Palm Springs Art Museum

The Best Things to Do in Palm Springs

"What began in 1938 as the modest Palm Springs Desert Museum is today one of California’s best institutions for contemporary fine art, American Western art, Native American art, and natural science. The museum has of three locations, starting with the large main campus in downtown Palm Springs. That central, three-story building and courtyard itself is a national landmark for its Modernist architectural style, housing 28 galleries, a lecture hall, sculpture garden, museum store, and the Annenberg Theater, all within its 124,000 square feet. And you can find it easily, next to Downtown Park’s giant Forever Marilyn sculpture. About a 10-minute walk south, the Palm Springs Art Museum Architecture and Design Center–Edwards Harris Pavilion shifts focus from fine art to structural and spatial work. Like the main campus, it was designed by E. Stewart Williams and carries forward more of that quintessential midcentury style. It’s also home to the Bradford W. Bates Vault, the cool museum design store. The third location is the Faye Sarkowsky Sculpture Garden, about a half-hour drive south in Palm Desert. Across its four acres you can explore a landscaped oasis with winding walkways, native plants, and sculptural works by several modern masters." - Kelsy Chauvin