Unique Events Take Orange County Museum Visitors Beyond the Exhibitions

Sharon Stello
Sep 15
6 min read

From art classes to live music, films and game nights, the goal is to appeal to people from all walks of life.

Folias Duo performing in June as part of Laguna Live! at the Museum at Laguna Art Museum. Photo courtesy of Laguna Beach Live!/Ava Burton

No longer are museums simply for strolling through galleries of paintings, sculptures and other installations. Art centers across Orange County have become destinations for all types of events, from live music and film screenings to workshops in drawing or crocheting, game nights, cocktail hours and even dance classes as museum leaders seek to attract community members who might not otherwise visit.

With events that appeal to different segments of society – from seniors to new parents with babes in arms and young adults looking to mingle – the goal is to get people from all walks of life through the doors to experience the museums’ offerings.

“Museums have historically been perceived as exclusive spaces for certain demographics, but we’re actively dismantling those barriers by creating multiple entry points – whether someone discovers us through a free outdoor concert, a comic book workshop or a relaxed evening social event,” said Kelly Chidester, executive director of Muzeo Museum and Cultural Center in Anaheim.

Taking a similar approach, Bowers Museum in Santa Ana hosted a Magic: The Gathering game night in August, with another coming up Sept. 19. The Orange County Center for Contemporary Art, also in Santa Ana, will present a performance by Backhausdance on Sept. 20 and 27. In fact, a wide range of events are slated for the coming weeks at art institutions across the region, so grab a friend or your family – or head out by yourself – for some fun programs. And you may as well take a peek at the art on display while you’re there.

Performances at Laguna Art Museum included in the programming of Laguna Live! at the Museum. PHOTO 1: Alexander Milovanov performing in August. PHOTO 2: Folias Duo performing in June. PHOTO 3: Eunae Koh (violin) and Yoshika Masuda (cello) performing in April. Photos courtesy of Laguna Beach Live!/Ava Burton

Laguna Art Museum

Nestled in Laguna Beach and founded more than a century ago, Laguna Art Museum organizes sensory-friendly art studios for kids, guest artist talks and even a recent class in floral design in attempts to reflect the region’s diversity.

“The more variety in our events, the more variety we have in the people that we serve,” said Katherine Morton, manager of education at LAM.

For over a decade, Laguna Live! at the Museum has presented “world-class music in the intimate gallery spaces of the museum,” said Robin Rundle, public programs coordinator. These mini concerts – on the first Sunday of each month at 1 p.m. – are in partnership with Laguna Beach Live!, a nonprofit that presents high-quality music performances around town.

Coming up Oct. 5, renowned cellist Yoshika Masuda will perform three of Bach’s iconic cello suites. Known for his technical precision and expressive style, Masuda was called “one of the finest cellists of his generation” by Chopin Magazine in Japan and has performed around the globe both as a soloist and part of chamber ensembles. He even collaborates with artists outside of the classical genre, performing with Pink Martini at the Hollywood Bowl and Ben Folds at the Sydney Opera House. He also serves as director of string studies at Chapman University in Orange. Admission is free for museum and Live! members and $14 for non-members.

Other notable events on the schedule include a figure drawing workshop Sept. 19 and a Trivia Night at the Museum (date to be announced).

New parents and their babies get to check out art installations at Orange County Museum of Art during the free monthly Bring Your Own Baby Tour & Tea events. Photos courtesy of OCMA/Simon Klein

Orange County Museum of Art

In Costa Mesa, the Orange County Museum of Art hosts new parents with babies up to 1 year old on the first Wednesday of every month. The Bring Your Own Baby Tour & Tea event is a half-hour tour followed by complimentary tea from on-site cafe Verdant, allowing moms and dads to connect with each other while exploring exhibitions with their little ones. Required tickets are free and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

“This program is one of our most popular. It sells out each month without fail,” said OCMA CEO and director Heidi Zuckerman.

The BYOB Tour & Tea started shortly after the museum’s new building opened in 2022 based on community feedback and a lack of similar opportunities in the area. “Being a new parent or caregiver can bring lots of uncertainty and stress, and we want the museum to be a place that can alleviate some of that,” Zuckerman said. “We believe in the power of lifelong learning, and engagement with art from young ages especially can hold countless benefits.”

The museum’s priority is to create an intergenerational space. “There’s something for everyone at OCMA,” Zuckerman said.

Recent events have included a zine-making workshop and Summer Art Club for kids in kindergarten through high school to combine Polaroid photo collages and personal writing to tell their own story.

“We’ve noticed that many folks who might not be avid museumgoers have found an unexpected sense of community in our programs,” Zuckerman said. “They come once, come twice and then start to make a habit out of visiting the museum.”

Muzeo Museum and Cultural Center

From the California Jammin’ music series to the Carnegie Comic Collective, Family Day, After Hours Social Club, Wine & Paint Night, Teen Art Intensive and more, Muzeo Museum and Cultural Center seeks to represent the region it calls home.

“By offering everything from family-friendly activities to specialized teen programs and adult social events, we meet people where they are and show them that art and culture belong to everyone,” Chidester said. “This approach doesn’t just increase attendance, it builds lasting relationships with community members who then become advocates for arts engagement in their own networks.”

For some spooky season fun, learn to create “eerily delicious drinks with seasonal flavors” at Monster Mash Mixology on Oct. 9. An expert mixologist will demonstrate how to concoct “potions and poisons” that are perfect for your Halloween party. The cost is $30 per person or $24 for Muzeo members.

Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens

Art and historical displays come together with cultural experiences at Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens in San Clemente. From a weekly story time to recent crochet and gardening workshops, a book club and film screenings, the center seeks to spark creativity in its visitors.

“We strive to offer a multitude of genres, mediums and cultures to engage as many people as we can,” said Kylie Travis, executive director of operations and programming.

Among the activities is a beginner ballet class on Monday mornings, restarting Sept. 29 after a summer hiatus. A different musical artist is chosen each week, from Prince to The Beatles and Taylor Swift; ballet shoes not required. “It makes ballet approachable and fun when it can feel daunting to try if you have never danced before,” Travis said.

Reaching a broad audience is important, but so is engagement with the community, she added.

“For example, a lot of people may not know how to crochet, but so many of our visitors have had such a nostalgic reaction to our crochet installation because it brought up memories of important women in their lives,” Travis said. “So, sometimes, the purpose of what we are presenting isn’t so much to be a new experience, but to ignite a part of our visitors that they may have forgotten about themselves.”

Participants in the Anne's Treasures events for seniors at the Bowers Museum. Photos courtesy of Bowers Museum

Bowers Museum

A wide range of engaging events are also held at Bowers Museum, from storytime for kids on the last Saturday of each month to live music by a Beach Boys tribute band Sept. 18 and a sound meditation Oct. 1, filling the “Sacred Realms” exhibit space with vibrations of Tibetan and crystal singing bowls, flutes, drums and more.

“Our goal with public programs at the museum is always to create an entry point for our community, a place where they feel most comfortable, engaged and seen,” said Kelly Radomske, vice president of external affairs. “We try to curate programs for a number of different audiences and interests while always tying back to the exhibitions on view. We want all our visitors to feel ownership of the Bowers Museum, that this is their space.”

Started a decade ago, the Anne’s Treasures series for seniors age 62 and older meets on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month. Learn to make painted tea towels Sept. 25; the cost is $7 or free for museum members, plus a $3 materials fee. The series is named after Anne Shih, museum board chairwoman emeritus, who led a fundraising effort after a grant ended.

“We saw a need for a more dedicated time for seniors to get creative, outside the bustle and crowds of our festivals,” Radomske said, adding that several senior centers even bring buses full of participants. “The program has proven incredibly successful and, over the last year, sold out on a number of occasions with more than 130 seniors in a single workshop.”