The museum was founded by long-time Pasadena residents and art collectors Robert and Arlene Oltman. The Ground was broken in 2000 and the museum officially opened in June 2002.The museum does not house a permanent collection, but instead features changing exhibits. Notable exhibitions have included Maynard Dixon: Masterpieces from the Brigham Young University and Private Collections, the largest exhibition of Dixon's art to date; Wayne Thiebaud: 70 Years of Painting, a retrospective survey; Data + Art: Science and Art in the Age of Information, organized in conjunction with Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and a mid-career retrospective of painter Mark Ryden. The museum hosts the California Design Biennial.The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 12 pm to 5 pm and the 3rd Thursdays of each month, 5 pm to 8 pm. It is closed on Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.
