About us

UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art

UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art unites two leading cultural institutions — the Jack and Shanaz Langson Institute and Museum of California Art (Langson IMCA) and the Orange County Museum of Art (OCMA) — under one shared vision of public access, scholarship, and creative collaboration. Together, they form a dynamic center for the study, presentation, and appreciation of art in California and beyond.

A Bold New Chapter

In 2025, the University of California, Irvine — Orange County’s leading research university — completed its acquisition of the Orange County Museum of Art, officially bringing together two renowned museums. The unified entity reflects UC Irvine’s dedication to curatorial excellence, community service, and the long-term vitality of the region’s visual arts ecosystem.

“UC Irvine is committed to ensuring that the region benefits from a world-class art museum that enriches the cultural fabric of Orange County, advances groundbreaking scholarship, nurtures the next generation of creators and thinkers, and inspires curiosity and connection across diverse audiences,” said Chancellor Howard Gillman.

With the merger complete, UC Irvine assumes stewardship of OCMA’s 53,000-square-foot facility within the Segerstrom Center for the Arts campus in Costa Mesa. This landmark building will become the permanent home of the UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art — a destination for contemporary and historical art that serves diverse audiences across the region.

Honoring Our Origins

The story of UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art is rooted in two legacies of vision and community.

OCMA traces its origins to 1962, when thirteen visionary women came together to found the Fine Arts Patrons Pavilion Gallery — a space where important art could be shared and enjoyed by the community. From this inspired beginning, a small gallery grew into the Newport Harbor Art Museum in 1968, became the Orange County Museum of Art in 1997, and in 2025 entered an exciting new era as part of UC Irvine. For more than sixty years, OCMA has been a leader in presenting and preserving the art of our time, championing artists whose work reflects the creativity and complexity of the world today.

Langson IMCA was established by UC Irvine in 2017 following the acquisition of two foundational collections: the Gerald Buck Collection and The Irvine Museum Collection. Four years later, the museum was renamed the Jack and Shanaz Langson Institute and Museum of California Art in recognition of a transformative leadership gift. Langson IMCA explored what constitutes “California Art,” sharing stories of artists and their work in informed, inclusive, and just ways. Its holdings — spanning late 19th-century California Impressionism to postwar and contemporary art — continue to deepen understanding of the state’s artistic landscape.

Looking Ahead

UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art is an integral part of a leading research university — a laboratory for ideas where art intersects with science, technology, health, and the environment.

Moving forward, the space will also showcase UC Irvine’s celebrated Gerald Buck Collection and Irvine Museum Collection, which will continue to be presented in exhibitions at the Irvine location for now. A national search for a new executive director is underway, and both entities will continue their planned programming through 2027 as a unified identity takes shape.

Admission at both locations is free and open to all.

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