The University of California, Irvine has finalized its acquisition of the Orange County Museum of Art, resulting in the creation of the UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art. This merger combines two institutions with a shared focus on public access, scholarship, and cultural engagement.
Chancellor Howard Gillman stated, “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.”
The new name acknowledges OCMA’s legacy while highlighting UC Irvine’s academic mission and recognizing donors Jack and Shanaz Langson. The combined institution now holds over 9,000 works of art and aims to foster collaboration among faculty, students, artists, and community members.
With this acquisition, UC Irvine takes responsibility for OCMA’s 53,000-square-foot facility at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa. The site will also display collections such as UC Irvine’s Gerald Buck Collection and Irvine Museum Collection. Since opening in 2022 at its current location, the museum has become a notable destination for contemporary art.
The university will maintain operations at both its new Costa Mesa location and its existing Von Karman Avenue site in Irvine. The Jack and Shanaz Langson Institute and Museum of California Art will continue supporting research and student training from its campus-adjacent facility.
Both sites will keep their scheduled programming through 2026 while transitioning to a unified identity. A transitional landing page will direct visitors to resources from both institutions without interruption.
As part of this process, former OCMA staff have joined UC Irvine as employees. The university is conducting a national search for an executive director to lead the newly merged museum.
The new institution brings together significant collections tracing California’s artistic history from the 19th century onward. It features works by prominent artists such as John Baldessari, Joan Brown, Ruth Asawa, Richard Diebenkorn, Catherine Opie, Charles Ray, Ed Ruscha, Chris Burden, Vija Celmins, Robert Irwin, Alexis Smith, James Turrell, Daniel Joseph Martinez, Amanda Ross-Ho and Bruce Yonemoto. Recent acquisitions include pieces by Judy Baca and Shirin Neshat among others.
This consolidation creates one of California’s most comprehensive art collections with a focus on both historic foundations and contemporary innovation. The California Biennial exhibition remains central to its programming; recent additions from this event further expand its holdings.
To improve accessibility across Orange County communities—including students—plans include shuttle service between campus locations. Outreach efforts extend to K-12 partnerships serving nearly 5,000 students annually—most from Title I schools—and ongoing student-curated exhibitions as well as internships support educational goals.
The Costa Mesa site features exhibitions like “2025 California Biennial: Desperate Scared But Social,” “Yoshitomo Nara: I Don’t Want to Grow Up,” “Cynthia Daignault: Light Atlas,” and “13 Women: Variation VI.” Meanwhile at Von Karman Avenue in Irvine exhibitions include “Habitat: Making the California Environment” and “Meditative Mind: Reflections in Stillness.”
More information about hours or specific programs can be found through each location’s website or by visiting either site directly.
