UC Irvine finalizes acquisition of Orange County Museum of Art

Irvine, Calif., Sept. 29, 2025 - The University of California, Irvine has completed its acquisition of the Orange County Museum of Art, officially bringing together two renowned institutions under a shared vision of public access, scholarship and cultural engagement. The resulting entity, now named the UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art, reflects a dedication to curatorial excellence, community service and the long-term vitality of the area'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.

The name of the unified museum honors OCMA's legacy, affirms UC Irvine's academic and public mission, and recognizes the generosity of Jack and Shanaz Langson, whose support has elevated the university's arts presence. The merger brings together over 9,000 works of art and links faculty, students, artists and community members in a new model of creative collaboration.

With the transaction complete, UC Irvine assumes stewardship of OCMA's 53,000-square-foot, $98 million facility within the Segerstrom Center for the Arts campus. Since opening in its current location in 2022, the Costa Mesa-based museum has quickly become a destination for contemporary art enthusiasts around the nation. Moving forward, the space will also showcase UC Irvine's celebrated Gerald Buck Collection and Irvine Museum Collection.

The UC Irvine Jack and Shanaz Langson Institute of California Art will remain an integral part of the university's academic mission, operating from an on-campus site to support research, student training and integration across academic programs. At the same time, the Jack and Shanaz Langson Institute of California Art will continue to operate at its Von Karman Avenue location in Irvine.

Both entities will continue their planned programming through 2026 as a unified identity takes shape. A transitional landing page will guide visitors to both institutions' websites, providing uninterrupted access to exhibitions and resources.

As part of the transition, OCMA staff have joined UC Irvine as employees. The university is also conducting a national search for an executive director to lead the UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art into its next chapter.

FACT SHEET

Overview

UC Irvine has completed its acquisition of the Orange County Museum of Art, officially launching a newly unified institution: the UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art.

Combined collection highlights

The new UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art brings together two extraordinary legacies of collecting, research and exhibition - creating one of the most comprehensive art collections in California.

• Historic foundations of California art
  The museum holds over 9,000 works that trace California's natural environment, cultural identity and artistic experimentation across generations, from the 19^th century to the present.
• Landmark contemporary art holdings
  The collection preserves and showcases works by some of the most influential California and global artists of the last half-century, including John Baldessari, Joan Brown, Ruth Asawa, Richard Diebenkorn, Catherine Opie, Charles Ray and Ed Ruscha.
• The California Biennial legacy
  As the only regular survey of new Golden State art since 1984, the California Biennial exhibition has introduced audiences to groundbreaking contemporary voices. Works by Andrea Bowers, Rodney McMillian, Sterling Ruby, Hank Willis Thomas and many others form the collection's vital core, with acquisitions from the 2025 California Biennial extending its legacy.
• UC Irvine artists and innovation
  The merged museum deepens its ties to UC Irvine, with significant works by artists connected to the campus - including Chris Burden, Vija Celmins, Robert Irwin, Alexis Smith, James Turrell, Lita Albuquerque and Opie, as well as Daniel Joseph Martinez, Amanda Ross-Ho and Bruce Yonemoto. This unique relationship strengthens the museum's role as both a teaching collection and a platform for ongoing collaboration among artists, scholars and students.
• Expanding the canon
  Recent acquisitions add diverse perspectives and new narratives, with major works by Judy Baca, Carlos Almaraz, Sophie Calle, Carolina Caycedo, Derek Fordjour, Noah Purifoy, Helen Pashgian and Shirin Neshat, among others - ensuring that the museum reflects the richness of California art.

Together, these collections position the museum as a singular cultural resource - a place where past and present meet and where California's art history is preserved, studied and integrated with the art of today.

Audience reach and access

• Expands access to transformative visual experiences across Orange County
• Planned shuttle service for UC Irvine students, staff and faculty between campus and both museum locations
• Over 5 million annual website visits across institutions
• 55,000+ newsletter subscribers and 36,000 Instagram followers
• Student-curated exhibitions and internships
• K-12 partnerships and programs that reach nearly 5,000 students each year - 80 percent from Title I schools

Facilities and locations

Costa Mesa museum site

• 53,000-square-foot building
• Designed by Morphosis Architects
• Features exhibitions, public programs, a retail store and Verdant cafe
• Adjacent to South Coast Plaza, a premier international destination
• Part of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts campus, the arts hub of Orange County
• Location:
  3333 Avenue of the Arts
  Costa Mesa, CA 92626
• Hours:
  Wednesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
  Closed Monday and Tuesday
• Current exhibitions:
  • "2025 California Biennial: Desperate, Scared, But Social"
  • Through Jan. 4, 2026
  • "Yoshitomo Nara: I Don't Want to Grow Up"
  • Through Dec. 28, 2025
  • "Cynthia Daignault: Light Atlas"
    Through Feb. 8, 2026
  • "13 Women: Variation VI"
    Through Oct. 19, 2025

Irvine museum site

• 6,000-square-foot facility
• Houses exhibitions, public programs, a reading lounge and an education studio
• Near the UC Irvine campus
• Location:
  18881 Von Karman Ave., Suite 100
  Irvine, CA 92612
• Hours:
  Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
  Closed Sunday and Monday
• Current exhibitions:
  • "Habitat: Making the California Environment"
    Through Jan. 10, 2026
  • "Meditative Mind: Reflections in Stillness"
    Through Jan. 10, 2026

About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation's top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UC Irvine has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It's located in one of the world's safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County's second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UC Irvine, visit https://www.uci.edu.

Media access: Radio programs/stations may, for a fee, use an on-campus studio with a Comrex IP audio codec to interview UC Irvine faculty and experts, subject to availability and university approval. For more UC Irvine news, visit news.uci.edu. Additional resources for journalists may be found at https://news.uci.edu/media-resources.