Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego

Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego invites all people to experience our world, our region, and ourselves through the prism of contemporary art.
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The staff at MCASD were heartbroken to hear of the unexpected passing of Carrington Kelso, a beloved artist, creative, e...
09/01/2026

The staff at MCASD were heartbroken to hear of the unexpected passing of Carrington Kelso, a beloved artist, creative, entrepreneur, former MCASD teammate, and unforgettable presence in the San Diego arts community.

His connection to the Museum and to the people here extended far beyond his time as a staff member. He remained a deeply valued part of our creative community, continuing to show up, build relationships, support artists, and bring his energy, kindness, and imagination into the spacesโ€”and to the peopleโ€”he cared about.

Carrington was a gifted singer, songwriter, and performer, as well as the creative force behind his fragrance company, Clara Rose. The mark he left on MCASD, San Diegoโ€™s creative community, and on all of us who were fortunate enough to know him will never be forgotten.

Please consider donating to the GoFundMe created to help ease the burden of such a tremendous loss for Carringtonโ€™s family and loved ones. If you are unable to donate, please consider resharing the fundraiser link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/in-loving-memory-of-carrington-kelso?attribution_id=sl:4c6a46bc-d953-4948-b9df-c6be626926ae&ts=1788134041&utm_campaign=natman_today_topbar_ios&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link&video_sharing=enabled

Carrington was deeply loved and he will be deeply missed.

[๐Ÿ“ท: Stacy Keck]

๐Ÿ“ฃ Tickets for the ๐˜๐˜ช๐˜ด๐˜ช๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด ๐˜•๐˜ฐ๐˜ค๐˜ต๐˜ถ๐˜ณ๐˜ฏ๐˜ข๐˜ด: ๐˜˜๐˜ถ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜•๐˜ช๐˜จ๐˜ฉ๐˜ต๐˜ญ๐˜ช๐˜ง๐˜ฆ ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ ๐˜Š๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜บ ๐˜ˆ๐˜ณ๐˜ต Preview Party are now LIVE ๐Ÿ“ฃ Celebrate the ope...
09/01/2026

๐Ÿ“ฃ Tickets for the ๐˜๐˜ช๐˜ด๐˜ช๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด ๐˜•๐˜ฐ๐˜ค๐˜ต๐˜ถ๐˜ณ๐˜ฏ๐˜ข๐˜ด: ๐˜˜๐˜ถ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜•๐˜ช๐˜จ๐˜ฉ๐˜ต๐˜ญ๐˜ช๐˜ง๐˜ฆ ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ ๐˜Š๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜บ ๐˜ˆ๐˜ณ๐˜ต Preview Party are now LIVE ๐Ÿ“ฃ

Celebrate the opening with us! Enjoy a preview of the exhibition before it opens to the public, along with...

๐ŸŽถ DJ sets by DJ Reyna and DJ Rosas
๐Ÿ’ƒ๐Ÿฝ A Sunset Salsa workshop led by Q***r Latin Dance San Diego
๐Ÿชฉ An exhibition ball inspired by ballroom culture
๐ŸŒญTijuana hot dogs, Pride-themed Conchas, and drinks available for purchase throughout the evening

All ages welcome. Capacity is limited. Get your tickets today, ๐Ÿ”— link: https://mcasd.org/events/preview-party-visiones-nocturnas

[Amina Cruz, ๐˜‹๐˜ถ๐˜ญ๐˜ค๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ ๐˜”๐˜ฆ๐˜น๐˜ช๐˜ค๐˜ฐ, 2020. ยฉ Amina Cruz, 2020. Courtesy of the artist.]

There are a few spots left for our new 8-week Reflections series starting this Friday, September 4!  Join us for an artm...
08/30/2026

There are a few spots left for our new 8-week Reflections series starting this Friday, September 4!

Join us for an artmaking series for older adults 55+ that considers identity, community, and changing landscapes over time through mixed-media projects ๐ŸŽจ

๐Ÿ—“๏ธ Fridays starting September 4 from 10AM โ€“ 12:30PM
๐ŸŽŸ๏ธ For 8 sessions: $250 for Members / $300 for Non-Members

Learn more, ๐Ÿ”— link: https://mcasd.org/events/reflections-landscapes

[๐Ÿ“ธ: Daniel Lang]

We are deeply saddened to hear the news about Yayoi Kusamaโ€™s passing. Her work ๐˜‹๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ฎ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ ๐˜—๐˜ถ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฌ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ (2012) is a cherished pa...
08/27/2026

We are deeply saddened to hear the news about Yayoi Kusamaโ€™s passing. Her work ๐˜‹๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ฎ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ ๐˜—๐˜ถ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฌ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ (2012) is a cherished part of MCASDโ€™s permanent collection and has been a cornerstone of our space, often being the first artwork that visitors see when they enter the Museum.

Blown up to outsized proportions and covered in colorful polka dots, ๐˜‹๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ฎ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ ๐˜—๐˜ถ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฌ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ produces an Alice-in-Wonderland shift in scale, conjuring a psychedelic fairy tale. As one of the most influential contemporary artists of our time, Kusamaโ€™s legacy will be remembered for generations to come.

[Yayoi Kusama, ๐˜‹๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ฎ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ ๐˜—๐˜ถ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฌ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ, 2012. Photography: studio MAHA]

08/25/2026

๐Ÿ“ฃ The ๐˜๐˜ช๐˜ด๐˜ช๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด ๐˜•๐˜ฐ๐˜ค๐˜ต๐˜ถ๐˜ณ๐˜ฏ๐˜ข๐˜ด Preview Party tickets officially go on sale on ๐“๐ฎ๐ž๐ฌ๐๐š๐ฒ, ๐’๐ž๐ฉ๐ญ๐ž๐ฆ๐›๐ž๐ซ ๐Ÿ ๐š๐ญ ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ๐๐Œ! ๐Ÿ“ฃ

Save the date and donโ€™t miss your chance to celebrate the opening of our next special exhibition, ๐˜๐˜ช๐˜ด๐˜ช๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด ๐˜•๐˜ฐ๐˜ค๐˜ต๐˜ถ๐˜ณ๐˜ฏ๐˜ข๐˜ด: ๐˜˜๐˜ถ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜•๐˜ช๐˜จ๐˜ฉ๐˜ต๐˜ญ๐˜ช๐˜ง๐˜ฆ ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ ๐˜Š๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜บ ๐˜ˆ๐˜ณ๐˜ต, on September 18.

๐Ÿชฉ Works included in ๐˜๐˜ช๐˜ด๐˜ช๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด explore the physical trappings of these environmentsโ€”dance clubs, dive bars, block parties, backyards and bathhousesโ€”for their capacity to generate sites of q***r joy, collectivity and possibility.

MCASD Members, you get complimentary tickets to the Preview Party! Not yet a Member? Join today to unlock your perk.

Learn more, ๐Ÿ”— link: https://mcasd.org/events/preview-party-visiones-nocturnas

[Andres Payan Estrada, ๐˜Œ๐˜ด๐˜ฑ๐˜ฆ๐˜ค๐˜ต๐˜ณ๐˜ฐ (detail), 2024 ยฉ Andres Payan Estrada, 2024. Courtesy of the artist.]

โ—APPLICATIONS CLOSE NEXT WEEK, AUG 28 โ— Teens, donโ€™t miss your chance to join Teen Art Collective (TAC), a FREE yearlong...
08/22/2026

โ—APPLICATIONS CLOSE NEXT WEEK, AUG 28 โ—

Teens, donโ€™t miss your chance to join Teen Art Collective (TAC), a FREE yearlong program that brings together a diverse group of 11th and 12th grade students from across San Diego County.

The 2026โ€“2027 cycle centers on the theme of topography (the physical, natural, and relational features of a region), inviting participants to consider the many landscapes that shape our lives.

Learn more, ๐Ÿ”— link: https://mcasd.org/learn/teen-art-collective

[๐Ÿ“ธ: Alexander Cobian]

Weโ€™re honored to receive the Legacy Award in this year's 2026 AIA San Diego Design Awards, which celebrates landmark pro...
08/21/2026

Weโ€™re honored to receive the Legacy Award in this year's 2026 AIA San Diego Design Awards, which celebrates landmark projects that have stood the test of time and that have helped shape San Diegoโ€™s architectural identity.

๐Ÿ“ MCASD is an 85-year-old institution with an architectural history that stretches back to 1916 when philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps hired the young, local architect Irving J. Gill to rebuild her coastal La Jolla home. In 1942, it became โ€œThe Art Center in La Jolla,โ€ and then for the next 80 years, it went through multiple name changes, renovations, and expansions by leading local and international architects: Mosher & Drew from 1950โ€“1980s, Pritzker Prize-winning architect Robert Venturi from 1994โ€“1996, and Selldorf Architects from 2017โ€“2022.

Thank you to AIA San Diego for recognizing the 11 decades worth of architectural innovation and beauty that surrounds our building โค๏ธ

Check out these archival photos that show how our building has evolved over the years!
1: c. 1950s, Photo: Rupert Deese
2: c. 1920s
3: c. 1950s
4: c. 1996
5: 1996, Photo: Philipp Scholz Ritterman
6โ€“7: 2022, Photo: Nicholas Venezia, courtesy of Selldorf Architects

We're thrilled to offer an 8-week format of Reflections this Fall! ๐ŸŽจ Join us for an artmaking series for older adults 55...
08/20/2026

We're thrilled to offer an 8-week format of Reflections this Fall!

๐ŸŽจ Join us for an artmaking series for older adults 55+ that's inspired by MCASD's permanent collection and our newest exhibition, ๐˜๐˜ช๐˜ด๐˜ช๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด ๐˜•๐˜ฐ๐˜ค๐˜ต๐˜ถ๐˜ณ๐˜ฏ๐˜ข๐˜ด: ๐˜˜๐˜ถ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜•๐˜ช๐˜จ๐˜ฉ๐˜ต๐˜ญ๐˜ช๐˜ง๐˜ฆ ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ ๐˜Š๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜บ ๐˜ˆ๐˜ณ๐˜ต

Using pen and ink, tracing, and drawing techniques, create mixed-media projects that examine the changing landscapes that have shaped our own identities and communities.

๐Ÿ—“๏ธ Fridays starting September 4 from 10AM โ€“ 12:30PM
๐ŸŽŸ๏ธ For 8 sessions: $250 for Members / $300 for Non-Members

Learn more, ๐Ÿ”— link: https://mcasd.org/events/reflections-landscapes

[๐Ÿ“ธ: Daniel Lang]

We know we've posted a lot about the local photographers featured in ๐˜›๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜‹๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ ๐˜Š๐˜ฐ๐˜ญ๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ๐˜ค๐˜ต๐˜ช๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ ๐˜—๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ต๐˜ด: ๐˜๐˜ฐ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฆ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ๐˜ธ๐˜ฏ ๐˜๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด, but ...
08/19/2026

We know we've posted a lot about the local photographers featured in ๐˜›๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜‹๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ ๐˜Š๐˜ฐ๐˜ญ๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ๐˜ค๐˜ต๐˜ช๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ ๐˜—๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ต๐˜ด: ๐˜๐˜ฐ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฆ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ๐˜ธ๐˜ฏ ๐˜๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด, but now we want to highlight the MCASD Collection works in the exhibition by artists from our region: Andrea Chung, Esteban Cabeza de Baca, and Fox Maxy.

Works in this gallery evoke the border regionโ€™s cultural and ecological landscape and the communities who have long inhabited and shaped it.

With an eye towards the natural environment, Chungโ€™s cyanotypes of lionfish shed light on the enduring effects of colonialism, while Cabeza de Bacaโ€™s layered painting and Maxyโ€™s sculptural video installation point to the cultural and ecologic forces that have shaped the US/Mexico border region.

[Installation view, ๐˜›๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜‹๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ ๐˜Š๐˜ฐ๐˜ญ๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ๐˜ค๐˜ต๐˜ช๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ ๐˜—๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ต๐˜ด: ๐˜๐˜ฐ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฆ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ๐˜ธ๐˜ฏ ๐˜๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด, MCASD, on view April 18 โ€“ November 8, 2025. ๐Ÿ“ธ: Daniel Lang]

We are thrilled to share that after a six-month national search, our Board of Trustees has appointed Brett Littman as th...
08/18/2026

We are thrilled to share that after a six-month national search, our Board of Trustees has appointed Brett Littman as the new Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego!

An internationally respected museum executive, curator, and writer with more than three decades of leadership experience at preeminent cultural institutions, Littman will officially begin his role in early October 2026, leading MCASD into its next chapter.

โ€œI am honored to be appointed the eighth Director and CEO of MCASD at such a crucial moment in the Museumโ€™s history,โ€ said Littman. โ€œMy connection to San Diego is deeply personal. The exhibitions and public programs at the Museum were foundational to my understanding of contemporary art when I was a student at UCSD and in many ways led to my eventual career in the field. The opportunity to return to an institution that shaped my own intellectual and professional growth is incredibly meaningful.โ€

Please join us in welcoming Brett Littman!

Learn more about this exciting development here: https://mcasd.org/about/press/mcasd-announces-new-ceo

[๐Ÿ“ธ: Don Stahl.]

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700 Prospect Street
San Diego, CA
92037

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Friday 11am - 7pm
Saturday 11am - 7pm
Sunday 11am - 5pm

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