News

Los Angeles, CA (March 27, 2024) — SoCal Museums member, The Broad, announced plans for an expansion that will build upon the success of The Broad’s first decade by providing enhanced public access to the growing collection, extend The Broad’s standard-setting visitor engagement, and make possible deeper offerings in live programming. Founded in 2015 with a mandate from philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad to build a large audience for contemporary art, the museum has far exceeded its own projections, having welcomed more than 5.5 million visitors to date and now ...

Free-for-All is BACK! On Saturday, March 23, 2024, over thirty museums—presenting art, cultural heritage, film, natural history, and science—will open their doors and offer free general admission. With museums from Long Beach to Los Angeles to Santa Barbara, there is so much to explore. View the full list of museums below and plan your visits now. This offer is for general museum admission only and does not apply to specially ticketed exhibitions. Regular parking fees apply at each museum. Consult individual museum websites for hours, directions, and other visitor information ...

Los Angeles, CA (April 20, 2023) — SoCal Museums partners with ARWARS.LA Radio on a new podcast series, Members Pass.  Members Pass is an immersive audio journey through the vibrant museum scene of Southern California. The podcast offers exclusive access to the latest and most popular exhibitions, plus insider knowledge from museum professionals. “We are thrilled for the launch of Members Pass podcast in hopes of reinvigorating museum attendance in the unfolding aftermath of the COVID-19 lockdown. This is an opportunity to remind people why they love museums and inspire ...

Los Angeles, CA (January 28, 2021) — In a continuing effort to promote safety and California’s health guidelines in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, SoCal Museums and the California Association of Museums announced today the launch of #MuseumsForMasks . From San Diego to the Central Coast to the Bay Area and Sacramento, over 45 museums and cultural institutions will join this statewide initiative, reminding people to wear masks, stay six feet apart, stay home if they are sick, and wash their hands frequently. Via social media and digital ad ...

Los Angeles, CA​ (September 29, 2020)—​As the 2020 elections approach, museums across Southern California are offering meaningful ways to engage in the electoral process by presenting online historical and contemporary exhibitions; holding timely conversations about the ballot propositions, voter suppression, and other relevant topics; serving as polling places; and more, underscoring how culture and art intersect with civic life.​ “Museums and cultural institutions offer a place for people to gather, learn, and share ideas, and while we aren’t able to convene during this time, SoCal Museums believes a vital exchange ...

Los Angeles, CA ​(September 1, 2020)—While California indoor spaces in museums remain closed to the public in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, stores at many museums and cultural institutions across Southern California are open for business online. SoCal Museums, which consists of marketing and communications professionals from museums across Southern California, has compiled a list of creative gifts and products that can be enjoyed while sheltering at home, including some conceived specifically for quarantine. All of the items are priced at $50 or less and include beautiful sketchbooks, artist-designed masks, ...

Los Angeles, CA (April 16, 2020)—In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous cultural institutions across Southern California are offering K-12 educational resources for families and teachers to utilize while they shelter at home. SoCal Museums has compiled dozens of new and compelling online educational opportunities for children of all ages, presented by more than thirty Southern California museums and cultural institutions. These resources reflect a range of subjects—from contemporary and historical art to science to fashion—and employ different learning modalities, from virtual instruction to activity books to storytelling. They are ...

As the world addresses the spread of coronavirus, SoCal Museums has been working together and will continue to be a forum for information sharing. As museum marketing and communication professionals, we are tasked with assuring our visitors and staff that their health and safety is a priority, while also facing such challenges as lower attendance, loss of revenue and possible closures. To help guide us through these new challenges, SoCal Museums has created a dedicated communication channel to direct our questions, share best practices, monitor daily developments, and offer our ...

Los Angeles, CA (June 12, 2019)—SoCal Museums announced today its summer Creature Crawl, an activity for kids and families that lets them explore the many museums that currently have animal-themed exhibitions on view. Participants can collect puzzle pieces at each of the five participating museums and use them to create a mythical beast that kids can design and color. Families can upload their creations to www.socalmuseums.org and win prizes for their work at the end of the summer. “The idea for this project came about when we realized that there are so ...