Muckenthaler Cultural Center

Nice concert venue, been going for years. The very best local acts, and often stops for some pretty good touring artists. Great place to watch & listen with a great PA and skilled sound & light operators. If it's a band you like, you are going to be pleased.

As a wedding photographer, I've had the pleasure of working at many beautiful venues, but the Muckenthaler Mansion truly stands out. This historic Spanish Revival estate offers an abundance of gorgeous backdrops, from the lush gardens to the charming architecture. Whether capturing the elegance of the Italian Gardens for a ceremony or the grandeur of the mansion’s interior for reception moments, every corner of this venue has its own unique beauty. The spacious grounds and versatile indoor and outdoor options give couples plenty of room to personalize their special day, and the venue’s classic charm creates a timeless feel for every wedding. The team at Muckenthaler Mansion is top-notch, ensuring a smooth experience for both vendors and guests. It's always a pleasure to photograph here, and I highly recommend this stunning venue to any couple looking to create unforgettable memories.

We chose The Muck as our wedding venue. Everyone loved it; us, our guest and vendors were amazed by it! The staff was amazing, so kind, professional and provided AMAZING service. They made our special day even more special. The venue was absolutely perfect. It is a gorgeous venue both inside and outside. We are so happy to have chosen such a gem of a venue and staff. Thank you to Sheree, Anthony, Colette Catering, The Muck and its staff, you truly made our night unforgettable.

The Fullerton Museum suggested we visit The Muck and on the spur of the moment, off we went. It was mid week and the parking lot was pretty empty. We walked around the wonderfully landscaped grounds (with many different sculptures) and walked around the house, built in 1924. We didn't see anyone on the grounds. We found an open door and proceeded to go inside. No one seemed to be insdie either. The house is all original with just a few furnishings. But this is also an art gallery. On display when we visited was art all by one artist - Cat Trevino. At the front desk, Michelle was very friendly and told us about the house and grounds and answered all our questions. She was very helpful and knows a lot about the house and grounds. This is now a cultural center and hosts a lot of musical events both inside and outside. This is also a popular wedding and event venue. I would definitely return to see a concert and other art shows.

I came down to the Asian ceramics event and have been so blessed with the center and the time and energy to maintain such a historical building. It has many beautiful lawn and shaded areas for artists or just enjoying the weather and view. I'm thankful for the opportunity to visit and look forward to a repeat visit .

This stunning venue is perfect if you want beautiful wedding photos with a vintage feel! It is the only place of its kind in Orange County, and a beautiful historic mansion will always be in style when it comes to weddings. It has been a joy working with their staff and Colette's Catering, and the food is delicious!

We had a chance to attend one of the Art exhibits and had a great time. There was a lot to see and made a great day. I can't wait to go again.

I recently did a wedding here and it was so beautiful. The house is such a pretty backdrop for photos. There are lots of areas for great pictures. The catering by Colette is really good. Is highly recommend this venue.

What a beautiful space for local artists and events are held. I have been coming by this place a couple of times now and last week attended a non profit event. The weather was perfect, lighting, vendors, and staff were all very nice. I definitely would love to have an event here. There was plenty of parking for guests. Overall, great ambiance and good vibes. Thank you Muckenthaler Cultural Center!

A long standing Fullerton treasure of nostalgia, theater, art and community collaboration.

Nice community center with a gallery and art classes. Went back in the evening for a great concert with the guitarist, Grant Geissman and his terrific band.

We chose The Muck as our wedding venue. Everyone loved it; us, our guest and vendors were amazed by it! The staff was amazing, so kind, professional and provided AMAZING service. They made our special day even more special. The venue was absolutely perfect for our theme (vintage, old money, hollywood glam). It is such a gorgeous venue both inside and outside. We are so happy to have chosen such a gem of a venue and staff. Thank you to The Muck and its staff, you truly made our night unforgettable. -The Wilsons

*Tips for planners below* We had a great time with Colette's Catering (with Muckenthaler Cultural Center as the partnered venue). Starting from the beginning planning process, Sara was super helpful, quick to respond, knowledgable about the planning process, and accomodating with all our requests. The tasting prior to selecting our menu was delicious. We went off the pre-selected entree choices for our menu, and the food was excellent, with great responses from all our guests. The venue itself was superb. Beautiful location, great green spaces, perfect for the classic Socal outdoor wedding. The flow makes perfect sense, from ceremony, to cocktail hour, to reception. And there's even an indoor option should weather be a bother. All the staff prior to and the day of were so helpful and friendly. We had no issues with anyone. The only issue we found was a lack of running water in the Bridal Suite sink. Thankfully the bathroom is right inside. Tip 1. I highly recommend perusing their entire menu to decide exactly what you would like to; no need to stick to their pre-selected choices! Of course you'll be paying the a la carte prices then. But the options are abounding. 2. We had a photobooth and gelato vendor that fit perfectly onto the patio area. 3. Dry wedding? No problem! The patio also has a rustic nook to fit a "mocktail" or even a "boba" bar!!! 4. There is adequate parking on-site, parking extends onto the lawn, and the venue provides staff to help guide people. DM for any questions! Would be happy to answer questions about my own personal experiences!

If I could rate 10 stars, I would! This gem has beautiful gardens and an outdoor amphitheater. It is available for private events (such as a wedding or reunion). You can also visit the gardens and sculptures without reservations, it is FREE is open to the public. I must add that ample parking is also FREE. They host art exhibits for a reasonable price, check their website for an up-to-date schedule: TheMuck.org The 2022 Season is nearly over, I was able to attend the Drowsy Chaperone play, which was comedy and very delightful! The cast was more than 20 talented singers, dancers and actors. A live band was located behind the audience, which really added so much entertainment to the evening. Along the rows of seating are mini cocktail tables, you may bring in food and drinks to watch during the show. There is a hosted bar to purchase soft drinks and alcoholic beverages, which I encourage to support their efforts. Speaking of support, tiered memberships are available: $65 Individual Adult; $40 Individual Student (with ID); $100 Family (2 adults and 4 minor children); $700 Golden Ticket (estimated value is $1,000) includes two season seats to all shows and annual gala and more perks. Note: The Electric Company Theatre is their resident company and partner. If you love art, music, and dance, I will be seeing you at a future event! Tell 'em Rosemary sent ya!

From our venue tour to our tasting to our wedding day, Angie and the team at Collette's and Muckenthaler Mansion were a dream to work with. They were communicative, clear, timely, and so helpful. It's so convenient to have everything go through them, like tables, chairs, bar, staff, catering, linens, additional rentals, and cake. We were also able to bring in outside vendors like a photobooth and boba bar. We also used one of the rooms in the mansion to have a kids table with activities. This venue and catering were one of the most reasonably priced options, as well. We really felt like they were our cheerleaders doing everything they could to make our day smooth and memorable. Our guests could not stop raving about how beautiful the setting was. It's great to be able to use any space on the property that you want, so we had each part of the night in a different space, which really made it feel cozy and homey like we were hosting a backyard garden reception and a party inside the mansion/gallery. We also felt great that the venue fee was a donation to the nonprofit cultural center. The food is delicious and the drinks were strong. The staff lead Anthony was at our beck and call all night, and thought of the tiniest details to enhance our experience. The bartender and servers were great too. I think everybody should get married here! The setting makes the day feel truly special and unique. And made a beautiful backdrop for photos. I can't thank them enough!!

I attended a simple and beautiful wedding over the weekend. The MCC is nestled on a slight hill in a quiet neighborhood in Fullerton. The property is a former private home that was donated for the public to enjoy too. And that we did! There were about 200 guests so parking was a bit tight. There is an ample grass area so we decided to park festival style with some of the other guests. The MCC had some construction work being done, but everything was safe. Staff guided guests to enter through the back into a walkway that lead to a mini amphitheater to the left or a secluded grassy area separated by very tall bushes and palm trees to the right. Our journey led us to the right. There we were welcomed by a lovely semi-shaded area, a gentle breeze, and a focal area staged for the soon to be bride and groom. The walkway was laden with peachy/pink rose petals and folding chairs balanced on either side. The ceremony area had a metal canopy decorated with fresh flowers and flowing peach fabric. It was very romantic and the perfect spot for the lovely couple to share their vows. Once the ceremony was complete, the guests were whisked away to an adjacent patio for cocktails and passed hors d'oeuvres. This spot had couches for guests to lounge a bit, an ample bar area, a few high cocktail tables, and a section for additional snacks. After an hour the guests were escorted to yet another secluded garden area where tables were donned with white linens, flowers, and a table setting per guest. The food was good and served buffet style. Kudos to the servers as they were all very professional and friendly. The festivities continued with the traditional dances and speeches, a lively DJ that had almost everyone on the dance floor and of course the cake! I should have taken a picture, but for some reason this is the ONLY place ever, in my life where there was a line in the men's restroom!! I could not believe it. The ladies noticed and all released hearty chuckles at the sight. Overall a very lovely venue but if you are a night owl or a nightingale you may consider finding an after hours venue because the location closes at 10pm Sharp! Almost like Cinderella all the guests were escorted out of the dining area to bid adieu to the fine couple around 9:45PM! Not even a fairy godmother could persuade the location to extend the magic a minute longer...

The place is beautiful but I was asked to leave because of my service animal and this was after I made a donation to the place. There are no signs saying that service or any dogs are allowed. The woman was rude and finished with, we don't want any damage done to out gallery. Really? My dog is a PTSD service animal. Do better Muck!

Hosted my wedding here. Sara the events coordinator was great, and the food was all excellent as well. The bartender they hired for our wedding was less than ideal. He was sullen the whole time and the second our contract was up (9:30) he started packing up and refused to pour just one more drink for the group, which included myself and my new husband. What a bummer. This place would have been great if they were more discerning with the vendors they hired.

We had our wedding celebration here at the Muckenthaler Cultural Center. Beautiful wedding venue, guests were super impressed with this space. There are many photo opps, tons of cute little spaces and places to explore. If you head indoors, there's a very nice art gallery and mini historical museum. The establishment is really well run and wedding planning was extremely seamless, due to great service & communication from Colette's Catering. We had 60 guests and it was the perfect size. It's also flexible in that I can see it accommodating more than 100 people, you just have to adjust where your different wedding activities will take place.

We recently had our wedding here, and honestly, the venue was beautiful. We had many guests comment on how beautiful the reception was at night. I wish I could give a better review, as the service staff (waiters/waitresses, bartenders) were wonderful-- extremely professional and friendly. The poor rating is due the poor service from the venue/catering coordinator (Sara) and our day of wedding coordinator (Jenny). Sara's responses to our questions through email were very vague, and we had to often ask a couple of times before we got a thorough answer. There were times when I felt like her responses were rude. It was also only after the wedding was over that I found out how unhelpful the wedding coordinator was. Apparently, she had my brother lug out tables that needed to be used, and my brother and cousin pretty much had to ensure that the dessert table looked clean and presentable. I wrote out a detailed timeline for the wedding coordinator, along with instructions for decorations, and organized all decor into boxes to make up set up was as easy and seamless as possible. I'm not sure how much more helpful I could've been on my end. My cousin said that there seemed to be no urgency to be genuinely helpful towards them. The venue is beautiful, and the food was good, but with the amount you pay for this venue, my husband and I expected MUCH better customer service. I don't necessarily regret going with this venue, as our wedding photos are memorable, and again, our guests loved the venue...but we basically got treated like they were doing us a huge favor by letting us have our wedding at the Muck.

The Muck Cultural Center should be on your list if you visit Fullerton or live in the area. It's close to downtown, a cool mansion, up on on a small hill with charming, Spanish Style architecture. It used to be a private home, then donated to the city by the family heir to be converted into a cultural center. And that's what it is mainly nowadays, besides a nice wedding venue. It is free to visit, you can learn about the history of the place. They also have temporary art exhibits (well curated) and host wonderful cultural events (if you live in the area, check their events calendar). Visiting the cultural center and the temporary exhibits is free, they charge for various events, but there are some free ones as well. We enjoyed strolling the grounds, admired the Watercolor exhibit on display till April 8th (Watercolor Gone Wild), relaxed while exploring the surroundings of this unique place. The staff is very nice and helpful. The place is opened from Tuesdays-Sundays from Noon to 4 pm. The Muck is a wonderful activity for Fullerton area. A very nice way to spend an hour or so. It's a charming, peaceful place that takes you back in time.

My husband & I got married at the Muckenthaler last year and Colette's Catering made our special day absolutely seamless! First, the venue is GORGEOUS. It has such a romantic, timeless feel. We had our mini reception in the Italian Garden and were so happy with how it turned out. There are so many perfect spots at this venue for photos - our photographer was in heaven. Second, Sara is amazing!! Not only is she super responsive but she's also incredibly sweet. She's super thorough and organized and she made us feel 100% taken care of. My husband & I loved working with her and cannot thank her enough for making our wedding day everything we dreamed of. Third, the food was absolutely delicious! If you care about good food at your wedding, Colette's is the way to go. My husband and I gave them a big task by asking for an all vegan menu but oh my goodness did they deliver! They created an all vegan brunch menu complete with crepes, fresh berry compote, whipped cream, breakfast potatoes, sausages, eggs, hush puppies, watermelon shooters, lavender lemonade, ect. Most of our guests weren't vegan & they all LOVED the food and went back for seconds and thirds. Fourth, the staff was super professional & helpful! They made us feel very special and kept checking in with us to make sure we didn't need anything. All of our guests kept saying how nice everyone was. Huge thank you again to Sara & Colette's Catering for making our wedding day a day we will always cherish!

Muckenthaler is an amazing and beautiful venue for weddings! We had our wedding at Muckenthaler this past month catered by their partnering catering company, Colette's Catering. If we can rate their service, food, and professionalism, it would be 1000/10! When my (now) husband and I got engaged last year, we planned a wedding for July 2020 with another venue down the street. Unfortunately, they cancelled on us last minute. (13 days before our wedding date, due to the venues personal reasons. Not related to COVID...) My husband and I had to find a venue last minute and came across Muckenthaler. The venue coordinator, Sara, responded to our emails quickly and she was so organized, sweet, and friendly! I wish I would've planned with her from the start when I started planning our wedding ten months ago! Because of COVID, my husband and I reduced our original guest count and decided to just have a small social distancing microwedding with our family and bridal party and it was honestly the BEST decision we ever made. We asked our guests and vendors to wear masks during our wedding to ensure everyone's safety during this time. Muckenthaler has 9 acres of space so you can plan your social distancing event as safely as you would like to! (We were able to space out our tables at least 20 ft. apart and seated everyone by family units.) Muckenthaler also gives back to the students in the community so I'm happy to support a business that helps out the Fullerton community! Our wedding can a blueprint during COVID season and prove that microweddings CAN be just as beautiful and meaningful (with all the safety precautions). We are truly thankful for Sara and Muckenthaler for making our wedding possible and we do not regret getting married in this season a single bit! (photos by hellobluephoto)

What a great find!! I went to an outdoor event here and went inside to use the restroom and what did a find? A fantastic art exhibit in a really beautiful old building. I know, duh, it's called a cultural center and all, so I should have expected something cool was inside that building! This is off the beaten path, so you'll likely have the most of the place to yourself. It was really wonderful having the art experience in a such a lovely setting. They change the exhibits on a regular basis, so if you're an art lover, you'll probably end up putting the Muckenthaler on your list of places to experience art several times a year. Oh yeah, I said I was there for an outdoor event. It was a fundraiser and the setting was perfect. It was pretty quiet too. I think it would be a lovely place for an outdoor wedding. There's ample free parking. Extra cars were parked on the grass, but it was no biggie. There's only one small men's restroom. Not sure about how many women's restrooms there are or how big they are. You've to go and see for yourself. when you're in Fullerton. I think you'll be duly impressed. Did I mention that it's free? They have a couple donation boxes if you want to make a donation.

We had my sister's wedding here at the end of October. We were able to comfortably host 350 people outside during COVID. What I loved was how much the venue provided - tables, chairs, linens, a beautiful natural setting, heaters, a competent event staff. We really loved Sara, Anthony, and the whole team, who were gracious, accommodating, and professional. It made the day enjoyable and (relatively) stress-free. I do recommend having your own wedding coordinator to handle program, etc. in addition to what the Muck staff provides. Overall, the venue was stunning and a very reasonable price - and I love that the money went to a nonprofit that provides community services!

The doors were closed when we got here. Both their website and their phone message said they were going to be open on 12/28. But the doors were locked. While we waited, many other groups came and left as they all thought it was open. Even one of the catering businesses in the area said she saw someone opening the doors earlier the day. But i guess that person decide to take an all day break. So irresponsible of them to lock up and leave to take cere of personal business.

I found this venue online about two years ago due to the fact there's plenty of free parking (no one has to pay valet, etc.), it's one event per venue (no need to fight over space with another wedding), and it's much more unique than a hotel in the area. You can really make it your own especially with the large spacious grass. We also got to customize our tenting (think "I Love You Man") for both our ceremony and reception. Duane was the first person we met and he was so great. He got exactly what our vision is. We later worked with Rick for all the logistics. He was quick in handling the emails. We even asked that he help with day-of-coordination instead of getting a best man to do so. Especially since no one other than myself and my sister had any event coordination experience with over 50 people. They were so helpful and always asking how we're doing. We only had a few hiccups when I could tell Rick was a bit annoyed during our rehearsal because the ring bearers aka sign holders were a bit rowdy. My cousin made sure they practiced that night to get it right! Also, there was a bit of a snafu with the escort cards and the wind as well as a seating confusion but it was all sorted out before the reception. Quickly too. The banquet staff was so wonderful too! I asked for a glass of wine at the end of the night once I knew it was too dark to get pictures of me red-faced. The banquet manager actually hunted me down at the ice cream truck and handed me my drink. Talk about service! I was only expecting him to put it by my plate! The cake - an almond cake with green tea powder and hazelnut butter cream with a customized design- was a HIT! Even the ice cream man we hired tried some and said he never had a cake this moist at a wedding! They saved the top layer for us and after a week in the fridge, it was still so moist! It goes great with coffee. We also got to bring our own coffee and wine too. They really are cake goddesses!

Beautiful classy venue. This review is purely as a guest & not someone who booked this location. I was invited to go to a very formal birthday party here a few weeks ago & it was beautiful. The wait staff was very friendly & professional. I would recommend this place for gatherings of about 50 to 125 people. The event was outdoors & they had outside heaters. There were lots of food at the buffet table that servers served you. It's a park like setting & very quaint & it reminded me of an old classy building that would be on the set of an Audrey Hepburn movie. I had so much fun I did not take out my phone the entire evening, so no pics of the venue. :/ I highly suggest this location to anyone looking for a nice venue.

Can I give this place a million stars? My husband and I got engaged in Spain, and have travelled pretty extensively through Europe. We were looking for Spanish-style venue to keep with that vibe. We tried a number of places in San Juan Capistrano, all beautiful, but none felt completely right. We booked the Muckenthaler 15 minutes after we arrived. The vibe is so incredible, and Duane is unreal. He answered a thousand questions and was there for me every step of the way! Our guests raved about the venue. Over a month later, and we are still getting compliments. The mansion was beautiful, stunning in real life and photos, the food was delicious, and we are so happy with our decision to marry at the Muckenthaler!

A fun place to visit! Upon bored and yelping one day, my classmates and I discovered this place. There is a art museum inside, featuring fun pieces of drawings and photos. The outside area is pretty, and I could understand why it is a popular event place. The lady inside the center gave us history about the family that was interesting and informative. They have events here, most recently one for Christmas that I did not attend, yet looked like fun with the community. Nice little find and thing to see if youre in the area!

My Fiance and i decided to get married at Muckenthaler for many reasons, Sarah, was one of them:) She is the event manager, who made the entire process an easy breeze. She was very helpful, communicative, and patient. The venue allows you to pick any area of the premises in where you want to get married, which was a great factor.. we had our ceremony, cocktail hour and dinner all in different areas. Which made it fun for our guests. Sarah helped us throughout the entire time, and was always quick in responding to any questions. if you want to watch a clip of how it took place. Our vid is on youtube. "Our California wedding at the muckenthaler mansion" :)

I think I've been Muck'd. I used to drive by here each day on my way to work, never realizing the treasures inside. It took a magic show to get me in some 30 years later. Shame on me. The Muckenthaler, with its small museum and ever changing art gallery, is a distinctive, early 20th Century Mediterranean style mansion (circa 1924) that is now owned by the City of Fullerton. It is perched on a hill, with well kept grounds and a grand view that overlooks greater LA and OC. Surrounded by smaller but equally charming old homes in a quiet, stable neighborhood, it is the perfect venue for intimate weddings, festivals, and stimulating cultural events throughout the year. Well managed, they also provide arts and crafts education for youth and adults alike, and have an great line up of live musical performances, theater, dance, films, etc., which are priced very reasonably. They have a permanent outdoor theater as well as space for more intimate venues inside the lovely mansion. Each season they feature a wide variety of interesting entertainers: http://themuck.org/year-at-a-glance/ It took Goldstar to make me really pay attention. I just happened to recently see some very reasonably priced tickets on their website, and felt the urge to see what it was all about. This evening Joe Monti, the magician, was the attraction. After overhearing a regular patron's conversation, apparently he performs for them each year, and each show is new, fresh, exceedingly funny, and appropriate for all ages. He performed for us in a small drawing room inside the mansion, a perfect setting. Our first-come-first-served seats were so close he had to be really good to deceive. And he was. Quite inexpensive, it was some very well spent $$ for a great night out. I now know I would love to see his performance again and would highly recommend it to others. The Muck has me impressed and hooked. I think I might need to become a patron so I can enjoy it more often.

SERVICE ISN'T UP TO PAR.. Earlier this summer I scheduled an appointment with Duane, he was extremely attentive and professional over the phone. My fiancé and I were looking forward to meet him and see the mansion in person. I booked our appointment with Duane at 12:30 PM, had an 8 AM in Trabucco Canyon and a 2:30 PM in Temecula to view other venues. It didn't take us very long to get from our morning appointment to Duanes so we got there exactly an hour early. As we walked thru the grounds we ran into Duane, he was meeting with a couple so we didn't want to intrude and left. We went to grab a quick bite and came back to our appointment right on schedule. When we returned we met with Duane in his office he asked us for the number of guest and if we wanted buffet style or plated (I think that was it) and if we wanted his team to set up...jotted down some numbers and printed prices on recycled paper from another appointment - ONE SHEET! We decided to overlook it because we thought he was maybe all about recycling and saving the planet. What we DIDN'T appreciate was the lack of detail such as: type of food options, linen, chairs - options and prices, bar no bar... Etc Our ONE paper had a couple numbers and we didn't know what we would be paying for. He said he preferred to emails wedding packets rather than to give them out, but I never received it. After he gave us this paper we did a quick walk thru came across a lady who works inside the mansion he never introduced us I mean that's just proper etiquette. We felt rushed thru the appointment, he was sweating profusely the whole time. It was HOT maybe wear appropriate attire. You can still look professional doing so - just a thought. The grass area where they had already set up a wedding reception for that day was extremely DRY! I mean there were HUGE patches of NO GRASS. He blamed it on the drought. Pleeeeease maybe hire a landscaping company who can keep your grass nice and GREEN - I know I don't have that problem at my home. Who in the right mind would want to pay $20,000 for an outdoor venue and have their wedding set up on dirt? NOT ME! At this point I thought "maybe we can take up his offer and set up on the driveway that would be nice too (still hopeful)." I asked something along the lines of the surrounding homes and the effect that would have on music levels. He answered my question, looked at his watch, told us he looked forward to hear from us and LEFT! Our appointment lasted EXACTLY 15 minutes! His next appointment was walking down as we were leaving. If people are paying thousands of $$$ to book at least give them time they deserve, answer all questions, BE DETAILED! Don't book every 15 min! It's been several months since our appointment and Duane still emails me. Ugh... Thank God we found our ideal venue on our next appointment. Bride-to-be's I highly recommend you KEEP LOOKING....

Venue Search 1 Talked to Duane and he was SO lovely. Very professional and has been in the business for years. He knew his stuff. I adored the museum portion where the cocktail hour would be. The lighting indoors and the space indoors would be great for the cocktail hour while they set up. Ceremony Area: Very pretty. I could imagine them doing more in the Spring time. They were actually setting up for a wedding when I got there for my tour. The chairs would be provided as well as the arch/canopy. We would have to provide the decor of course. They give you a table for the gifts as well. Bridal Room: Spacious. I liked the bridal room because they actually had room for bridesmaid and mom to be there to get ready. Own bathroom too. Groom Room: I love the fact they have their own room! It's near the ceremony site too. That was a plus. Cocktail area: Indoors in the museum. They had the artwork and chairs. We can touch the chairs and it was very romantic with the fireplace and such. So you don't 't really need to decorate the indoors. Reception: Outdoors. They have their street lights and the tables would be set up and the dance floor could be installed OR you could use the cement area to dance and do the festivities. There are lights over the reception area as well. Very pretty. The only problem I had is that there aren't any hanging lights in the grass area (only the street lights) and he said it would work but I really love the look of hanging lights which the cement area had. Catering: Provided by Colette Catering Service. They have some good promotions right now. Coordinator: Duane was awesome to talk to and I did feel comfortable talking to him about my concerns. Pros: * TONS of parking... FREE parking. If the place gets full, then street parking available (neighborhood). * Safe neighborhood * In the OC (in between my OC fam and my LA fam) * It's a mansion! - outside decor is gorgeous Cons: * In a neighborhood - out in the open - although he said that they are respectful, I just have some concerns with people crashing - paranoid. * Lighting ********************** I'm still looking around but this is definitely a contender.

This is my first time watching a concert in this venue. I attended the kick off of Jazz Fest at The Muck. There is no seating assignment. The venue is small so there is a good view wherever you sit. The seats are long benches with little round tables spaced every 2 people. Since this is my first time, I was not prepared but you can bring your own food, beer, wine etc!!! Kinda like a mini Hollywood Bowl. A lot of the attendees even cover their tables with little table cloths complete with flower vase or little battery operated lights. How cute is that! I sat beside a group of sweet seniors who offered me wine and their veggie tray to which I obliged. I promised them I'll be prepared next week! Jazz Fest runs 6 weeks and we agreed to sit together every week. The aisles were big enough to dance around without stepping on toes or bumping on knees. There are plenty of parking spots in and around the venue. I enjoyed this experience and can't wait to see my new friends next week!

I don't even know where to begin with this review. On March 15th, 2012, my fiance proposed. On March 17th, 2012, we went to The Muck. Within an hour of being there, it all felt so right and we booked the venue right away for June 9th, 2012...just 11 weeks away! During that hour, we toured the venue and spoke with Duane about our vision, our budget and who we are as a couple. Duane understood all that I wanted and had envisioned my whole life and he said he could make it happen. Within the next few weeks, we worked with Duane and Rick closely. Our menu tasting and cake tasting appointment went perfectly. We chose a dual entree, a mixed green salad and wild rice pilaf and green beans. We chose their sun dried tomato cream sauce chicken and their slow roasted pot roast. We chose their marble cake and hazelnut filling and another option, which escapes my memory right now. After we got home, my then fiance and I changed our mind about the pot roast and put our faith into Duane and went with another option sight unseen (I'll tell you more about that shortly). After that visit, we added a tent for our reception and they accomodated that request wonderfully. We also added paper lanterns with pendant lighting to light up the area. Rick and Duane were very honest with us about what we needed and what we didn't really need. They also recommended a great lounge furniture company (Modern Chair Rental) that had amazing prices and the exact furniture we wanted. We made the decision to pay the extra fee to use Rick as our wedding coordinator, and it was a decision that I am so thankful we made. He was amazing to work with, which is exactly what a bride with an 11 week engagement needs. Cut to last Saturday, our wedding day. When we arrived at the venue, things were already being set up and it was so beautiful that I found myself getting emotional. Rick had set up all my details just as I wanted, and somehow managed to make things I worked so hard on even more beautiful than I had imagined. He helped to bring together my vision and my DIY projects. He kept commenting on how he loved all my details and that all the other vendors did too, just what EVERY DIY bride wants to hear. He even told me they want to use my wedding for Ceremony Magazine, which is amazing to a girl who loves all things wedding. The ceremony space was beautiful, the cocktail hour was amazing and the tented reception was every brides dream. The cocktail hour apps we added to our menu were crispy bacon mac and cheese, mini cocktail weenies in puff pastry and shot glasses of tomato soup and mini grilled cheese. We were going with a comfort food theme and all of our guests have told us how great it all was. The dinner menu was amazing and the change in our beef choice was SPOT ON. It was so tender and flavorful, everyone said it wasnt typical wedding food. They gave us our food ASAP so that we could eat fast and mingle. Included in the package was our cake and it took my breath away. Colettes went above and beyond and gave me the wedding cake of my dreams. It was almost as flavorful as it was beautiful. It hurt my heart to have to cut into it. They kept us to our schedule and helped to make the day flow smoothly. Everything about last Saturday was so far and beyond what I had dreamed of my entire life. There aren't enough words to describe how happy we were in choosing the Muck. I highly recommend this venue to anyone and everyone who want an amazing outdoor wedding at a venue that is so beautiful it needs no decorations!! Don't believe me? Go see for yourself! Thank you Duane and Rick!!!!!!

Gorgeous venue with rolling grounds, perfect for a picnic or a game of crochet. I was able to check out the Muck during a YEE and I must say, if it weren't for Yelp, I'd have never known about it. The current exhibit on American Nostalgia is a tribute to Norman Rockwell. The pieces are fantastic and very relevant to our social climate. They also do weddings here! It's a beautiful setting in the middle of Fullerton. The food was catered by Collette's Catering (their main catering service), but unfortunately ran out by the time I arrived because I was fashionably late. Despite that, the staff was very amiable and I still enjoyed walking around perusing the art and chatting with friends. They have events lined up all year. Check out the website and spend a day getting cultured.

The Muckenthaler has that charm that most wedding venues are missing nowadays. We knew we didn't want to do the standard country-club wedding, and we wanted to have both the ceremony and reception at the same venue. The Muck provided us with that, along with a beautiful setting for our big day. The grounds make for a gorgeous wedding. We hosted the ceremony in their palm tree garden, dinner inside the art gallery, and dancing and cocktails outside on their patio. It was perfect for us. We got so many compliments from people about how beautiful everything was. And on top of that, they work exclusively with Colette's Catering, so they really have the process down. We trusted that everything would work out with them, and it was fabulous. There are so many options to choose from there--I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone that's looking for decent prices and a beautiful location in Orange County.

I like the location and walking around outside. Met some nice people here too a few months back. That's the good part. The organization here is laughable. They have hours set for you to be able to go in yet when I walk into the open door I'm told they are closed. I inquired a few times to make sure I was correct that they do not open as the times state right on the wall next to me. I'm told they're only open esentially when there's an art event. Why have hours saying your open? Unless there was just a problem with me. Hahaha whatever. Shouldn't ask for donations and can't stay open during hours that are listed.

I couldn't have been happier than choosing The Muck as our venue for our ceremony and reception. It was in September and perfect weather. Kristen and Rick (wedding coordinators) went above and beyond. Colette's Catering (food and cake) was sooo goood. I can't rave about this place enough. My wedding was absolutely perfect. It has everything you would need in a venue. Location, accomodates small and large weddings. amazing catering and gorgeous for pictures. What's great is they only do 1 wedding a day, so you have the whole mansion to yourselves, which is great! You will not be disappointed in choosing The Muck as your venue. **Note: They also have amazing art shows, classes and car shows throughout the year too.

I was here for a wedding this last weekend. It was very lovely. The dining area became even more lovely in the evening, with the strings of lights and the cute nook for the couple to sit in. The outdoor seating area becomes shaded as evening draws near, and was very pretty. The inside is interesting, with stuff to look at while you wait for all the photographs to be done. Lovely venue.

Came here for a wedding and it was a nice venue. It got cold at night and all the girls were freezing! Also there were not enough seats for the wedding ceremony, so that sucked. LESSON: don't wear heels, they will sink into the grass

I happened upon this place as I was driving by. It is quite impressive and very intriguing from the street view, so I was compelled to check it out. It sits in an older, but very charming and quaint neighborhood in Fullerton, and is quite literally, the big house on the hill. This is a home that was clearly built and owned by a prominent, affluent family early last century. It is beautiful and serene, with views flickering through the trees which sit gracefully among the green, well manicured gardens; old trees that have seen many visitors, and so many changes through the years. I am a garden lover from birth, so naturally, I enjoy walking through nature, and any garden that catches my eye. The roses are lovely and the hedges are very English and nicely shaped. There is an outdoor area on the west side of the building which was being prepared for a wedding. It was gorgeous, with twinkling lights, an arbor, and a setting sun to bring it all to romantic perfection. Made me almost wish I were tying the knot one more time, lol, but not really. The large home is full of old world-style charm, with dark wood floors and molding, reminiscent of another time, another place. It is now used for events, and so sadly, I was unable to walk through the entire property, as much as I wanted to. Truly a treat, and a welcome escape from present day stress and modern problems.

I just had my early July wedding at the Muck, and it was everything and more! My fiancé and I wanted two adjectives to describe our wedding: Beautiful and Fun. The Muck and Colette's Catering delivered just that! VENUE: absolutely beautiful and so unique! The Italian Garden was able to accommodate our 245 guests for the ceremony. During cocktail hour, guests were able to go to the patio to get a drink at the bar, go into the Art Gallery, or play lawn games on the expansive lawn area. And our photographer was practically giddy with how many amazing spots there were to take pictures. FOOD: delicious buffet of summer salad, tri-tip with chimichurri sauce, mashed potatoes and green beans. On top of that, our guests couldn't stop raving about the chocolate caramel creme brulee wedding cake! STAFF: on point! Duane was amazing about answering my 1000 questions and having such a warm and positive attitude. Everyone I met was so sweet and so helpful. We loved our wedding, and I couldn't have imagined a better venue for us!

IMO, embarrassing! High hopes for this three time Covid delayed wedding. Here are some of the cons we experienced. - Meetings in building while taking pictures, so we had to limit angles not having use as expected. - We had to ask them to close blinds so groom would not see bride before wedding. Staff seems annoyed we were concerned about this but complied. - Grooms room had no AC nor were provided fans to keep air moving at minimum. Sweaty, red faced groom and groomsmen and not because of nerves. Good news is a fan was provided in brides room. - Muck Coordinator left before wedding contract end time was over, even though she was to be there the entire wedding event. Yes she told us she was leaving but what were we to say during event? No scene made, just "Well, Okay then." - Catering, no guests were offered seconds even though plenty of food ordered that went to waste. Guests went hungry for many reasons. Sad when people leave a wedding wanting food and drinks. - Mold on bread...yes, really this was served to us and our guests. Showed this to Sara during event. Guests were disgusted and we were horrified. If bread wasn't checked what else was wrong with food served? - Bar was unlighted not central to event. - Framed drink list/selected provided to bar (94pt wine and more to serve the best to our honored guests) and these frames lists were given to caterers prior to wedding date. Frames were placed behind bar rather than on top so no guests could see awesome drink selections we took such efforts bring to bar. Unacceptable since this was also discussed prior to wedding with caterers. Guests went away not trying some great offerings because they simply did not know nor were offered selections. - Custom wine bottles made which we asked to keep when empty so we could turn into drinking glasses. Even though we discussed with Sara again the day before wedding to keep bottles. While bartender was kind enough to retrieve bottles we ended up throwing away since custom bottles were mostly cracked, trash on them. We could not clean off without further damage and now usable. Greatly disappointed. Lackluster service, moldy food at a beautiful location. Are you willing to risk it? Find another beautiful location, in my opinion. IMO

For years I passed by the Muckenthaler Cultural Center with nary a glance. Then one day I noticed the sign. What an interesting name! I was intrigued. Google to the rescue. Type it in and get a response...this time it was the right response and I was able to get an e-bird's eye overview of what is casually called "The Muck." Sign me up! They have a great mailing list and I started to receive their offerings. Wow. This place has it going on. Concerts, art exhibits, Gatsby parties, oh my! From there, life took over and it was over a year before I made the time to suggest to the family that we stop by to view the traditional Hanji Korean paper art exhibit. As we entered the grounds, we looked around at the charming, old neighborhood surrounding the Muck. We want one of these houses! We continued on past a walled garden where an intimate wedding was being set up. We turned left past a just-right-sized outdoor amphitheater to finally arrive at the magnificent front door. Talk about friendly. The docents are cheery and seem genuinely happy to greet visitors. They were sure to point out where to find the entire exhibit, since it was located in two parts of the house. The exhibit was very interesting. We greatly enjoyed the Hanji as well as the house itself. After a leisurely stroll through the house viewing art and history, we were sure to pick up a program of upcoming events. Now we are 'in the know' with 'The Muck. You should be in the know, too.

The clock is ticking on finding the best wedding ceremony + reception! Here's how this place measured up! 1. Location: Not too bad - a bit further than I'd like to travel meets the 50 mile or less drive range. :) It's situated on top of a little hill which is nice and makes for a great view! Seems to be a quiet area. The only thing I didn't like too much the busy street that lines the front side of the mansion. The sun hits it at such a great angle - the place looks very bright and "happy". :) 2. Capacity: Can accommodate up to 200. So this would fall under our Option B (200 guests) + Option A (120 or less). Parking is great - large area though at first blush doesn't seem like it would accommodate 200 cars, but I figure if people carpool. No need to valet! YAY! Multiple rooms for multiple occasions - so you can have your cocktail hour and not meander off the site for photos. 3. Cost (packages): Starts at about $68/head - which includes the grounds, full use of the place (1 wedding party for the day), in house catering, linens, tables etc. You'll just need your own florist, band, DJ. Not too bad for a place down in the OC. :) 4. Ambiance: Secluded. I liked this the best. It felt like a world of our own. We even snuck away to a little grotto area before the catering manager came. Very cute + intimate! 5. General Feel: Overall great. I'm keeping it on my list. But we do have a few more places to look at. :)

My husband and I recently had our wedding ceremony and reception here. Our experience from Day 1 working with the staff at The Muck, was fun and memorable. It was always easy to get in touch with Duane Greenleaf, and communication was consistent. Anytime I had questions, Duane was readily available to answer them all. When I became a bit stressed as we approached the big moment, Duane was very reassuring about everything falling into place just fine. Our wedding was very DIY (do-it-yourself) from head to toe, so I was extremely exhausted by the time our big day came around. My husband and I had decided that we would hire the day-of wedding coordinator, to help us with the ceremony and reception coordination. This was such a great decision, because Kristen Wilson took so much weight off of our shoulders. She guided us through the rehearsal, structured our ceremony and grand entrance, and made sure our experience was wonderful. I highly, highly, highly, recommend that you at least hire a day-of coordinator! The Muck and Colette's Catering staff went above and beyond, when they accommodated my wishes to have a lovely lunch on-site after our daytime wedding rehearsal. The venue does not allow any outside vendors onto the property (I originally wanted to have a Taco Man come and cook for us there), but the kitchen staff and Duane worked diligently to plan a taco bar lunch for myself and my rehearsal guests. The food and experience were fantastic! Needless to say, my husband and I had a fabulous experience with our wedding at The Muck. We recommend the venue 100%. Best wishes!

Review for wedding location only. Guests: approx 250 Groomsmen: 18 Bridesmaids: 10 Formal The Muck, if you can get past the name, is absolutely gorgeous! An older venue with charm. At first I thought there was no way a bridal party our size and guest list could fit in planned wedding area, past the brick patio under the gazebo. And to be honest, it did work, but was a bit tight. Cocktail hour was held in the courtyard where open bar and butler service appetizers circulated. This area later served as bar, dessert and gelato cart area. This was a bit tight for all of the guests, but still very enjoyable. Dinner was formal service under a white tent and chandelier with dance floor. On the hill behind the tent, photo booth and guest book were set up. There is definitely plenty of room to set up or bring in whatever you need to the venue, but I think it would have been nice to have more room in the front where guests walk in. 4 stars for the grounds, location and ease: we had a shuttle that took guests back to the hotel which made transportation after a night of partying safe and easy. There definitely needs to be an upgrade on the restroom situation or you may want to consider bringing in the ultra lux outdoor style for your guests. Photography and food catering review are under different companies, but the Muck does offer their own day of wedding coordinator. No one was impressed with her unfortunately. I was told by the photographer and all the groomsmen that she was rude. How can you be rude to 18 good looking guys?! She only gets 2 stars, I would not use their coordinator or request someone else.

Just had my wedding here and it was beautiful!!! The food was amazing!! And everyone was soo great to work with! Especially the coordinator there Duane! He really loves his job and was a great help! Im sooo great full we found this place! :)

So i had my wedding there memorial day weekend, and let me say, it was AMAZING!!! first off, i was a bride that was coming from the east coast and Duane and Sara made it so easy and smooth..seriously planning a wedding a bajillion miles away is way stressful, but Duane and Sara were great to work with and we were able to squeeze everything on the weekends i was actually in town. I had my wedding in the garden. it was so beautiful, and of course reception on the lawn with dancing in the courtyard. So i was a bit hesitant to separate my dance floor from my reception area, but Duane again was so right..there was a great flow! I also absolutely love the bistro lights look and Duane/Sara were able to work with me and my tight budget so i could get that out on the lawn. Everyone tells me how fun and classic my wedding was so i have to thank Duane, Sara and Colette's Catering...everything was perfect! thank-you guys!!!

Had a wedding here and the place is whatever. I dislike that at the last minute our dressing room was taken away from us and the guys had no where to dress. We dressed in one of the rooms of the house that had no doors and was clearly visible from many other rooms. I also dislike that tours were still being given during the time we were taking pictures and getting dressed, etc.

We just got married here this past March. When looking for wedding venues I had never heard of the Muckenthaler and I grew up in Diamond Bar. When my husband and I visited this location we just knew it was for us. The beautiful home and the artsy feel of the gallery inside was perfect. They use Colette's Catering & Events as their exclusive catering company - you deal with them for your entire wedding plans. Wow....such amazing staff. They made my wedding planning much easier and were there to help with all our questions/concerns. Overall we are so happy with our experience here and I can't wait to see all the amazing pictures from our wedding. They have so many amazing photo sports from the brick gazebo to the balcony and the green land surrounding the home. This is a great wedding venue! The best part is they only do one event a day so there is no rush to get in/out. Also, the price was by far the cheapest I found when hunting for venues -- although we did get married during the "off' season so we had special prices for that.

I grew up in Fullerton and took many field trips to the Muckenthaler Center. It is a beautiful venue and of course I wanted to check it out as one of the venues for my upcoming wedding to Brian D. Duane is extremely helpful and answered all the questions I had. When I toured the place, the Great Gatsby had just come out so there had been lots of interest in this venue as it has that Gatsby/20s vibe. While we did not end up choosing this place, it is totally worth checking out if you are looking to get married Fullerton or the Orange County area.

Came here for a friends' wedding and was impressed with the layout and the staff. Everything was beautiful! Simple but very elegant - very fitting for a practically perfect, fun and intimate wedding. I liked how everything was laid out, from the ceremony, separate by conveniently located on the other side of the hedge from the patio/ cocktail/ live band/ dance floor/ social/ photo area and then adjacent/next to it they had their reception/ dinner in a perfectly sized garden/ lawn area with the sunset right behind the couple, where they sat in front of all the guests. I don't know if I should credit my friends or the venue for the beautiful and memorable wedding, but I had so much fun here and I will never forget how beautiful the wedding was - practically perfect :) Need I mention, very convenient - everything from the commute to parking and wedding/ reception! Big pluses if you ask me - less stress so you can focus on enjoying the day with family and friends, and that's how it should always be.

Love the art classes here. My daughter has done ceramic class with Mr. Willie and Character Design with Ms. Erika. She loves both and Ms. Erika class is smaller so she gets a lot of attention. Highly recommend!

Went to a wedding here recently, and it was gorgeous! I had no idea a pretty little placed was tucked away up there. Only downside was that there weren't enough shaded areas and it was a real sweaty scorcher, and the parking wasn't ample enough for all guests. On the plus side, the museum was air conditioned. Definitely sought refuge there multiple times!