Monterey Museum of Art

05/27/2026

The Big Weekend is almost here 🌟

Join MMA during the first weekend of June for the official opening of the Summer Exhibition Season, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦!

With FREE admission all weekend long, kick off the celebration at First Friday with art activities, live music, and after-hours admission. On Saturday, bring the whole family to participate in hands-on projects, and on Sunday, Museum Members get early access to the galleries for a quiet moment with the art!

First Friday: Friday, June 5 | 5–7 PM
Free Family Fun Day: Saturday, June 6 | 11 AM – 3 PM
MMA Members’ Morning: Sunday, June 7 | 10–11 AM

05/22/2026

Do you know the artist behind this striking coastal landscape?

Tomorrow, May 23, from 2 – 3:30 pm, join guest curator Robert W. Edwards in the galleries of 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘋𝘦𝘕𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘦 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯: 𝘋𝘰𝘺𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘭 𝘈𝘳𝘵 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘺 to discover the incredible life story behind one of California's most influential artists.

Get to know the artist behind the Carmel Art Colony and be among the first to pre-order the exhibition's accompanying catalogue—featuring full-color reproductions of the complete exhibition, an essay by Edwards, and a foreword by MMA's Executive Director Corey Madden.

Reserve your seat today by visiting https://www.montereyart.org/event/afternoon-with-the-curator-robert-w-edwards/!

———

Mary DeNeale Morgan (1868–1948), 𝘕𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘗𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘗𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘴 (𝘢.𝘬.𝘢. 𝘛𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘗𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘈𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘳), c. 1940–1941, oil on masonite, 30 x 30 in. Collection of Paula and Terry Trotter.

05/19/2026

🎨 School is out, MMA's Summer Art Camps are in!

Led by professional art educators, each camp offers students ages 5–14 the opportunity to explore new materials, develop artistic skills, and discover fresh ways to express their creativity in a supportive, hands-on environment.

With a wide range of themes, media, and activities, there’s something for every young artist to enjoy. Space is limited, so visit https://www.montereyart.org/learn/art-camp/ to reserve your spot today!

Led by professional educators and inspired by a variety of themes, each week is a new art adventure.

05/15/2026

Located just blocks away from the Museum, the Old Custom House has long attracted settlers, artists, and visitors to the region.

Painted at the turn of the 20th century, prolific Monterey artist Francis McComas depicts the structure in tonalist hues, contrasted by the vibrant blue of the ocean in the background.

Comparing McComas' watercolor to the building that exists today—more than a century later—what are the differences, and what looks strikingly resemblant?

This work is on view now until August 30 in 𝘈 𝘝𝘪𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘈𝘳𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘺!

———

Francis McComas (1874–1938), 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘺, 𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘢 (𝘖𝘭𝘥 𝘊𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘮 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦), c. 1903, watercolor on paper, 8.5 x 21.5 in. Monterey Museum of Art. A Gift from the Collection of Alva A. Christensen and Helen B. Christensen, 2000.040

05/14/2026

𝘊𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘈𝘳𝘵: 𝘊𝘳𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘊𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘺 is on view NOW!

For this week's collection highlight, MMA invites you to step into the galleries to experience the evolution and elevation of the culture of craft in Monterey over the last 50 years.

Experience Mary Balzer Buskirk's 𝘚𝘪𝘭𝘬 𝘚𝘰𝘧𝘵 𝘞𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭, along with other textiles, ceramics, and jewelry drawn from the Museum's permanent collection, to look at California art from a different perspective.

———

Mary Balzer Buskirk (1931–2009), 𝘚𝘪𝘭𝘬 𝘚𝘰𝘧𝘵 𝘞𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭, 1980, silk and wool, 36 x 28 in., Collection Monterey Museum of Art, Gift of the Buskirk Family, 2022.007. © Mary Balzer Buskirk

05/12/2026

Mark your calendars for Afternoon with the Curator: Robert W. Edwards!

Join guest curator Robert W. Edwards in the galleries to hear behind-the-scenes insight into 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘋𝘦𝘕𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘦 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯: 𝘋𝘰𝘺𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘭 𝘈𝘳𝘵 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘺. Learn more about DeNeale Morgan's life and legacy, and delve deeper into one of the formative figures of the Carmel Art Colony.

🗓️ Saturday, May 23 | 2 – 3:30 pm

Space is limited, so visit https://www.montereyart.org/event/afternoon-with-the-curator-robert-w-edwards/ to reserve your seat today!

———

Mary DeNeale Morgan (1868–1948), 𝘍𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘯’𝘴 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘧 – 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘺, c. 1930s, oil on
masonite, 12 x 16 in. Signed and also titled on reverse with Morgan’s studio label. Private collection.

05/08/2026

📸 𝘑𝘢𝘯𝘦 𝘖𝘭𝘪𝘯: 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘛𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘴 is now on view at MMA!

Featuring work from Carmel Valley photographer Jane Olin’s 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 series, the exhibition explores the profound and complex relationship between trees and humankind.

Visit the museum and be among the first to experience it. On view through August 23, 2026.

———

Jane Olin (b. 1939), 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 17, 𝘚𝘦𝘵 𝘔𝘦 𝘍𝘳𝘦𝘦, 2018, unique silver gelatin print, 46 x 62 in. © Jane Olin

05/07/2026

Step into Monterey’s past with 𝘈 𝘝𝘪𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘈𝘳𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘺, on view NOW until August 30, 2026.

Bringing together two of Monterey’s defining traditions—art and architecture—this exhibition features more than 30 works tracing the city’s evolving physical presence, cultural identity, political eras, and economic shifts.

To accompany the exhibition, check out 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺: 𝘈 𝘍𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘥 𝘎𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘈𝘳𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘺 by exhibition curators Joaquin Turner and Cynthia Wagner Weick, and Amelia Ward at the MMA gift shop.

———

Joseph John Smith (1890–1939), 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦, 1936, lithographic print, 5.25 x 9.5 in. Collection of Paula and Terry Trotter.

05/02/2026

Let's take a look back on a night to remember at Monterey Museum of Art's annual Patrons’ Dinner 🌟

The Museum raised $420,000 from individual patrons and local business sponsors to support the MMA's Art Connecting Community initiatives and the 4th annual Block Party!

Thank you to Co-Chairs Lynn Hayford and Caroline Scott Low, Host Committee Members, and our Board of Trustees for their ongoing support and for making the night a success.

04/30/2026

This week, the Museum is thrilled to present a brand new exhibition and special collection highlight!

𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘈𝘤𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯: 𝘈𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘶𝘳 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘸𝘴' 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 features one of MMA's newest acquisitions: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 (𝘢.𝘬.𝘢. 𝘕𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘦) and highlights the artistic legacy of Arthur Mathews. Featured in tandem with work by Mathews' wife and creative partner, Lucia, this exhibition delves into two leading figures in the California Arts and Crafts Movement and sheds light on two of the most influential painters, art educators, and advocates of early California art.

𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘈𝘤𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯: 𝘈𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘶𝘳 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘸𝘴' 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 is on view tomorrow, May 1, at MMA!

———

Arthur Mathews (1860–1945), 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 (𝘢.𝘬.𝘢. 𝘕𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘦), c. 1896, oil on canvas, 25 x 23 in. Collection Monterey Museum of Art; Museum Purchase with Acquisition Funds; additional funds provided by Lila and James Thorsen, Kevin Cartwright and Stephen Eimer, Forbes Keaton, Kathleen and Robert Seibel, Roseanne Pierre, Jacqueline and Tully Wiedman, and Alicia A. Swithenbank.