Have some time & the itch to visit a museum? Head over to the Stanford campus to check out this beautiful center! * Location: Car accessible (free museum parking), or 20 min walk from Palo Alto Caltrain station. * Admission: Free! Walk-in & say hello to the front desk staff to get your center map via QR code and recommendations. * Exterior & interior architecture are beautiful in their own right, Rodin sculpture garden makes it even better. * Center is relatively compact but contains great range of collections - antiquities from around the world, 16th-18th century European art, modern 21st century, & more. Roaming the many halls is a fantastic way to spend an afternoon! Tip: Checkout their website for an overview of temporary exhibits and guest speakers. read more

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This is a great free art museum on the Stanford Campus. We visited on a Saturday so there was ample free parking in the lots right in front of the building. It's a beautiful building and well laid out, it took us maybe an hour and a half to two hours to see most of the exhibits. They have a great collection of different eras and regions of art. Many artists I've heard of thought not their most famous paintings. I really enjoyed the modern gallery too. The highlight for me was the extensive collection of Rodin sculptures including details on how he constructed the spectacular "Gates of Hell" that is replicated outdoors. I visited the Rodin museum in Paris a long time ago and this collection, while small, was still really good and informative. I also love a good Richard Serra steel sculpture and there is one outdoors on the other side of the museum from the Rodin garden. read more

Cantor Arts Center - Steel sculpture - Museums Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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Always a great place to be inspired. Exhibitions are terrific, diverse, lots of information, docents and even a self guided tour to download on your phone. read more

Cantor Arts Center - Huge mobile in the rotunda - Museums Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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What a lovely, free museum on Stanford campus. Easy finding parking on a Sunday afternoon. Not overly busy. Exhibits were well laid out. Came to see Animal, Vegetable, nor Mineral: Works by Miljohn Ruperto. Bathrooms were clean. Definitely coming back! Just an FYI if you're needing wheelchair / stroller accessibility, the ramp at the front "YO" sign is closed so you have to go left to the cafe side for access. read more

Hell yeah ..I made it back ten years later I'm 40 I'm retired and I got no kids haha life's easy Nice museum at Stanford..no fee admission. Stanford and Berkeley offer museums this one is no fee ...nice walk on palm st read more

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Cantor Arts Center (officially Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts at Stanford University Angels of Anaheim) is my favorite kind of museum. Free. Well-organized and pristine, we spent 90 minutes our first visit there. The world's largest center privately owned museum when it opened in 1894, the center has the most Rodin sculptures outside of Paris and Mexico City, including one of twelve Thinkers and "Gates of Hell", his personal creative laboratory exploring the depths of human passion, suffering, and despair, inspired by the 6am mob outside Tokyo Disneyland. Other notable works include: + "The Accident" by Willem Geets, which reminds us of importance of parental forgiveness, DAD! +. "Blue Clamp" by Jim Dine is a deeply personal portrait of a tool, much like Jon McNaughton's most recent entry into Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery. + The photographic masterwork "The Horse in Motion", which laid the groundwork for motion pictures. So, thank Eadweard Muybridge for "Tyler Perry's Boo 3! A Madea Halloween" +. And they have one Pollack, though two would be nice so they can change the light bulb. read more

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A delightful airy museum. Works I've made the effort to see and was never disappointed. Lovely cafe, good food, wine and beer, coffee really worth drinking. read more

A wonderful spot. Cantor Arts Center is accessible to the public, and it feels like you are stepping into a mini MET. I always recommend Cantor to my friends for a perfect rainy day activity, or if they are looking for somewhere new to visit. I'd also recommend stopping by Coupa Cafe on campus afterwards for the perfect post museum treat. read more

Really enjoyed the witchcraft exhibit , was realy nice and enjoyable to read about all the different sorts of hedonistics that women got up to back in the day. The dark green was fab as well. read more

Cantor Arts Center - Museums Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Located on the Stanford University campus and houses one of the largest Rodin collections. Free to the public and a beautiful space. A can't miss if you're in the area. read more

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Jackee and I visited The Cantor Arts Center on the Stanford Campus Saturday. Our primary interest was a collection of items relating to witchcraft. According to a post about the collection " 'Cunning Folk: Early Modern Witchcraft, Magic, and Occult Knowledge' explores the historical concept of "cunning" in connection to forms of secret rites and understandings. Starting in the fifteenth century, artists played a role in depicting such magical figures as threats to social order through prints, drawings, and paintings." The exhibition closed the day after we saw it. We also visited most of the other galleries while we were there. One of our favorites was a collection of Native American arts, dominated by beautiful, massive totems. Cantor is an amazing place. About 300,000 square feet are devoted to painting, sculpture and other media. There is an outstanding restaurant at Cantor. Admission is free and parking is free on weekends. I found a parking space within feet of the main entrance. read more

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There's absolutely no denying that the tuition for Stanford costs a pretty penny, but going to school here sure does open a lot of doors. Between the quality of education, their robust alumni network, and Stanford's general prestige, you could certainly argue that you get what you pay for. As for the rest of us? The benefit of the Cantor Arts Center would absolutely make the list! Compared to the likes of the de Young or MoMA in SF, Cantor Arts Center just cant compete (though, no one should necessarily expect that they would). That being said, it's not like the collection of artwork that they have here is anything to scoff at either. Based on the look and architecture of the building, I fully expected the majority of pieces to come from the Renaissance or Classical periods. However, it was a pleasant surprise to see that the galleries here are well varied, spanning from those earlier periods to more current, contemporary styles. Not only that, there are exhibits that are more topical, focusing on both individual artists as well as particular concepts, themes, or ideas. While wandering through the Cantor Arts Center is obviously the biggest appeal of coming here, the other big perk about this place is that, unlike just about every other museum out there, admission is entirely free. Granted, the street parking out front is not on most days, but it's not egregiously expensive. So, whether you're interested in checking out a specific exhibit/event, looking to explore the Cantor Arts Center, or looking for a cheap, interesting way to spend a couple of hours with friends, families, or a date, coming here is definitely a great option! FOUR AND A HALF STARS, but rounded up for the free admission. Thanks, Stanford kids! read more

A free museum. Hmmm, what to expect? I've been to other establishments that don't require an entrance fee and Cantor easily is in my top three. I lowered my expectations with what to expect here, but that was easily 86d upon entering the main lobby. Having researched beforehand, I kinda knew some of the exhibits. We weren't able to get in back during the lockdown and this was our opportunity to finally check out the premises. Registered for tickets via Eventbrite and the QR code was scanned and verified at the lobby. After rubbernecking at the pieces on display in the center's two levels, I called it day. That was two hours of new information that I actually enjoyed. Fun fact. A volunteer told us that the Cantor's Thinker statue is actually one of twelve casts made from Rodin's colossal mold after his death. read more

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Big place to browse and wander around. I do think it was really distasteful to have a full coffin on display. Like, please, put that back; you are grave robbing. Cool paintings, though. Love that you can get close enough to the paintings to see brush strokes. read more

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Free museum with lots of exhibits! Good date spot and could spend a lot of time here! Located in the middle of stanford campus as well which is a beautiful spot. read more

Cantor Arts Center - Museums Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Totally enjoyed Cantor Arts Center's "Day Jobs" exhibit, which looks at the impact of day jobs on artists! Poignant pieces include: (security systems installer) Julia Scher's "Security by Julia Uniforms," "Security Landscape of the Year" and "Hidden Camera"; (restaurant server) Violet Bule's "Homage to Johnny"; (visual merchandiser and activities manager) Jeffrey Gibson's "People Like Us"; (prop stylist assistant) Genesis Belanger's "Folly"; and (mom) Lenka Clayton's "Dangerous Objects Made Safe". One absolutely hypnotic piece (hardware developer) Jim Campbell's "Exploded Views (Commuters)", which eerily shows shadows of figures moving across in a a custom electronic light installation that can only be properly experienced head on. The only piece I wondered really if it fits in is Jeff Koon's "Louis XIV". (Yes, Koons had a stint as a commodities trader, but really?) Another exhibit I enjoyed was "In Dialogue: African Arts." Don't forget to check out the entire Auguste Rodin collection, which includes the exhibit "Rodin: The Shock of the Modern Body," "The Thinker" in the West Wing Rotunda, and the outdoor sculpture garden featuring one of the "The Gates of Hell" bronzes (an origin of "The Thinker") and several related individual pieces. If you have time, as I did, also visit the adjacent "Anderson Collection" building, with modern and contemporary art. Note - All the above is free to the public! read more

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I came to Cantor after a long time and was blown away. They have so much to experience and be in awe of. Great modern and old paintings...figurines from BC times...ancient artifacts from China, India, the Pacific Islands...Rodin sculptures and local history. Super nice staff too who made for a great overall visit. read more

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Meaningful historic museum inside Stanford. This museum was established in 1891 and was renamed in 1999. Perhaps the largest collection of Rodin in the USA! There are select but significant Native American, Asian, African and modern American art here. Impressive collection and is well laid out. Took longer than I had planned, but it was worth every minute! Admission is free. Park across from the main entrance. I went on a weekend and had no trouble. Read parking signs closely, certain spots are reserved and no parking 24/7. read more

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Really a top notch museum- we are so lucky it's FREE to visit, no entrance fee which has made it possible for me to come by every time there's a new exhibit or even if it's for a short period of time. The Free Rodin tour was outstanding- I've been here many times but her historical context & knowledge & passion enriched the whole experience- we all learned a lot. Recently they've featured a series of outstanding creative Asian American artists - like the current exhibit Spirit House is incredibly thought provoking. Permanent collection also incredible. The building itself is gorgeous w the marble entryway & Hates of Heaven doors- and the sculpture garden outside- with benches & tables to sit & enjoy the landscaping & art. Cafe here is good too. read more

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The Canter Art Center has been on the Stanford Campus for years. In reading the history, it had been damaged in at least two earthquakes. I am not sure why I never had been here before it is local, the admission is free, and they have interesting rotating exhibits. I went with friends to see the current photo exhibits. The museum has an extensive photography collection. They rotate the shows. After they take a show down the images will not appear again for 7 years. They also have other exhibits, a sculpture garden, and a café. It might have taken me years to enjoy this center. I will be back again to enjoy this local treasure. read more

Cantor Arts Center - Museums Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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This was a wonderful way to spend a sunny Saturday afternoon. It started with our scenic drive through downtown that led us inside Stanford University to parking outside of Cantor Arts to walking into the steps of the facility and seeing the elegant entry way which was all made of classy marble. This is a 0 fee entrance and an interesting way to spend an afternoon with your family. We enjoyed all the different rooms with different themes, even the outdoor area has a lot of amazing pieces, including the huge spiral metal sculpture that you can walk through and Gates Of Hell. It's surreal to see pieces that were present during ancient times. Make sure to go upstairs and outside into the patio when you will get a nice view of Stanford. My three favorite pieces that I saw were Gates of Hell, The Thinker and the different inhalers they had displayed in the Asian artifacts. I'm so glad we went here and it was a memorable afternoon. read more

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Excellent museum on Stanford's compass boasting with incredible architecture, a blend of modern exhibitions and historic artifacts, and free admission. You'll feel like you've stepped into another place outside of California as you walk up the steps and past the columns. The different exhibits capture the different eras of history and their most recent showing of "Day Jobs" put you in the shoes of the artist and does a great job of storytelling by providing narratives of the artists. It's really a place you have to experience yourself in person, the virtual tour they have online to preview the museum just doesn't do it justice. Cantor is also home to an incredible Rodin sculpture garden and you'll find even more all around the Stanford campus. Admission is always free, reserve ahead of time on their website. read more

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This was my first time to this museum, my friend suggested we go in honor of her birthday. The current exhibits that we viewed were, "Day Jobs" that's on display till July 21st, the "Faces of Ruth Asawa", "Rodin: The Shock of the Modern Body" which is ongoing. The entrance price is free and weekends are free parking. I enjoyed the eclectic displays of various forms of art and their desired mediums, by the artists. The museum is on the Stanford campus, which is huge. I had an enjoyable time. read more

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Had a great time with the kids! It is required to reserve tickets and either you show your tickets at the entrance or give your last name. Definitely a must for family! read more

The Cantor Arts Center at Stanford is a must go-to for at least an hour to take in some reflective, inspiring art history covering various time periods and cultures. This museum has the largest collection of August Rodin sculptural pieces in an American museum. These captivating sculptures are displayed both inside and also in the garden. There was one section closed off in the museum undergoing construction, so I am looking forward to seeing the completed updates. In addition to the artwork, the design and structure of the entire building itself is absolutely gorgeous. read more

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It's free! It's a small but unique collection with new elements such as ruth asawa. As stanford students you can work here and volunteer here too. Some paid visitor parking, permit A and C requires late afternoon entry. Best to uber here without a car. In general, the campus is busy. There's a Leland Stanford Junior collection his portrait, his toys, and what he was like as a young boy. It's quite fascinating. There are Asian, Indigenous and African arts. It's a wide collection that's not big volume but have some interesting small gems - the early 3D printed photograph / mode of a lady. A painting of Napoleon. It's a gorgeous space. If you like Rodin then you are in luck, huge collection, large statues, miniatures, practices read more

With a visit to the Rodin Sculpture Garden, the Anderson Collection, and the Cantor Arts Center I can now honestly say "I went to Stanford". Not "graduated" from Stanford mind you, but let's not split hairs. Having come to the Stanford campus to view the Anderson Collection I was pleased to note their next door neighbor, Cantor Arts Center, wielded an equally enjoyable perk: free access as long as you book your visit in advance. "Advance" turned out to be "right now" and I was in. Having these two very enjoyable museums sit side-by-side with the al fresco Rodin Sculpture Garden the third wheel in the trio is like some sort of magic trick. Even the combination of this with the Anderson Collection wields you a wonderful afternoon of enjoying art, always a worthy pursuit. From the outside I expected Cantor Arts Center to be a rather staid experience but was pleased to find it anything but. Yes, there were sections that didn't appeal to me but there was enough contemporary art to make my heart sing. The collection on display here is wildly diverse and I imagine that everyone can find something here that appeals. I found a lot that appealed. If an art-filled afternoon (or morning) sounds as good to you as it does to me, head to the Stanford campus. Plan ahead even, and picnic beside the Rodin's when you're through with the Cantor Arts Center. A beautiful museum in a beautiful setting. read more

Cantor Arts Center - Deborah Butterfield horse in the entrance - Museums Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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Beautiful place!!!! So much beauty inside and outside to enjoy. It's free entrance just need to complete a registration sign in before enjoying the wonderful experience. Ample parking around the center. Awesome center for all ages. read more

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Dad want to come here, but we brought Mom. We were helping her walk around ( she has Alzheimers). I want to warn people that Security guard might not be friendly. Afterward, I see from other reviews that they instruct people to keep their distance from artwork. I would suggest if you have a kid, to make sure your kid is behaved. All the Museum people were friendly (helpful), just that the security guard in the front caught me off guard. My Dad had asked me to go inside to see if it was open. I told Dad the sign says it is Open. But he asked me to open the door, so I was follow his instructions. The front security might have heard me talk to Dad and says how many. I said 3. The guard in the front sees my Dad & Mom ( who is in a walker/wheelchair). He yells at us to go to the side of building where there is Ramp. My Mom does not like going too far. And I am willing and able to help her up the steps. I can see from a security perspective why they might want us going through the side ( but no one to show us where the ramp was, unclear). I quickly explain to the Front Guard that she would rather me help her up the stairs. It is good for her and she likes the challenge ( just she does not like walking far to the side). Just be careful if you have someone in a wheelchair or walker that the security in the front might Order you to go to the side ( then not show you). Later, a nice man did show us where the ramp was. I did talk to a nice Security Guard lady. She was a nice person. But I guess most of the Guards are instructed to tell people to keep distance from art ( I read from Reviews later). I had few issues with my own Dad but we did not finish the Museum tour. It had alot of potentially good art but I did not see all of it. Other people were friendly, but just be careful with the guards. Like I said, one guard lady was very nice. My brother had gone to Stanford ( many years back). My Dad assumed Dad knew his way around, but he had no clue. I kept telling Dad to stop the car when he got lost. Anyhow, she admited to me ( the lady) that Stanford is not an easy campus to go to if you come in through the wrong entrance. I could have studied the map but Dad told me he knew. read more

Free to the public, providing a glimpse of what you can see in the big museums + works created by former Stanford students, which is a good way to encourage their input as well as to give some interest to those who haven't yet decided where to enroll. I also enjoyed walking near the museum - a beautiful, peaceful and atmospheric area. Isn't it great that even if you're not a student, you can still be a visitor to this university and its facilities? read more

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It's a great (and free) museum with lots of Rodin sculptures both inside and outside. The museum Carrie's a vast collection of art from Europe to Asia. There is a lot of parking. They also have rotating art collections and at the time I went, there was a collection by Ruth Asawa. I highly recommend checking it out. read more

Cantor Arts Center - Museums Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Such a great museum, and taking into consideration that the entrance is free, it makes me rate it 5/5. There are several rooms with different exhibitions, when I visited it had a mummy sarcophagus, old asian dishes, and the interior design of the museum itself was stunning. read more

Cantor Arts Center - Museums Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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Beautiful museum and I absolutely love the glazed earthenware Horse. Hope to see it still up if I ever go again!

This is a wonderful art museum on the Stanford university campus. Parking is free on the weekends in the lots at Lomita and Museum Way. Admission is free, but they still make you "purchase" the free tickets on Eventbrite if you are a walk-in visitor... seems a little unnecessary and more complicated than it needs to be. But it's worth exploring two floors of amazing artworks, mainly Indigenous American and European art on the second level, and the first level, a far bigger variety, including African Art, Asian Art, the Stanford Family Galleries, with various interesting displays and exhibitions, like the Melancholy Museum (Love, Death, and Mourning at Stanford), Ruth Asawa's Wall of Masks, and Day Jobs, all of which I really enjoyed. If you love contemporary art, you won't be disappointed at Cantor. Of course, I spent a good amount of time admiring the Rodin exhibits filling 2-3 rooms inside the art center as well as an impressive sculpture garden outdoors (separate review on that). read more

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In fairness I went on a Tuesday and they're closed Monday and Tuesdays. You can still enjoy the Riding Sculpture Garden and the art installation piece out front OY/YO by Deborah Kass. The museum is free when it's open, parking can be challenging but hear it's free near museum on weekends. read more

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I love this museum! Rotating art but the Rodin sculptures are always there. Make sure you get your tickets in advance on Eventbrite. Free tickets! But they are timed and I saw some people have to wait half an hour for the next opening. Parking is free on the weekends. read more

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Lovely art museum on the Stanford campus. It is a fun way to spend the afternoon. They feature a Rodin exhibit. Plenty of parking in the lot; I would recommend to go on the weekend as parking is free. Otherwise if you're interested in free parking it'll be 4pm on the weekday. I found it very easy to reserve the tickets on their website. They scan the QR code inside the building. read more

Cantor Arts Center - inside the museum - Museums Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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It's not massive but that's what I like about it. The best part is that it was a diverse amount of art. From Asian, to European, objects from the americas, to African art. Those two combinations made this experience lovely. Short and sweet while still learning and absorb the culture. My favourite was the section of the Stanford family. I just love how dynamic the works in one building. As of November 2021, you need tickets but it's free admission. The staff members were very welcoming and friendly. Everything is straightforward and I recommend having a little nap in order to know where you are leading you to know what kind of art we are seeing. If you like sculptures this is the place. It's a nice place to relax and enjoy the nice atmosphere inside and outside the museum. read more

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Free, lots of exhibits to look at both inside and outside. When we walked around on a weekend, it wasn't crowded, so we took our time taking in each wing of the building. Rodin was our favorite! read more

Admission is free. You just need to scan the QR code if you don't have the tickets with you. Then you register in and so on. Thankfully an employee there helped my friend out with everything. Anyways, the artwork thereis nice. I liked the Asian art the most. There's an elevator there & restrooms arel located on the first floor. read more