To be honest, it was mildly surprising to learn that Orange County has its own museum of art, if…read moreonly because not many of the counties in the Bay Area do, other than SF. Yet, at the same time, given the size and population of OC, it also makes perfect sense. Either way, I can't say I ever would've guessed it would be this nice, though! Just a shame that their exhibits didn't really blow us away... Located in the burgeoning arts and theater district of Costa Mesa, just down the road from South Coast Plaza, OCMA is such a gorgeous looking building. Sure, it helps that it's only a few years old, but the look of this place is no less impressive. Right out in front, there's a 65-foot art piece in the middle of the plaza that helps connect all of the neighboring buildings. Inside, there's a fairly large gallery space on the ground level with rotating exhibits, an upper level that appears to hold their more permanent collection of pieces, a coffee shop right next to the gift shop, and a rooftop restaurant with a large open area/garden. Sadly, though, as nice as the museum's design and amenities may be, though, much of the artwork was just okay. While the artwork upstairs was fine, the featured exhibits didn't really speak to us. Obviously, art is subjective, but one included pieces that appear to have just been drawn with a spirograph. The other consisted of several photographic series, whose commentary on social media I can appreciate, but felt exceedingly voyeuristic in nature - one following/semi-stalking a fellow after a chance encounter, another of strangers invited to sleep in the artist's bed so they could be photographed/documented, and a third showing the belongings of guests at the hotel she worked at. Artwork aside, the thing that I like most about OCMA is how admission is entirely free. So, in that sense, it's impossible to be too disappointed with the experience and/or what we saw. However, one thing to note is that you do have to pay if you park at any of the nearby garages, which are all unaffiliated with OCMA. For example, at the one on the other side of the Segerstrom Center, it cost us about $10 for two hours or so. Alternatively, South Coast Plaza is just a few blocks over and parking there is free, but I don't know how aggressive they are with towing and it feels like a big gamble just to save a few bucks. All in all, even though none of the exhibits were really our flavor, we still had a good time checking out OCMA. Oddly, there weren't many other visitors here when we arrived, but it did seem to get busier as the day wore on (there was a big group walking in as we were walking out) and we certainly didn't mind not having to deal with a bunch of crowds around. Plus, as nice as the museum looks, it's actually fairly small compared to others I've been to elsewhere. Since the featured exhibits have so much influence on the experience, I absolutely wouldn't mind coming back to see whatever they happen to have featured down the line. The ones they had when we were here may not have interested us, but the next ones might! Plus, it doesn't hurt that admission is free! All in all, THREE AND A HALF STARS rounded down.

When I went, desire then having lots of space very little was out to look at. It was free, so not…read moremuch room to complain. You do get more than you pay for lol. They have an area where you can add your art too which is cute. The immersive experience at the time was cool. It's worth the trip, I'm assuming certain exhibitions are more with your gas + time than others so maybe check before you trek

I am on a quest to visit all the museums in Orange County for the month of July. Today I visited…read moreMuzeo Museum in lovely downtown Anaheim. Muzeo is housed in two buildings. Right now building one, there is an incredible art exhibit on the history of skateboarding in Anaheim. It's awesome. I took so many photos lol. I used to skateboard when I was a kid. Loved every second of this exhibit. The second building houses so very cool artifacts from the 1800s to the 1900s reflecting the history of Anaheim. It was cool to go back in time to see the history of a place I called home. I saw the history of Anaheim vineyards and Valencia oranges, I saw a lot of information on the ranchos in Anaheim. The Anaheim street names are all named after very important ranchers and farmers in Anaheim. For example I saw the name of a rancher Don Bernardo Yorba who created the greatest rancho of California's Golden Age. No wonder we have cities like Yorba Linda and streets with name Bernardo. Fascinating stuff. Also, there was a video recalling the bicentennial which was July 4, 1976. It was a big deal. There were other artifacts like photographs and a typewriter, luggage and military uniforms. So much history packed in that museum. If you love to visit museums, Muzeo is one that you must visit. They provide validated parking in lots 3 and 5. If you are an Anaheim resident, the cost is only $8. Regular admission is $10. There are discounts for seniors, students and children.

Admission is $10 for adults and $7 for children. Toddlers are free. It's $1 per person if you have…read morean EBT card. Must present card and ID. Young ladies at ticket booths are helpful and welcoming. Right now there is a lowrider exhibit. On the other side of the museum (separate buildings) there's artwork and a small walk through of Anaheim history. Parking is free with validation. Just ask at ticket booth and they will give you a separate ticket to insert after initial ticket from parking structure. You'll spend less than an hour here. Nice museum for a one time thing.

WOW! What a great museum! Took my Father-in-Law here on…read moreFather's Day and he really enjoyed it! The day we came was actually during the world cup and in the main lobby they actually set up a projector and chairs in AC to watch the game! I don't think I've ever been to such a lively museum! LOL And we didn't know this but on Father's Day you can go in for free if you're a dad! Dang we lost our chance but the pricing here isn't to bad actually! About $18/person and if you want to park in the parking lot it's $6. Not to bad! Plenty of parking and clean :) I like that the museum is big, clean, and well thought up when each room is themed! And they also host monthly family culture days! Where they gave free snacks and other local businesses in the community were there to promote their services! If you're still thinking about coming here, just come! You won't regret it :D

Visit every museum you can at least once…read more Bowers is a nice visit. This is a smaller museum but they still cover a lot of ground. Art appreciation is the focus of your tour. Easy parking on the side. Eat in house halfway through your visit if you like. Or leave and return. I like how the art is arranged throughout the repurposed property. Plenty of descriptions for your reading pleasure on your walk-through. Small museum but taking your time you can easily spend a full day here.

Terrific museum. There are two small buildings, one that offers rotating exhibits and the other, a…read morepermanent collection. I liked how the art was hung, as it was eye level and good lighting. The volunteer staff were very friendly and helpful! One suggestion for the room with the rocks, please have placards made that inform us what the rock is, and where it was found. Looking forward to returning and see more art.

Spent a couple hours at the Hilbert and thought it was a lovely experience. The staff are so warm…read moreand welcoming, and very knowledgeable about the artists and the collection. Tip: for kids (or anyone) ask for the scavenger hunt and get a little prize so fun!

This place is a vibe. Live music while we were here around 5 pm on a Sunday…read more So many food options it is hard to choose in a good way. Clean and well kept. Would come here soooo much if I was a local.

Great place to hang out and eat! It's a food hall that has many food places. I've been here a few…read moretimes and some of the places I used to really enjoy are gone. I wish there were more Asian food options. My hubby ordered from the bbq place upstairs called Encultura. His burger and fries were $30, however, it is Wagyu beef and it had brisket it in. It was absolutely delicious! 5/5! I ordered a fish and chips from Chippy. It was reasonably priced, but lots of grease was on my plate. I give it a 3/5. I also ordered a Michelada from The Iron Press. They used their own pickled beer. I know that sounds disgusting but surprisingly it was so good! It is definitely a must try if you like Micheladas! 5/5! We came on Father's Day and they were playing live music and it wasn't too busy which was nice. But we drove an hour and a half to come here and I don't think the food options offered was worth the hour and a half drive.

Great experience for children. Great value for your money. Staff very friendly. The virtual part…read moremay be not the best thing for kids that are to young.

Jurassic Con is a fun and free, little convention that's taken place in the Ralph B. Clark…read moreInterpretive Center for the last couple years. They've gathered props, costumes, and special effects pieces from different movies and shows, most particularly the Jurassic franchise, obviously. This year, unlike last, there was more going on outside with all the different tents dedicated to paleontology, local indigenous tribes, and environmentalism. They also had science presentations using liquid nitrogen. This year there were more cosplayers, and several Jurassic Park jeeps in the motor pool. Since they hold it in a place loaded with fossils, it sort of blurs the lines between cinema and reality. You get done looking at studio molds, animatronic dinosaurs, and Ray Harryhausen's claymation figures, and go look at Ice Age mammals, take pictures pretending to be eaten by a megalodon, and ask the resident scientists about the latest finds.

Noguchi gardens is a gorgeous spot to just relax for a little, enjoy a break from the hustle and…read morebustle of the world. It's a small space but the artwork is nice and instills a sense of calm that is appreciated

Fun and interesting little place to visit if you are in the area by South Coast Plaza mall…read more Not the easiest place to find since you can't see it from the street. It is behind the Mastros restaurant. There is a parking structure nearby that is like $3 or $4 for 15 minutes and you can probably run through in 15 minutes, but 30 minutes to be safe. You can also walk from the mall parking lot, it is a little bit of a stroll but manageable. There are plenty of pictures so you can see what you are getting into before you make the drive, pay for parking, and walk over. When we went there on a Sunday morning, there were only 2 or 3 other people, so it was very quiet and zen. I enjoyed the write-ups and the exhibits. If I worked right there I would probably visit all the time.

My 7& 9 year old have been to the discovery cube twice on class field trips but always felt they…read moredid not have enough time to enjoy it. I finally had a day off work and was able to take them on a Friday. They had the ocean encounter and Scooby doo event simultaneously which we got to enjoy as well. Lots of different learning activities that were interesting for the girls. Their favorite place is the shopping mart. When they told me about this place before, I thought it was just a market like Pretend City where you buy things and put it in the cart. To my surprise, they have different missions that always teach you how to be an eco-shopper or healthy shopper. I really loved the education tired into these activities. As an adult, I loved this area as well. My second favorite place was the recycling center game. It definitely brings out the competitiveness in all of us. I found out that I was a terrible garbage sorter LOL There is definitely room for improvement. My 7 year old enjoyed the dinosaur exploration area. She enjoyed looking for items with the digital scanner you check out at their store desk. We learned a lot of fun facts and got to enjoy the nice outdoors without being too hot. The touch pool was fun. We got to feel the sharks and sting rays. The ocean encounter exihibit was nice and peaceful. Lots of information about preserving our oceans. I enjoyed all the lantern ocean mammals hanging in the sky. Very nice. Scooby doo area was a nice play for photo fun and discovery mysterious. Girls enjoyed the different activities they had there. Needless to say, this was a great day for all of us. I highly recommend visiting!

Came back for the ocean encounter exhibit and it was great, my son had a blast!…read more There wasn't much for him to do since he is still young and reading isn't all there yet, but he had a great time at the submarine simulator and just seeing all the displays of sea animals. The AC was on blast, my parents were cold so they sat outside in the dinosaur quest benches to warm up.