ABOUT
HISTORY / MISSION / FACTS
The Center Museum, widely recognized as one of San Diego County’s premier visual arts venues, features three galleries, a sculpture court, secure collections storage and receiving areas, administrative offices, and a Museum Store. The Museum’s indoor exhibition space totals 9,000 square feet. Each gallery has varying ceiling configurations and heights ranging from 19 to 35 feet, skylights with controlled access for natural light, and 24-hour computerized environmental and security controls.
The Center Museum’s program of traveling and original exhibitions includes thematic and historic shows, as well as solo artist and group shows. This range of contextual exhibitions helps visitors see how historical works relate to present-day artistic and cultural concerns, and vice-versa.
Since 1994, The Center Museum has organized more than seventy-five exhibitions and published thirteen catalogues. These group and thematic exhibitions have included the work of modern and contemporary artists such as Ansel Adams, Therman Statom, Salomón Huerta, Ernest Silva, Niki de Saint Phalle, Jean Lowe, Enrique Martínez Celaya, Bruce Nauman, Cindy Sherman, David Avalos, Judit Hersko, Eloy Tarcisio and Wayne Thiebaud. Additionally, the Museum hosts traveling exhibitions from other organizations, most recently from The New York Times Photo Archives; The Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C.; the Frederick R. Weisman Foundation, Los Angeles; the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston; The American Federation of Arts in New York; and Independent Curators, International in New York.
Left: Mexican and American Food, Hotdog: Wienerschnitzel,
Right: Mexican and American Food, Chorizo Combination: La Posta © 2008 Raul Guerrero.
Photo credit: Marc Nuechterlein
DID YOU KNOW THAT?
The Museum owns a Permanent Collection?
- There are over 100 artworks in The Center Museum’s collection?
- The collection includes nationally and internationally recognized artists, such as Therman Statom, Gerhardt Richter, Eileen and Frederick Whitaker, Judy Fox, Claire Klarewicz-Okser, Robert Mapplethorpe, James Rosenquist, Tony Scherman, Ernest Silva, John Sennhauser, Harry Sternberg, David Baze, Doris Bittar, Stephen P. Curry, and Jean Lowe.
Numbers
- We offer complimentary admission for:
- Everyone on the First Wednesday of each month
- Center Members are always free!
- Teachers on the first Saturday of every month.
- The Museum has mounted more than 75 exhibitions
- More than 200,000 patrons have visited since 1994
- And more than 45,000 students in tours and art projects
Exhibition Facts
- Blast Off! Space Toys and the American Imagination was the first exhibition of its kind in an American art museum.
- The Museum has established partnerships with the Niki Charitable Art Foundation, The Sana Foundation, UCSD, Cal State University San Marcos, and San Diego State University.
- The Museum has published 13 exhibition catalogues.
The War Ain’t Over Till the Paperwork’s Done,
© 2008 Debby and Larry Kline.
Awards, Critical Reviews, and Accolades
- The exhibition invitation and catalogue for Wildlife both received an Honorable Mention in the American Association of Museums “Museum Publication Design Competition” (1995).
- The exhibition catalogue for California: In Three Dimensions received Print magazine’s Certificate of Design Excellence (1996).
- The invitation for Inside received Honorable Mention in the American Association of Museums “Museum Publication Design Competition” (1997).
- New Russian Art: Paintings from the Christian Keesee Collection received the 1998 San Diego Arts Now Television “Arty Award” for Best Single Exhibition (Museum).
- Sites Unseen—Shimon Attie: Photographs and Public Projects, 1992-1998 and the work of Shimon Attie was featured in the June 2000 issue of Art in America.
- No Sun Without Shadow: The Art of Harry Sternberg received a favorable critical review in the April 2001 issue of Art in America.
COPYRIGHT
Access to and use of any and all text, artwork, photographs and other files and data on this web site (the "Site") are subject to the following terms and conditions:
Copyright laws protect the Site's software, documentation, electronic text and image files, audio and video clips, and other material, including reproductions of works of art licensed to California Center for the Arts, Escondido Museum by third parties (the "Licensed Works"); other restrictions may also apply. The California Center for the Arts, Escondido Museum (the "Museum") retains all rights, including copyright, in data, image, text, and any other information contained in the Site (except for the Licensed Works) which are referred to collectively herein as the "Material(s)." Copyright and other proprietary rights in the Materials may be held by individuals and/or entities other than the Museum. The Museum expressly prohibits the copying, display, publication, distribution, modification, or exploitation for commercial or other purposes of any protected Material(s) on the Site, except for the purposes of fair use as defined in copyright law. Fair use of copyrighted material includes the use of protected Material(s) for limited, non-commercial purposes. Any fair use of copyrighted material must be accompanied by the stated credit lines.
Any party wishing to use any of the data, text, image or other files included in the Materials from the Site, for purposes other than fair use as defined by law, must request and receive prior written approval. Permission for such use is granted on a case-by-case basis at the sole discretion of the Museum. A usage fee may be involved depending on the type and nature of the proposed use.
VOLUNTEERING / JOB OPPORTUNITIES
THE MUSEUM IS WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE
For the convenience of our patrons, there are two wheelchairs available for use inside the Museum. They are lent out, free of charge, on a first-come, first-served basis. We regret that wheelchairs cannot be reserved in advance.
PORTFOLIO SUBMISSIONS
The Center Museum welcomes the submission of work for official exhibition review and consideration.
Click here to download a copy of our submission guidelines. Adobe Acrobat required
RECEIVE OUR EMAIL NEWSLETTER
Parking
Free parking is available in our North Parking Lot, located on Escondido Blvd.
Location
The Museum is located across from the Administrative Building, just south of the main parking lot.
Directions
FROM SAN DIEGO:
I-15 North to Valley Parkway, East (right)
Stay in middle lane to Escondido Blvd., North (left)
The Center is two blocks on the right
FROM LOS ANGELES:
I-5 South to Hwy. 78 East to I-15 South to Valley Parkway, East (left)
Stay in middle lane to Escondido Blvd., North (left)
The Center is two blocks on the right
FROM RIVERSIDE COUNTY:
I-15 South to Valley Parkway, East (left)
Stay in middle lane to Escondido Blvd., North (left)
The Center is two blocks on the right
Visitor Services
For the safety of our visitors, the Center Museum reserves the right to inspect any package or large bags. Visitors may be asked to check these items. The Center Museum is not responsible for lost or stolen items.
Shirt and shoes are required at all times.
Please do not touch the art.
No food, drink, or photography allowed in the Museum.
Restrooms are provided.
AUTHENTICATION AND APPRAISAL SERVICES
While the Center Museum welcomes donations of significant works of art for its permanent collection, we are ethically and legally unable to provide authentication and appraisal services. However, there are a number of qualified appraisers in the community. For an appraisal of your artwork, please contact one of the following:
The American Society of Appraisers
(800) 272-8258
The auction houses of Bonhams & Butterfields
(323) 850-7500
Christie's
(310) 385-2600
Sotheby's
(310) 274-0340
For art conservation services contact Balboa Art Conservation Center, (619) 236-9702.