UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art (OCMA)
The Orange County Museum of Art (OCMA) is now the UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art. UC Irvine completed its acquisition of OCMA in September 2025 and combined it with the UC Irvine Jack and Shanaz Langson Institute and Museum of California Art. The museum sits on the Segerstrom Center for the Arts campus in Costa Mesa and shows California and contemporary art, and admission is free.
Know Before You Go
- Hours: Wednesday–Sunday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m.; closed Monday and Tuesday, plus Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day and Independence Day
- Admission: free for all visitors; no reservations required
- Parking: paid campus parking; the museum can’t validate tickets
- Address: 3333 Avenue of the Arts, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
- Contact: 714-780-2130, langsoninfo@uci.edu. Hours and policies can change, so check the official visit page before you go.
A Brief History Of The Orange County Museum Of Art
In 1962, 13 women rented space in the Balboa Pavilion in Newport Beach to show modern and contemporary art. That effort grew into the Newport Harbor Art Museum, which later took the name Orange County Museum of Art.
The museum started the California Biennial, with a focus on emerging California artists. The show was reportedly later expanded into a triennial with a Pacific Rim focus.
OCMA opened its current building at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in October 2022. In 2025, UC Irvine acquired the museum and renamed it the UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art. UC Irvine says the museum’s Von Karman Avenue site in Irvine also has exhibitions scheduled through January 2027.
Admission, Address And Parking
Admission
Admission is free for all visitors, and no reservations are required, according to the museum. When the building opened in 2022, free admission was reported to be funded for 10 years by a $2.5 million gift from Newport Beach–based Lugano Diamonds.
Address
3333 Avenue of the Arts, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Parking
Parking on the Segerstrom Center for the Arts campus is paid, and the museum can’t validate parking tickets. See the museum’s directions and parking page for current rates and options. On performance days, allow extra time for parking and traffic.
Segerstrom Center For The Arts Campus
The museum is part of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts campus, so you can pair a visit with a show at one of its venues, including:
- Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall
- Samueli Theater
- The Judy Morr Theater
- Studio Performance Space
- Boeing Education Lab
Things To Do At The Museum
Besides exhibitions, the museum’s calendar lists programs such as public tours, Art Happy Hour and Bring Your Own Baby tours. Check the official calendar for current dates.
Current Exhibitions
Exhibitions rotate often, so check the museum’s exhibitions page for what’s on view. One current show is Tokio Ueyama: The Hollows Between Mountains, on view through February 28, 2027.
The Collection
The combined museum holds California and contemporary art, including OCMA’s collection, the Gerald Buck Collection and The Irvine Museum Collection, according to UC Irvine. Artists reported in the OCMA collection include:
- John Baldessari
- Chris Burden
- Vija Celmins
- Richard Diebenkorn
- Robert Irwin
- Helen Lundeberg
- Catherine Opie
- Edward Ruscha
- Lorna Simpson
Orange County Museum Of Art FAQ
Is the Orange County Museum of Art free?
Yes. Admission is free for all visitors, and no reservations are required.
What are the museum’s hours?
Wednesday–Sunday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m. It’s closed Monday and Tuesday, plus Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day and Independence Day.
Where do you park?
Parking on the Segerstrom Center for the Arts campus is paid, and the museum can’t validate tickets.
Is it still called OCMA?
UC Irvine acquired OCMA in 2025, and the museum is now named the UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art.
Check out all the free museum days in Southern California and how to get free and discounted museum admission.
