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Museum of Photographic Arts at The San Diego Museum of Art

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Museum of Photographic Arts at The San Diego Museum of Art

To inspire, educate and engage the broadest possible audience through the presentation, collection, and preservation of photography film and video.
(892)

02/13/2026

Now Open | 𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘢 𝘐𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘥𝘦: 𝘗𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘍𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘤𝘪ó𝘯 𝘔𝘢𝘱𝘧𝘳𝘦

Arguably Latin America’s best-known living photographer, Graciela Iturbide brings a poetic and deeply human vision to images of Mexico and beyond. Featuring approximately 150 iconic photographs, this exhibition explores culture, identity, ritual, and the passage of time across Mexico, Italy, India, Panama, and the United States.

📸 On view now through June 7, 2026, at MOPA at SDMA.

11/03/2025

✨ We have some news to share!

Starting November 21, this account () will no longer be active — but fear not! Our photography stories and exhibitions will continue on

Thank you to everyone who has followed, shared, and supported MOPA over the years. We can’t wait to continue celebrating the power of photography and all the wonderful exhibitions, programming, and more at MOPA at SDMA with you as part of the SDMA community.

10/02/2025

Twentieth-Century Picture Magazines

In the exhibition 𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘝𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴: 𝘗𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘒𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘑𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘪 𝘞𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘳, one case brings together popular mid-twentieth-century American magazines, including Life and Esquire. These publications helped shape public understanding of history, culture, and even celebrity through the power of photography.

Photographs were carefully selected, cropped, and sequenced to work dynamically with text and layout. Only the most striking images, like Gjon Mili’s “light drawing” of a figure skater mid-air, made the covers, while many others, such as Esther Bubley’s beauty pageant photographs, were never published.

Check out these magazines and more in 𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘝𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴: 𝘗𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘒𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘑𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘪 𝘞𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘳 in view now at MOPA@SDMA.

08/19/2025

Happy 📸

Today, we celebrate the art of capturing moments — from everyday beauty to extraordinary stories. Whether it’s the drama of light and shadow, the emotion in a portrait, or the power of a single frame to change perspectives, photography invites us to see the world in new ways.

Celebrate photography today and any day by visiting SDMA and MOPA@SDMA to experience inspiring works from around the world and across time.

Featured:
Victor Landweber, “Official 3-way Camera (Boy Scouts of America),” 1983. MoPA – Gift of the artist, M.1985.005.001.
Florence B. Kemmler, “The Camera Enthusiast,” ca.1932. Chloride print. Museum purchase, 2007.104.
Ambrotype on thermoplastic case. MoPA – Collection of Museum of Photographic Arts. Gift of Martha Grieshabch and Barbara Westrum in memory of their mother, Dorothy Westrum, M.2023.001.075.
Lou Stoumen, “A gray Plymouth sedan tailed me away from City Hall.,” 1986. Gelatin silver print on paper. MoPA – Bequest of Lou Stoumen Estate, M.1992.030.014.

08/02/2025

Explore photography’s many facets and roles within modern culture through a selection of more than 100 photographs from the vast collection of local collectors Ken and Jacki Widder.

Ranging from representations of the urban environment, photographs produced for organizations and media outlets during the heyday of the illustrated press from the 1930s to the 1980s, and “environmental” portraits, discover how photographers have used their cameras in ways that are sometimes overt and often sublte to shift our normal perception and offer new ways of seeing.

𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘝𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴: 𝘗𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘒𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘑𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘪 𝘞𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘳 on view now at MOPA@SDMA.

07/29/2025

Coming Soon — 𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘝𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴: 𝘗𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘒𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘑𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘪 𝘞𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘳

This new featured exhibition at MOPA at SDMA reflects key movements in mid-twentieth-century American photography, spanning portraiture, photojournalism, architecture, motion studies, and abstraction. Carefully curated to showcase both the breadth of the medium and the depth of individual artists' careers, the collection offers a nuanced look at photography’s role in modern culture. This exhibition highlights three thematic threads—urban environments, the golden age of the illustrated press, and environmental portraiture—revealing how photographers challenge perception and reframe the familiar.

𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘝𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴: 𝘗𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘒𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘑𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘪 𝘞𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘳 opens Saturday, August 2 at MOPA at SDMA.

Featured: Saul Leiter, 𝘊𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘱𝘺, 1958. Chromogenic print. Collection of Ken and Jacki Widder. © Saul Leiter Foundation.

07/12/2025

Now Open — Conversations in Art: Dignity

Explore the meaning of dignity through powerful new works by local artists in our latest initiative, Conversations in Art.

Artists Hugo Crosthwaite, Anthony Sigala, Cat Chiu Phillips, and Shinpei Takeda with The AjA Project have created original pieces in dialogue with the Museum’s collection—inviting you to reflect on how we recognize dignity in ourselves and others.

Conversations in Art: Dignity is on view now at MOPA@SDMA.

07/09/2025

Coming soon — 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘈𝘳𝘵: 𝘋𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺

𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘈𝘳𝘵 is a new initiative that invites local artists to engage with works from our collection and create new pieces inspired by the theme of Dignity.

Featuring powerful contributions by artists Hugo Crosthwaite, Anthony Sigala, Cat Chiu Phillips, and Shinpei Takeda with The AjA Project, this immersive experience invites you to reflect, respond, and add your voice to a collective dialogue.

𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘈𝘳𝘵: 𝘋𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 opens this Friday, July 11 at MOPA@SDMA.

07/07/2025

Closing soon — Women in Focus

Despite facing societal limitations and gender bias, women photographers found opportunities in the field and excelled in various genres, helping shape the medium’s history from the mid-nineteenth century to today. This exhibition highlights works from SDMA’s permanent collection, including pieces by renowned photographers such as Margaret Bourke-White, Dorothea Lange, and Carrie Mae Weems.

Women in Focus is on view through Sunday, July 13 at MOPA@SDMA.

Photo by

06/27/2025

Get it in focus 📷

Discover the groundbreaking impact of women in photography from the 19th century to today. This exhibition highlights pioneers like Margaret Bourke-White, Dorothea Lange, and Imogen Cunningham, showcasing how women defied gender expectations to shape the history of the medium. Drawn from the Museum's permanent collection, these works celebrate creativity, resilience, and innovation.

Women in Focus is on view through July 13, 2025 at MOPA@SDMA.

05/31/2025

Run like you’ve got a dinosaur chasing you!

SDMA would like to wish everyone participating in the Rock & Roll Marathon this weekend good luck! May you reach your running goals, hit a personal best, and enjoy your run.

Featured:
Arthur Tress, “Girl Running From Dinosaur,” 1971. Gelatin silver print on paper. MoPA – Gift of Steven Rifkin and Nicole Browning, M.2008.048.067.

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1450 El Prado
San Diego, CA
92101

Opening Hours

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

Website

https://www.sdmart.org/visit-mopa-at-sdma/

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