Your Complete Guide to the Palm Springs Art Museum

The Palm Springs Art Museum showcases a dynamic collection of modern and contemporary art, architecture, and design. Originally established in 1938, the museum has evolved from a natural history institution into a leading arts destination, reflecting the city’s rich artistic and architectural heritage.

The Palm Springs Art Museum was designed by the prominent modernist architect E. Stewart Williams in 1974. It is considered a landmark of midcentury modern architecture, blending seamlessly into the surrounding desert landscape while serving as a cultural hub for Palm Springs. Stewart Williams was already well-known in Palm Springs by the time he designed the art museum. He had created several iconic buildings in the region, including the Frank Sinatra House and the Coachella Valley Savings Bank. He was a key figure in defining the architectural character of Palm Springs, and his designs are notable for their harmonious blend with the desert environment.

Modern & Contemporary Collection

The museum’s collection contains approximately 3,000 sculptures, paintings, and prints. It has 2,000 fine art photographs and another 40,000 negatives, contact sheets, and other photo-based objects.

The museum’s dynamic collection of contemporary art since 1960 places particular focus on artists from California alongside artists working throughout the United States and internationally. Marina Abramović, Louise Bourgeois, John Chamberlain, Antony Gormley, Duane Hanson, Mona Hatoum, Anish Kapoor, Anselm Keifer, Sarah Sze, and Stanley Whitney are among the many contemporary artists represented in the collection.

The collection’s modernist holdings include paintings and sculptures by Alexander Calder, Claire Falkenstein, Helen Frankenthaler, Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore, Roberto Matta, Robert Motherwell, Agnes Pelton, and David Alfaro Siqueiros, among others.

Artworks by significant contemporary artists producing on the West Coast include Robert Arneson, Lynda Benglis, Joan Brown, Mark Bradford, Armando Lerma, Nathan Oliveira, Rubén Ortiz-Torres, Ed Ruscha, and Andrea Zittel.

Native American Collection

The museum’s rich holdings of historical works by Native Americans are complemented by a growing collection of works by contemporary Native American artists, including Rick Bartow, Gerald Clarke, and Cara Romero.

Architecture & Design Collection

The architecture and design collection is the most recent addition to the museum’s collecting interests. In 2011–12, the museum received from a private collector a major gift of architectural drawings, models, textiles, furniture pieces, and photographs that created a foundation from which to grow the collection.

Highlights of the architecture and design collection include materials from the archives of Arthur Elrod, Albert Frey, Hugh M. Kaptur, Donald Wexler, and E. Stewart Williams, among others; photographs by Julius Shulman; drawings by Richard Neutra, Lawrence Halprin, Steven Holl, Robert Irwin, and Daniel Libeskind; and furniture designed by Greta Magnusson Grossman, Frank Gehry, Ron Arad, the Campana Brothers, and Paul McCobb, to name a few.

Museum Tours

Get highlights of the permanent collection on a one-hour tour beginning at 2 p.m. Check-in at the admission desk and arrive 15 minutes early. This is subject to the availability of volunteer docents.

The Museum Store

The Palm Springs Art Museum Store offers a curated selection of unique gifts, art books, and designer items. Visitors can explore a variety of merchandise, including original artworks, jewelry, décor, and educational materials. Admission is not required to visit the store.

Get Tickets    Note: The museum is free Thursday night from 5 to 8 pm, which is sponsored by the City of Palm Springs.

101 Museum Drive

Architecture and Design Center Edwards Harris Pavilion

The Architecture and Design Center Edwards Harris Pavilion is an integral part of the Palm Springs Art Museum, dedicated to the celebration of modern and contemporary architecture and design. This sleek midcentury building was originally designed in 1961 by renowned architect E. Stewart Williams as the Santa Fe Federal Savings and Loan building. The structure is a prime example of the desert modernism style that Palm Springs is famous for, featuring glass walls, open spaces, and clean lines.

In 2011, the building was donated to the Palm Springs Art Museum and underwent extensive renovations to restore its original modernist design. It reopened in 2014 as the Architecture and Design Center, made possible through generous donations from Trina Turk and Jonathan Skow, who named it in honor of Edwards Harris, Jr., a long-time supporter of the museum.

The center hosts rotating exhibitions that highlight architecture, design, and the built environment, mainly focusing on the region’s modernist legacy. It also serves as a hub for educational programs, workshops, and lectures related to architecture and design.

The exhibition space provides an immersive setting for design-focused art. The research space and archives are vital resources for scholars and enthusiasts of midcentury architecture. The center holds a significant portion of the Albert Frey, E. Stewart Williams, Arthur Eldro, and Hugh Kaptur archives. It is a Class 1 Historic Site.

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The Bradford W. Bates Vault Store

The museum’s store is located in the original bank vault of the former Santa Fe Federal Savings & Loan. It offers architecture—and design-focused books, games, and stationery items for adults and children. You will also find distinctively modern jewelry selections and a variety of original works by local artists.

Note: The museum is free Thursday night from 5 to 8 pm, which is sponsored by the City of Palm Springs.

300 S Palm Canyon Drive

Aluminaire House

The Aluminaire House is a significant early example of prefabricated, modernist architecture designed by Albert Frey and A. Lawrence Kocher in 1931. Originally built as a prototype for affordable, mass-produced housing, it was constructed entirely from lightweight materials such as aluminum and steel. Its design embodies the principles of the International Style, emphasizing functionality, simplicity, and the use of industrial materials.

Design and Construction

The house was created for an exhibition at the Architectural League of New York in 1931 as a demonstration of modernist ideas and the potential for industrial methods to revolutionize homebuilding. With a floor plan of about 1,200 square feet, the Aluminaire House was designed to be practical, efficient, and easy to replicate. The structure consists of prefabricated metal panels, steel framing, and large windows, showcasing Frey’s belief in minimalism and functionality in design.

Although intended as an affordable housing solution, the Aluminaire House also became an aesthetic statement, celebrated for its clean lines, open spaces, and innovative use of materials. The house was highly regarded at the time and became a symbol of modernism, attracting attention for its revolutionary approach to both construction and design.

History and Relocation

After its initial exhibition, the Aluminaire House was moved to various locations over the years. For a time, it served as a private residence on Long Island, New York. In the decades that followed, the house faced the threat of demolition several times but was saved due to its architectural importance. Preservationists and architects recognized its historical significance as one of the earliest examples of modernist residential design in the United States.

In 2015, plans were made to move the Aluminaire House to Palm Springs, where Albert Frey had made a lasting impact on desert modernism. The city of Palm Springs was seen as an ideal permanent home for the house. The relocation was made possible through fundraising efforts and the dedication of local preservationists. It is now part of the Palm Springs Art Museum’s permanent collection.

Admission is Free. Due to contemporary ADA and fire safety codes, interior access is not permitted. It is located adjacent to the main building.

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Frey House II

Frey House II is one of the most iconic examples of modernist architecture in Palm Springs, designed by Swiss-born architect Albert Frey in 1964 as his personal residence. Perched on the San Jacinto mountain range, overlooking the desert city above the museum, the house is renowned for its seamless integration with the rocky landscape, a hallmark of Frey’s design philosophy. He aimed to harmonize the built environment with nature, often using minimalist forms and natural materials that blend with the surroundings.

Frey House II is relatively small, with just over 800 square feet of living space, yet it embodies the principles of desert modernism. The structure makes extensive use of glass walls, which offer sweeping panoramic views of Palm Springs while allowing natural light to flood the interior. One of its most notable features is the way a large boulder was incorporated into the design, forming part of the interior, reinforcing Frey’s vision of architecture living in harmony with nature.

The house reflects Frey’s preference for compact, functional spaces, using built-in furniture, sliding doors, and other clever design solutions to maximize utility in a small footprint. Frey lived in the house until his death in 1998, and it remains remarkably well-preserved, a testament to his design legacy.

Today, Frey House II is owned by the Palm Springs Art Museum, which has preserved it as an architectural treasure. Tours are available through The Modern Tour, a company that specializes in guided explorations of Palm Springs midcentury modern landmarks. The tour allows visitors to see the interior of Frey House II, something not available to the general public year-round, as the home is only open for special tours. Participants can learn about Frey’s career, his vision for desert architecture, and the significance of the house in the context of Palm Springs architectural history.   

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Annenberg Theater

The Annenberg Theater is an integral part of the Palm Springs Art Museum, offering a premier venue for performing arts in Palm Springs. Opened in 1975, it was made possible through a generous donation from the Annenberg Foundation, headed by Ambassador Walter Annenberg and his wife Leonore Annenberg, who were prominent philanthropists known for their contributions to arts and education.

The theater is a 433-seat venue designed with excellent acoustics and sightlines to provide an intimate and immersive experience. Its relatively small size ensures that performances feel personal, and every seat offers a great view of the stage. The interior design incorporates modernist aesthetics, with minimalistic décor and functional, elegant spaces.

The Annenberg Theater hosts a wide variety of performances, including musical concerts, theatrical productions, dance performances, and lectures. It has become a cultural cornerstone in Palm Springs, offering a space where both local and national talent can perform in a state-of-the-art venue. Upcoming Events

Before you go, check their website for hours, current exhibitions, special events, and admission fees.

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