Skip to Content

Museums in Orange County

0 Comments

Explore some of the best museums in Orange County for art, history, kids, cars, surfing, science and local culture.

Beyond its beaches and theme parks, Orange County has museums devoted to fine art, contemporary art, local and presidential history, automobiles, surfing, science and family learning. Use this guide to find museums throughout the county and choose the ones that best fit your interests.

Before you go: Museum hours, admission prices, free-admission programs and special exhibits can change. Check the museum’s official website before visiting.

Quick picks: Art: Bowers Museum, Laguna Art Museum, Hilbert Museum and UC Irvine Langson OCMA | Kids: The Children’s Museum at La Habra, Pretend City and Discovery Cube OC | Cars: Marconi Automotive Museum | History: Richard Nixon Presidential Library & Museum | Surfing: Huntington Beach International Surfing Museum and SHACC

Check out all the free museum days in Southern California and how to get free and discounted museum admission.

Museums In Orange County

Bowers Museum

2002 North Main Street, Santa Ana
Open Tuesday – Sunday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

The Bowers Museum collection includes art and artifacts from Orange County and cultures around the world.The permanent collection includes art and artifacts from regions all over the world, as well as Orange County. View collections from Native Americans, the Pacific Islands, Africa, South America, Asia, and more. In addition to the permanent exhibits, there are also several visiting and special exhibits that vary in subject. Collections include exhibits about the First Americans, Art of the Pacific Islands, Pre-Columbian Art, and California History. Bowers offers educational programs, school tours, and community days with a variety of activities from arts and crafts to archaeological digs. Kidseum is currently closed to the public and is used for select educational preparation and programs; family programming continues at Bowers Museum.

Free Museum Days:

At Bowers Museum, children under 12 receive free general admission. Family Festivals in the Key Courtyard are free on the first Sunday of the month, and Santa Ana residents receive free general admission every Sunday. Check current eligibility and ticket details before visiting.

Active Duty Military with a valid ID receive year-round free general admission. Veterans receive free general admission on Veterans Day. Bowers also participates in the seasonal Blue Star Museums Program; check current program dates before visiting.

Laguna Art Museum

307 Cliff Drive, Laguna Beach

The Laguna Art Museum specializes in the art of California. Its collection and exhibitions focus on California artists and works that reflect life, history and culture in the state.The museum often shows films about art, hosts lectures and live music nights, and offers other educational programs and special events like the celebration of Shakespeare’s birthday. The third Sunday of the month from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. the Laguna Art Museum hosts the Family Art Studio. The museum provides all materials for families to gather and create works of art together. Admission to the event is free for children. Summer camps for children, school tours, and docent programs are also available at the Laguna Art Museum.

Free Museum Days

Laguna Art Museum offers free admission during First Thursdays ArtWalk on the first Thursday of the month, generally from 6–9 PM. Admission is free for visitors 19 and under. Check the museum for current event hours.

Laguna Art Museum participates in the Blue Star Museums Program and offers free admission to military members and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art

3333 Avenue of the Arts, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

The UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art brings together OCMA and UCI’s former Institute and Museum of California Art. Its combined collection includes more than 9,000 works, with strengths in modern and contemporary art and California art. OCMA provides an extensive list of curriculum and educational material on the website for parents and educators to use alongside a visit to the museum creating an educational experience that engages and inspires elementary, middle, and high school students. Located at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, OCMA complements its modern and contemporary art exhibitions with public programs, family activities, talks and other special events.

Free Museum Days

OCMA offers free admission every day.

1302 Industrial Drive, Tustin

The Marconi Automotive Museum houses more than 100 vehicles with an estimated collection value of approximately $60 million. The museum supports the Marconi Foundation for Kids, which benefits organizations serving children and at-risk youth. Visitors to the Marconi will see an extensive collection of vehicles including sleek motorcycles, shiny race cars, and historic vehicles like classic muscle cars and a vintage 1937 fire engine. No touching is allowed here, but older kids and car enthusiasts will enjoy a visit to the Marconi. Admission supports the Marconi Foundation for Kids. The museum also participates in Museums for All, offering qualifying EBT cardholders reduced admission for up to four guests. Check current admission details and the private-event closure calendar before visiting.

Richard Nixon Presidential Library & Museum

18001 Yorba Linda Blvd, Yorba Linda, CA 92886

The Richard Nixon Presidential Library & Museum preserves and displays an extensive collection of documents, audiovisual material, and memorabilia from Richard Nixon’s life and presidency. Visitors can view 22 unique spaces in the museum that inform and educate about the life and times of Richard Nixon before, during, and after the presidency, including a replica of Nixon’s Oval Office, an exhibit about the Vietnam War and a dedicated space about First Lady Pat Nixon. The grounds also include the house where President Nixon was born. Visitors can also step inside Army One, the helicopter used by Nixon, Kennedy, Johnson, and Ford. The Library and Museum is located on the land that was owned by the Nixon Family. Nixon’s mother ran a citrus ranch here until the family moved to Whittier in 1922.

Free Museum Days:

The Nixon Library offers free admission every day to Active Military Members and children 4 and under.

Huntington Beach International Surfing Museum

525 Main Street, Huntington Beach, CA 92648

The International Surfing Museum is in Huntington Beach just off the main drag of popular Main Street in downtown Huntington. The museum is small, but there is a lot of memorabilia packed into the limited space. Check the museum’s official site for current admission information. At its Main Street Library location, the museum explores Huntington Beach’s surfing history and culture through surfboards, photographs, art, memorabilia and rotating displays. The International Surfing Museum occasionally hosts events and fundraisers. One to look for is the Surfin’ Sundays Concert Series where they host concerts at Pier Plaza by the Huntington Beach pier complete with food and vendors.

Surfing Heritage and Cultural Center (SHACC)

239 Broadway, Laguna Beach, CA 92651

A list of Orange County museums wouldn’t be complete without the surfing heritage museum. There are actually two surf museums in Orange County – the Surfing Heritage and Cultural Center in Laguna Beach and the International Surfing Museum in Huntington Beach, mentioned above. SHACC’s new 14,000-square-foot Laguna Beach museum opens to the public September 18, 2026, with expanded space for artifacts, memorabilia, films and other surf-focused material related to a variety of topics like the origins of surfing, women in surfing, skateboarding, the evolution of surfboards, and important figures in surf history like Bruce Brown, the filmmaker who brought us The Endless Summer in 1964.

Free Museum Days

Admission to SHCC is free. Please consider purchasing a membership or making a donation.

More Museums in Orange County

Art & Culture Museums

Automotive & Air Museums

Children’s Museums

Science & Educational Museums

History Museums & Historic Houses

Childrens Museums in Orange County
Historic Sites In Orange County
Nature Centers In Orange County

Related Articles

Free Museum Days in Southern CaliforniaChildren’s Museums in Orange County
Historic Sites in Orange CountyBest Regional Parks in Orange County
Amazing Day Trips 90 Minutes or Less From OCEducational Vacations In Orange County
By Author Heidi Deal

Posted on  - Last updated:

Categories Attractions