The New OCMA is Open to the Public

Founded in 1962, the Orange County Museum of Art, more commonly known as OCMA, has resided in Newport Beach until recently. It was announced in 2018, that Morphasis Artictects would be contracted to design a new, 53,000-square-foot museum space, located next to the Segerstrom Center in Costa Mesa, CA. After four years, the project has finally been completed and is open to the public.

 

The building is constructed of steel and concrete, covered with white terracotta tiles and metal panels. According to the architects, the "facade of light-colored, undulating bands of glazed terracotta paneling creates a distinctive character for the building, playing off the forms and language of neighboring works of architecture," one being the Segerstrom center designed by César Pelli.

 

The museum will house performance and education halls, administrative offices, a gift shop, a cafe, and a rooftop terrace for outdoor exhibitions and events. Thanks to a generous sponsorship with Lugano Diamonds, admission to the museum will be free to the public for the next ten years.

 

Currently, there are five different exhibits being showcased in the OCMA: