linguist Dr. Salikoko S. Mufwene examines the evolution of language and...
05/18/2026

Discover how understanding develops

In this talk, linguist Dr. Salikoko S. Mufwene examines the evolution of language and symbols. Afterward, be sure to visit the exhibition “Mother, Father, Please Help Me” for insight into how collage and repeating symbols create adaptive meaning.

đź“… Saturday, May 30
📍 Lecture Hall
⏰ 2 PM
🎟️ Free Admissison
đź”— Register at mmoca.org/events/salikoko-mufwene

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Address

211 State St
Madison, WI
53703

Opening Hours

Thursday 12pm - 9pm
Friday 12pm - 6pm
Saturday 10am - 6pm
Sunday 12pm - 6pm

Telephone

+16082570158

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