The University of California, Irvine has finalized its acquisition of the Orange County Museum of Art, forming a new institution called the UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art. This merger combines two prominent organizations with the goal of enhancing public access to art, supporting academic research, and strengthening cultural engagement in the region.
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 name for the new museum acknowledges both OCMA’s legacy and UC Irvine’s educational mission. It also recognizes donors Jack and Shanaz Langson for their contributions to the university’s arts initiatives. The unified museum will manage a collection exceeding 9,000 artworks and foster collaboration among faculty, students, artists, and community members.
UC Irvine now oversees OCMA’s 53,000-square-foot facility at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa. Since its opening in 2022, this location has attracted visitors nationwide interested in contemporary art. In addition to OCMA’s holdings, it will display UC Irvine’s Gerald Buck Collection and Irvine Museum Collection.
The Jack and Shanaz Langson Institute and Museum of California Art will continue operating at its Von Karman Avenue site in Irvine as part of UC Irvine’s academic efforts. Both locations will maintain current programming through 2026 while a single institutional identity is established. A transitional web page will provide access to exhibitions and resources from both sites.
As part of this process, former OCMA staff have become employees of UC Irvine. The university is conducting a national search for an executive director to lead the merged museum.
The combined collection includes works that reflect California’s natural environment and artistic evolution from the 19th century onward. It features significant pieces by influential 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 have expanded representation with works by Judy Baca, Carlos Almaraz, Sophie Calle and others.
Since 1984, the California Biennial exhibition has been recognized as a major survey of new art in California; works acquired from these exhibitions form a key part of the collection.
UC Irvine plans to improve access by offering shuttle service between campus and both museum locations for students and staff. The museums collectively attract over five million website visits annually and reach thousands through newsletters and social media channels. Educational programs include student-curated exhibitions as well as K-12 partnerships serving nearly 5,000 students each year—most from Title I schools.
The Costa Mesa site features exhibitions such as “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.” The Irvine location hosts shows like “Habitat: Making the California Environment” and “Meditative Mind: Reflections in Stillness.”
Both venues offer public programs designed to engage diverse audiences across Orange County.
