The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego’s Flagship location in La Jolla reopened in April, welcoming approximately 6,800 visitors in its first three days. After a four-year renovation, the expanded gallery space, sculpture garden, ocean view art park, and inaugural exhibitions were met with great acclaim. The Museum is open to the public, and the community is invited in to enjoy a wide range of programs, exhibitions, and activities planned for art lovers of all ages.With high ceilings and ocean views, the newly expanded galleries provide a breathtaking new setting for art. The special exhibition Niki de Saint Phalle in the 1960s, co-organized by MCASD and The Menil Collection in Houston, has its West Coast debut in the Iris and Matthew Strauss Galleries. The exhibition is the first to focus on the experimental and prolific work of French American artist Niki de Saint Phalle (1930–2002) during this pivotal decade, from the artist’s shooting paintings to the exuberant sculptures of women known as Nanas. The artist spent the last eight years of her life in San Diego, leaving behind a legacy of vibrant public sculptures across the region, including her only major sculpture garden in the U.S., Queen Califia’s Magical Circle in Escondido.
Photo by studio MAHA
Learn more about the exhibition here.In addition, the Museum’s inaugural collection installation at the expanded Joan and Irwin Jacobs Building will highlight this rich history. On display are works that have rarely been on view, including pieces by John Baldessari, Larry Bell, Sam Gilliam, Robert Irwin, Barbara Kruger, Helen Pashgian, Martin Puryear, and Marcos Ramírez ERRE, to name a few.
Held on the second Sunday of each month from 10 AM – 1 PM, Prebys Play Days are opportunities for the whole family to be creative, be curious, and connect through art.
Certified yoga instructor Taylor Jeanne leads this all-level Yoga class, coming this summer to the new Art Park @ MCASD. Discover a space to connect, find respite, and sculpt your work of art in our picturesque location overlooking a spectacular ocean view. Tickets will be available May 28.
Shop for San Diego’s most unique and artful gifts, including MCASD branded items, Niki de Saint Phalle products, and original art from local artists.
The Kitchen @ MCASD
Coming this summer! Locally owned Urban Kitchen Group has been contracted to oversee the new restaurant space. The Kitchen will offer seating for up to 120 (inside and out) and robust to-go options; they will make a visit to MCASD both easy and accessible while still offering an elevated culinary experience.
“25 and Under” Free Admission
MCASD will extend year-round complimentary Museum admission for all visitors ages 25 and under. This program is an open and generous invitation for youth and young adults to explore the Museum and connect with San Diego’s arts and cultural sector. Through this program, young audiences will develop a long-term love and appreciation for the arts.
Photo by Alan Nakkash
The “Art Pass” Membership Program
MCASD will also offer a free membership program for young adults ages 18-25. This program creates the opportunity for more personalized and regular communication with this audience. Art Pass Members receive benefits, including free admission until the Member’s 26th birthday.
On the third Thursday of every month, the museum will offer free admission to all visitors and remain open late until 8 PM. Visitors can visit the museum and receive a free themed Gallery Guide-led tour beginning at 6 PM.
Photo by Alan Nakkash
MCASD Galleries
Thursday – Sunday 10 AM – 4 PM 700 Prospect Street, La Jolla
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Studio S
SEPTEMBER 9, 2026
Meet ArtsConnect, UC San Diego’s Invitation to SoCal Arts Lovers
ArtsConnect brings those experiences into view, helping residents discover what they can see, hear and create at UC San Diego while experiencing the campus in a new way.
Ask most people what UC San Diego is known for, and the arts may not be the first answer. Yet this fall, San Diegans can watch Ghostbusters with a live orchestra, try their hand at glassmaking and wander among more than 20 works of public art woven throughout the university’s La Jolla campus.
ArtsConnect brings those experiences into view, helping residents discover what they can see, hear and create at UC San Diego while experiencing the campus in a new way.
Courtesy of UC San Diego | Photo Cred: Erik Jensen
“The arts are at the heart of UC San Diego’s student-centered mission and vision,” says Alysson Satterlund, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Campus Life. “Whether creating, participating in, or experiencing performances, the arts are essential to a healthy and truly fun Triton student experience.”
That invitation often begins where the arts intersect with other fields.
“Some of the most innovative work and discovery happen where disciplines don’t usually share a stage,” says Cristina Della Coletta, Dean of the UC San Diego School of Arts and Humanities. “So through our unique intersection of the arts with science, technology, and medicine, we are improving lives, physically and emotionally.
Take The Inaudible Ocean, a collaboration between Department of Music Professor Lei Liang and Scripps Institution of Oceanography Assistant Project Scientist Josh Jones. Over eight years, the pair recorded earthquakes, ship noise, whale songs and other sounds in remote underwater locations. They transformed those recordings into a live music experience that allowed audiences to hear the ocean in an entirely new way. The work premiered on campus in May and continues to evolve.
The arts also connect the campus to the global art world and diverse perspectives. Chief Campus Curator Jessica Berlanga Taylor recently curated the Mexico Pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale, featuring RojoNegro, the collective formed by Noé Martínez and María Sosa. The collective will unveil a compelling new permanent installation for UC San Diego’s celebrated Stuart Collection later this fall.
ArtPower offers another easy entry point, bringing touring performers to venues including the outdoor Epstein Family Amphitheater and the intimate Loft. The nearly three dozen performances featured through its 2026-2027 season span music, dance, film, theater and conversation.
Among the fall highlights is Ghostbusters in Concert on Sept. 25, pairing the beloved 1984 film with a live performance of Elmer Bernstein’s score. Tickets start at $35, and the amphitheater is located next to the UC San Diego Blue Line trolley station.
“Every member of our community should have access to world-class art, so we work hard to remove the barriers that stand in the way,” says Colleen Kollar Smith, executive artistic director of the Campus Performances and Events Office. “That means affordable ticket prices, and performances, voices and experiences where people see themselves reflected on stage and know they belong.”
The arts at UC San Diego are not only something to watch. The Craft Center offers public classes and workshops in ceramics, jewelry, woodworking, culinary arts and even surfboard shaping. At the new Glass Center, beginners and experienced makers can explore glassmaking through classes, demonstrations and studio experiences.
Whether you want to attend a performance, make something yourself or spend an afternoon exploring public art, there is an easy way in. And the invitation extends well beyond students and alumni.
Kollar Smith says it best: “Visit, participate, spectate or create. You’re invited, and we hope you’ll connect with us soon.”
Growing up, Laika Nur, MD, Scripps Clinic sports medicine specialist, loved watching beach volleyball when the Association of Volleyball Professionals tour came to her hometown of Chicago. A talented volleyball player herself, she remembers sitting in the stands all day, and once, even got a couple autographs. Years later, Dr. Nur was attending a professional event focused on women’s sports, and the discussion turned to a new professional women’s volleyball league. The general manager and coaching staff for San Diego’s team, the Mojo, happened to be in attendance, and Dr. Nur took the opportunity to ask them if they needed a team doctor. Flash forward to the Mojo’s inaugural 2024 season, when Dr. Nur officially became the team physician. Click here to read more about Dr. Nur and how she incorporates lessons she learned on the court into her practice.
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Your feet and ankles probably aren’t something you give much thought to—until something goes wrong. Orthopedic surgeons at Scripps Clinic are on the leading edge of foot and ankle reconstruction, treating patients with sports injuries, deformities, traumatic injuries and other conditions. That includes repairing torn Achilles tendons with a minimally invasive procedure that shrinks the incision site to less than a centimeter, and performing advanced ankle replacement on some patients with ankle arthritis. Read more about Scripps’ innovations in foot and ankle care here.
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Mai Vue was just 34 weeks pregnant when she delivered her baby. Her pregnancy had been complicated, and she’d had a recent second trimester pregnancy loss, which led to her receiving specialized care from Sean Daneshmand, MD, a Scripps Clinic perinatologist who oversees high-risk pregnancies. Dr. Daneshmand and his team took care of Mai during her pregnancy, through the birth of her healthy baby girl and beyond. Mai was part of a program Scripps launched to provide support to new moms in the weeks and months after delivery. The postpartum program, known as Scripps Health’s Fourth Trimester Continuum of Care, provides care for women with high-risk pregnancies to optimize their health after childbirth and reduce the risk of complications in future pregnancies. Click here to learn more.
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It’s estimated that one in five people in the U.S. will develop skin cancer at some point in their lives. When you factor in living in a sun-soaked city like San Diego and the outdoorsy lifestyle that comes with it, that figure can jump to as high as one in three, which makes early detection and intervention all the more important. Dermatologists at Bighorn Mohs and Dermatology Center are using innovative imaging methods and advanced surgical techniques to diagnose and treat skin cancer. For certain cancers in sensitive spots, like the face, dermatologists perform Mohs surgery, removing skin tissue layer by layer until reaching healthy, cancer-free tissue. They also use a process called immunohistochemistry to view tissue samples taken during Mohs surgery in far greater detail than previous methods. Read more about how Scripps is advancing skin cancer care here.
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When endurance athlete Isaac Sanchez learned he had cancer, he felt blindsided. He was healthy, surfed often and was training for an Ironman triathlon. But he had to put that on hold to undergo treatment. His physicians at Scripps Cancer Center developed a plan to treat the cancer in his tonsil and lymph nodes that included six-and-a-half weeks of near-daily radiation and weekly chemotherapy. He also worked with a Scripps Cancer Center dietitian to enhance his nutrition to promote strength and healing. Today, Isaac’s back to doing what he loves. Read more of his story here.
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