Located an hour or more north of Orange County in Pasadena, the Norton Simon Museum offers guests the opportunity to experience 20th century and earlier art from a variety of significant artists. The museum’s paintings include works from Kandinsky, Manet, Monet, Picasso, Renoir, and Ruscha, with three-dimensional pieces from Degas, Hepworth, Moore, Rodin, and Warhol. Galleries designed by Frank Gehry display highly intricate pieces from India and South Asia, overlooking the museum’s gardens, which in our experiences were frequently closed to the public due to renovations and weather challenges.
Norton Simon celebrates its 50th year under that name in 2025, though its collection’s history dates back to the 1940s and 1950s, and the current building to the late 1960s and early 1970s, when it was known as the Pasadena Museum of Modern Art or Pasadena Art Museum. As of today, visiting can be challenging due to its limited hours – noon to 5pm or 7pm, five days a week – but admission is free for students, with a $20 adult ticket charge. Parking is free.
