Palm Springs Art Museum Architecture and Design Center

Small but very engaging and high quality museum. Staff/volunteers were outstanding; knowledgeable and engaging. Centrally located, easy parking. Superb gift shop. I’d gladly return whenever we visit again. Thanks to the Palm Springs community!

The Best Value in Palm Springs. The rooms were absolutely clean, and modernized with fresh paint and the concrete floor look. The bathroom was definitely the best I've seen for a hotel. I travel along. The bathroom is big, spacious, and beautiful. A gym, big beautiful pool, a firepit, and hot tub is included. Outside this nice place is a mountain. Its nice to see it in the morning. 1 minute away is a botanical garden. They have a bar and restaurant on site. The food was really good at Gigis's. We had the chicken club with fries and totally worth it. We also had the Tuna salad. Massive chunks of Tuna with flavorful green salad. It really is a very comfortable and clean place with a lot of amenities. You can't beat it for the price. The girl in the morning at the front desk was nice and helpful today.

Came on museum free night, Thursday. It was interesting that it was a former bank and that some of the original elements were retained, and the overall layout was visually pleasing, but I guess we were expecting ‘more’ architecturally-related materials to be exhibited here. Staff was very friendly and knowledgeable.

Brilliant little museum. The current exhibition on women who shaped Palm Springs is highly enjoyable and informative. Special thank you to Mike 2 for the recommendations on where to visit to see some of the best midcentury homes in the area - we went on your recommendation and absolutely loved it ♥️🇬🇧

We visited this architecture museum in downtown to see the Modern Chair exhibition and we were not disappointed! They had a great display of original chairs displayed in a earliest to latest order. Many famous designers were represented including the Eames brothers and Frank Lloyd Wright. The staff was extremely helpful, friendly, and informative. This building is spacious and beautiful, and the drive through window and vault remain, showing evidence that it was originally built as a bank. We will definitely keep returning here!

Yes I know another person gushing about a museum but really folks this is a great little museum. Little, not overwhelming but really compelling stuff about mid-century modern architecture in Palm springs California. And of course Palm springs is known for its mid-century modern architecture. So do yourself a favor and hustle down to this museum you're in for a treat and it won't take all afternoon either.

Looking for a cool little museum you can run through quickly? Check out this place! I love the exhibits here! The curation is excellent and the current exhibit which features many iconic chair designs is fantastic! The store is a great place to find gifts and seeing the old bank vault was very cool! I love the layout and how bright and airy the interior is. Can’t wait to see what exhibit is next and I’ll keep coming back whenever I can!

Really lovely space, saved by conservationists as the former 1961 bank was on a path to becoming an Italian restaurant. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff, cool current exhibit of chairs, and a gift shop in the former bank vault. Great for a 30-45 min visit.

I've been going to the main museum and didn't know about the architecture building that they acquired in 2015. They currently exhibit early women entrepreneurs and developers. The building is mid century with terrazzo floors and detailed outside shutters. The gift shop includes the original bank vault. I saw some items that I didn't see in the main museum shop. In January 2026, they'll have an exhibit about fashion design and runways.

The restaurant is fantastic! Super quiet on a weekend morning and lively outside. The artwork itself is- cool, eclectic, interesting- the aluminum house also cool. And the off shoot art deco architecture down the street in the old bank building- also very interesting. The photos of the Bob hope house were great, just a tip to not try and find the actual house.. private road, guards.. bad decision. The city has a cool art deco driving tour which was fun too. The museum was a great start to the day.

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful place to visit. It has the giant Marilyn Monroe out front. Inside was cool and had many beautiful exhibits on display. Staff was nice, welcoming and the docents were super informative. Great place for family, dates or solo travel. Clean and well organized. Worth the visit.

We had a great time here. We even purchased a gift at the gift shop for our friend. The gift wrapping was a nice added touch. I recommend checking this place out when you want to get your steps in and explore. Lots of beauty to see.

This museum is located i the heart of downtown Palm Springs, it is so east to location because of the giant Marilyn Monroe statue plus the vehicle that is standing vertical in a pool of water, there is free parking also EV charging station. This museum opened to the piblic in Nov.11 1996 the admission $14.00 for adults with discount for kids, seniors and military personnel. There are four levels unique and very Interesting art, exhibits, sculptures and photography here from American art, Western and Native art, Modern and Contemporary art, Latin American and Modern Sculpure art, there are two Sculpture Gardens, a Theater, a Lecture Hall, a Education art Studios and a gift shop This is a huge museum that was cool and clean with very friendly and knowledgeable, they are close Mon. Tue. and Wed.

Cool museum. The exhibit was featuring Albert Frey. So many designs which you can see all over Palm Springs. Very interesting and there's a great gift shop. Admission is $10 and there's free parking. The staff is very nice and helpful.

Good individual sized pizzas and sandwiches tasty. Place is quaint and comfortable colorful. Parking in front of the shop.

Where do I even start, right off the bat the staff were amazing. They gave us a nice little spiel about Albert Fray before we entered the exhibition. The exhibition itself was very well put together and had a great flow. This is now one of my favorite museums.

Such a great experience! We went on the free admission on Thursday night and we should've come a lot earlier! Make sure to reserve your ticket online and make a donation!

Very disappointed! 1 small room exhibit & little gift shop, that was it for $5 admission. Maybe it should be combined with PS Art Museum few blocks away.

I had an extra hour to burn in downtown Palm Springs while waiting for my FlixBus, so I decided to check this out. The front desk allowed me to store my luggage with them while I toured the museum. The exhibition when I went was Pattern Play: The Contemporary Designs of Jacqueline Groag. There was a great variety of designs by this artist, and the comprehensive descriptions helped to contextualize all of the works in their historical place.

A bucket list item for anyone visiting Palm Springs! perhaps most well known for its Marylin Monroe iconic statute measuring a whopping 26 ft. We stumbled the entrance to museum, [ should have bought tickets to go in ] but overall, the outside exhibits are just as great. downtown palm springs has changed a bit since my last visit, but I really like all the recent renovations. there are pretty art pieces throughout the near area, "the babies"? were pretty cool... def. would recommend doing earlier in the day or later in the early evening, as it can get pretty toasty during the summer months greater than 100F easily. so bring some shade in the form of hat, sunscreen, and tons of water. want more info on the museum: https://www.psmuseum.org

This museum is great. $6 admission with a student id! The artwork is varied and you can find from contemporary international artists to incredible visual and pop art from the 1960s. There is also a great exhibition from Mexican artist Gonzalo Lebrija. The staff is very friendly, gift shop has good mix of items ranging from $7-$300+, and the garden is sweet reprieve. We will be coming back many times.

Wanting to escape the heat and kill some time while we were in DTPS, my gfs decided to check out the Palm Springs Art Museum. When visiting last month, the exhibition at the time was "The Modern Chair", which follows the chronology of the contemporary seat. Everyone recognized the Herman Miller pieces, and I actually discovered an appreciation for the Miller Yee Fong, Frank Lloyd Wright, Tokujin Yoshioka, Mario Botta, and Frank Gehry creations as I meandered through the exhibit. There were some very interesting styles and even the materials used to build these particular furniture. However, I think this type of exhibition would certainly be more fascinating for designers, whereas for most people or even just the general public, they may not have much regard for chairs. The Vault Store aka gift shop is pretty neat since it is in and around the original bank vault of the former Santa Fe Federal Savings & Loan. They have a selection of jewelry, kitchenware, stationery, games, original works by local artists, with the architecture and design-focused books located inside the actual vault. Admission was $5/person. Unfortunately, that was the only exhibition that was open and available for public viewing (that we were aware of anyway). I was pretty disappointed since I had expected to see more, but realized (much later) it was because we were only at the Architecture and Design Center Edwards Harris Pavilion. The girl at the front desk did not clarify that our ticket could be used to enter the main art museum, only noting that there's only one level to view the exhibition. When I was in the exhibition room, I overheard and saw her providing entrance free of charge to a young, white couple also visiting for the weekend. I didn't see her offer this to other couples though. There was plenty of parking when we visited on a Sunday. I think there were less than five cars in the parking lot. The restrooms are located downstairs. If you're able to visit the main art museum, definitely check that out first and if you have extra time on hand, then consider the Architecture and Design Center Edwards Harris Pavilion, especially if the current exhibition is quirky or something of interest (note to check out the website too for current exhibitions). Or just come to look at the Vault Store - you won't have to pay an admission fee to take a gander.

The atmosphere was nice and the place was air conditioned which made the experience refreshing and relaxing while strolling and viewing all of the art. They have 4 levels, including all sorts of art and architecture to admire. Personally really enjoyed the contemporary art and reading all of the pieces descriptions. It was fun to try to figure out the meanings on our own. They also have outdoor sculpture garden with water which was pretty. Admission is $14 for adults and $8 for students and they offer discounts for military and 55+.

So I'm embarrassed to admit I thought that THIS was the Palm Springs Art Museum. Quite small, I thought rather smugly, but surely the best repurpose of a bank branch I've ever seen. It was indeed a branch of the Santa Fe Federal Savings & Loan back when there were savings & loans in the 1960's. In fact, they left the drive-thru teller window which looks like a vintage art piece in itself (photo: http://bit.ly/2OS05ol). The focus here is the mid-century modern architecture that Palm Springs is known for. You can see photos and blueprints for local celebrity homes of that period belonging to the likes of William Holden and Steve McQueen. Currently there's an exhibit showcasing the work of architect Hugh Kaptur who designed over 200 buildings over half a century. It's well worth the $5 admission and it counts toward your ticket to the main art museum. RELATED - Planning to go to Palm Springs? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2uqw6KW

Above expetations. We really spent 3 hours in there enjoying different styles and varius aristc exponents in beautiful arhitectial space which is great itself. We also learn something which I loved. Outdoor space is impressive and cool.Nice getaway morning.

I didn't have any real expectations of this being a wonderful cultural event. Not because isn't vast and rare talent in Palm Springs (which there is!) It's still a small town in so many ways. I was so pleased to say it's the bomb! I included a few photos of highlights. I didn't share any descriptions so you will go see for yourself! This museum is beautifully curated with thought and compassion. A delight for the eyes a sight for your soul to reflect. A few giggles are included with admission...Bravo!

I came here because the people at the other museum down the street said we can get in for free. It's pretty small and they give you a paper with the description of each art piece. It was nice to get out of the heat since it was 110+ degrees that day!!

I went on a Sunday, and they were having an issue with their ticketing system so they let me in for free, a fun surprise, and thank you. Peaceful inside, exhibits on display are timely and interesting. Dwayne Hansen's Old Couple on a Bench was particularly well done and effectively troubling. When I walked around the corner I thought this older couple was just tired and sitting, looking forward and disconnected from each other. As I stepped closer I realized that they weren't real. Hansen captured an older couple so bored and disconnected, seemingly unfulfilled and out of time, out of shape, from what I gather neither having found passion... it made me cry because you felt the dissatisfaction, boredom, and complacency with life they must feel. To get to that stage of my life not having realized dreams or passion with intensity sounds too horrible to bear, and I found that I just couldn't look at the older couple for the rest of my time in the museum. I'd like to spend at least one other afternoon at this museum reading through the exhibits again. I was in such a bad place after looking at the older couple that I didn't appreciate some of the other lighter works.

What a great place. Will go back for other exhibits. Docents are friendly and very knowledgeable.

Really small museum and usually show one exhibition collection that's it. It is free admission & they have bathroom downstairs. Plenty parking lot, its right in the Downtown Palm Springs and its only 10 mins walk from Palm Springs Art Museum. Worth it to walk through Downtown Palm springs. But the exhibition we went, it was interesting and only take 15 mins see all of them.

The design and art attributed to Mid Century Modern has been an interest of mine for the last decade. I learned that the greatest collection of mid century architecture is in Palm Springs. So I made it a part of our latest road trip. We were just driving around looking at some of their noteworthy buildings when we came upon this tiny museum. We really didn't have the time to go to the bigger museum down the street so the size of this one was a plus. The exterior of the building has the beautiful clean lines reminiscent of the era. They also have a calming southwest low maintenance front garden. The entrance was free so that was another bonus. The interior is small and cozy. They have some modern chairs in the front for lounging and replica George Nelson benches inside for resting as well. The current exhibition are designs by Hugh Kaptur. His designs were nicely laid out with the architect's blueprints and models. It's nice to know thay we can take photos of his work. Their gift shop is expensive as expected but they have beautiful items for display and sales. I would definitely come back to this location.

This new architecture museum, a branch of the Palm Springs Art Museum, is housed a former mid-century modern bank building designed by E. Stewart Williams. His drawings and models of his work were on display in an exhibition that was quite packed into the relatively small footprint of this museum. Only temporary exhibitions are featured here so no personal photography is permitted; however, you can take photos of the interior building details, such as the metal scrollwork and the bank teller window. Palm Springs is very fortunate to have a museum devoted to the architectural style made famous here and it's that architecture which keeps me coming back to this small city.

Highly recommend!! Such a great variety of different art types from photography to sculptures too large to fit in the building! The design of the museum makes it easy for you to navigate through each exhibit without them feeling like they are on top of each other. Not to mention, the artist featured were amazingly talented!

I went to this very small architecture museum. This is enjoyable but can hardly call it museum. It shows some of the sketches and it's about it.

Wonderful space, knowledgeable staff, and amazing gift shop. I dare you not to buy something. The downstairs is a charm, where the bathrooms are, the flooring is original and there's a historical display of the architects tools which is worth viewing. I so appreciate how they restored this building to its original luster.

Today it was closed and a colleague of mine wanted to get a couple of photos in front of the building and a rude employee or manager stormed outside to tell us "I hate to burst your bubble but you need to leave". We proceeded to tell him that we weren't "homeless" we were taking a photo for a project and he said I don't care, you clearly can't read, there's no trespassing. Even if that's the case he was EXTREMELY unprofessional and RUDE from the start. He could have politely asked us to not take any photos and asked us to leave in a respectful manner. Instead he felt the need to be rude and insult us. This was not the right way to conduct yourself or do business! So needless to say, watch out for angry employees! Since you can't simply take a photo in front of the building without being treated like a transient!

We stopped in to see the Andria Zittel exhibition (Aggregated Stacks). What a great space. The work is very well presented, which is partly on the artist and partly on the gallery. Nice gift shop.

A Search for Living Architecture exhibit for the works of Albert Frey & Lina Bo Bardi is quite interesting. Thanks to the museum ambassador upon entry that did a wonderful job at giving us some background about the museum and these noteworthy architects. The building itself is a wonderful display of architecture, especially since it is a re-modeled bank. The teller window is still there and the museum gift shop is now located in the vault. Really cool to see. There was a video playing downstairs where you can learn about Lina Bo Bardi on your way to the bathrooms. Upstairs is where you will see the displays. Too bad you can't take pictures or touch. Haha I really wanted to touch the chair made out of rope. Plenty of parking right outside in their own private little lot. If it is full, then the downtown parking structure is just across the street. I'm glad we went Thursday between 4:00-8:00pm AKA the "FREE ADMISSION" hours because it's not worth paying admission UNLESS you are an architect or are really, really into architecture and design. You can probably walk around and see everything in under 30 minutes. On the bright side, the staff is extremely knowledgeable, friendly, helpful, and sweet. I learned a lot from them that I wouldn't have known just from reading the placards. They made the visit extra special. Definitely stop by the gift shop on your way out. It has so many cool items.

The young woman at the entrance is the reason I'm giving this Museum one star. She is representing Palm Springs which is a shame. As a tourist I was shocked at her attitude. I went and told a woman around the corner and she laughed it off. Went over to the Art Museum and was pleasantly surprised at how helpful and professional the 2 men were at the front desk. My advice-find someone who is friendly and helpful and professional to greet your guests!

Recently visited, easy parking clean and tidy and a great welcome. Andy Warhol exhibition was awesome and not be missed...

I really had a nice time here. It was free the day I came. The exhibit was cool, the ping pong chics story was cool!

Free mini museum devoted to modern furniture design. Well, at least the current exhibition is. This museum is quartered in an old bank building which is a modern architectural gem in its own right. It's totally worth a visit. Located on Palm Canyon Drive, you can shop, stroll and dine and then duck in for some culture. Admission is free. Park in the lot.

The chair exhibit is the worst curated show I have ever seen here. Boring and lacks context. Who ever put this mess together needs to go back to school snd learn what being a curator is all about. Start at step 1

I came to the Palm Springs Art Museum Architecture and Design Center recently as a tourist from LA with a friend. The first thing we noticed was how ample and free the parking lot was. After Los Angeles that was a blessing. We in fact left the car there afterwards while we had lunch and got coffee. Thanks so much to them for letting us do that. Although the Museum was between exhibits so there was nothing for us to look at we did go to the gift shop. If I could rate the gift shop alone I would give it 5 stars because it was a museum in and of itself. So much gorgeous Palm Springs style glassware and retro books & photographs. After asking permission to take photos I had a lot of fun snapping pictures for my Palm Springs Facebook album. The lady who helped us at the gift shop was extremely knowledgeable about the materials there and quite friendly and helpful to us, although we did to buy anything. It was all museum-quality expensive stuff. I photographed it happily yet could not purchase. The bathroom we used downstairs was clean and well-appointed. Gorgeous building. the gift shop lady said it was formerly a bank. Given that our visit could have been a complete fail it was much more enjoyable then expected given the circumstances. As we left I said, "They get A+ for air conditioning." It's hot in Palm Springs.

it was closed on the christmas eve. will come back to visit before april. my family and i all like the downtown palm springs

As my son and I walked down to the Thursday Arts and Crafts show on the main street and dinner at my favorite Belgian spot, we noticed this new museum. I remember seeing it last year but it wasn't open. A quick look at the sign showed it open till 8pm on Thursdays. I was excited at seeing a new place to visit in Palm Springs that wasn't such a tourist trap. Admission was free at this time but I still donated. The current exhibit was about Bauhaus Architecture and it's obvious influence on the modern homes of the area. My son was very impressed as was I. There are some interesting facts to be learned and some beautiful buildings to be viewed. I suggest you visit and enjoy a beautiful building with a fine exhibit and awesome gift shop with some amazing Modern items for purchase.

VERY Informative!!!!! We had tons of family fun! The little restaurant was super yummy & the staff was friendly! Loving the old music they play!

With all due respect to Mary D's review, I would definitely not say the content of the museum is pathetic. When I visited the Palm Springs architecture museum in January 2015 the exhibit was.a.well known architect's original drawings and architectural sketchings. It was basically an exhibit that featured his work on a number of buildings. Somebody's life work especially at a professional level is anything but pathetic. THE REVIEW: the museum staff epitomize everything you think of when considering what typical Museum staff are like. My mom and I visited on Sunday and upon entering the building we noticed a tall, slender, late-middle aged woman standing in the reception area greeting visitors (physical appearance is not what epitomizes museum staff). "Greeting" visitors was actually more like acknowledging them and reminding them that the museum was free that day and gestured toward the entrance to the actual exhibit area. I had a delicious shake with me that I had all but finished by that point (upon entering the building). My mom and I approached the lady and asked if I could bring the shake and with me. I did not see anything on the outside of the building that said no food or drink. I realize that normally, food and drinks are not welcome in museums but I just thought it wouldn't hurt to ask. She was quick to say no. That was not a problem. My problem was when she lurched for the shake trying to take it from me. I literally pulled back to avoid having my $8 shake snatched right out of my hand. I simply said, " I'll just finish it right now" which I did. After I tossed it in the trash my mom and I went in to browse the exhibit. It was very nice even though we don't know the first thing about architecture and drafting. We went about each section of the museum and tried to appreciate everything we looked at. At one point I noticed a very nice quote about architecture above one of the original sketchings. I took out my phone to take a photo of the quote on the wall. The quote itself was probably ten feet off the ground so I had to raise my arms up and point them basically toward the ceiling to take the photo. It was clear that I was not taking a photo of the architectural drafts that were directly in front of me. No sooner had I taken the photo and started to put my phone back in my bag did the museums secret service come out from behind the wall and proceeded to quietly but sternly read me the riot act by reminding me that photography was not allowed in the museum. This is where things got weird...... Rather than approaching me and politely reminding me that photography was not allowed, this person came out from behind the wall and walked a semi-circle behind me all the while giving me the stone-cold secret service reprimand about photography not being allowed. I wasn't up to anything shady and wanted him to know it so I quickly remarks that I was not taking a picture of the architects original work but was just capturing a photo of the quote that I like to the top of the wall. He said it didn't matter and that photography of any kind was not allowed. The whole thing was just so odd because he never stopped walking he just came out from behind the wall started reprimanding me walk to semi circle around me and just kept on going until he was out of sight. The people skills of the museum's staff leave a lot to be desired. If they want visitors to come and patronize their establishment they need to work a lot harder on making those same visitors feel welcome. There was one tall middle-aged gentleman in the gift shop who is very pleasant to me. I needed to make sure I included that.

This was a quaint little museum. As an architecture student visiting from LA, I appreciated seeing all of the curated works from famous architects. For one, I was absolutely thrilled to see books on Lina Bo Bardi!!! I wasn't expecting her we to be recognized her, but I was glad she was. Also, a metal sculpture work from the late (and great) Zaha Hadid was here. Seeing her work in real life was an honor. RIP, madam. Awesome tour!

This name should be corrected to the Palm Springs Architectural Museum, it's not actually the Art Museum which is located elsewhere nearby at 101 N Museum Dr Palm Springs, CA 92262. This is indeed very small but informative about the residents, including Sinatra, who appreciated the beautiful architecture and the history of the city. Includes a neat bank vault built in that serves as a gift shop. I wouldn't pay to come here but if you keep your Palm Springs Art Museum ticket stub, you get to come in here for free. Otherwise I definitely would not come in here besides the fact that it looks really neat from the outside. You can probably tour this whole place in under 10 minutes. That's how small it is but it's got some value to architect's out there I'm sure. Of which I am obviously not of that occupation.

I love this very hip museum. The homestead exhibit was interesting to see for both kids and adults. The gift shop carried neat items representing the area's modern take on architecture. The revitalized bank building was near to visit, too. Check out the book "vault".

Fascinating look at aircraft that has saved our country along with stories of the brave men & women that riled their lives. The museum is packed with more memorabilia then we thought it could have!

The exhibit that consumed almost the entire space was by Andrea Zittel. I had a high school physics teacher named Zittel and it was pronounced like Little but with a zit. Not a good reminder for those hormonally challenged teens with acne. He always wore tight jeans that showed too much of the outline of his privates. So when he passed along the sage advice from his father about using one hand to handle a live electrical wire and to put the other hand in your pocket, I couldn't resist to exclaim, "Why? So you can lose what you've got down there, too?" But I digress as she pronounces her name Zhi-Tel which doesn't sound like zit. The side story is to fill Yelp space because I basically don't have much to say. As this one room gallery is the smallest of the three Palm Springs Art Museum locations, there wasn't much to write about and took only 20 minutes to see. As for Zittel's works, her empty boxes made me feel empty - much like opening a present with nothing inside. A nice job was done to transform the former bank branch and there is a free parking lot.

What an elegant repurposing of an important E .Stewart Williams building! A very glam, former "rat pack"-era bank. A real contrast to that, new tacky, "sore thumb" Rowan Hotel: Yuck! The imposing bank vault is now part of the well-stocked museum gift shop. What sexy, Hollywood secrets did those old saftey deposit boxes once contain?!? The design space is short, sophisticated and sweet. Usually two design exibits are on view. There are very nice, informative volunteers, who take great pride in sharing their community's design history with you. Schedule your visit for after 4 pm, Thursdays, for free admission. Nice, big, '59 de Ville size parking lot. A pleasant prelude to the pedestrian-only, fun Street Fair, also on Palm Canyon. Check-out the beautiful cacti garden, the original mid-century terazzo floors and the tres soigne aluminium stair rails, practical exterior movable sun screens and the original concrete friese of mode mod desert living. Mies Van der Rhoe once said, when discussing design, and he could be talking about this museum: "God is in the details" and "Less is more." AMEN, AMEN!

I am in love with this museum!!! The art is amazing!!! I will for sure be coming back The workers are very stern though, they weren't all that nice.. The Production manager (I wish I would of got his name ) was extremely serviceable and sweet though!

This is a really unique museum staffed by people who are passionate about architecture. Fabulous gift shop. I check it out every time I am in PS.

The building is just restored and awesome. The current exhibit on Williams the architect who designed the building and so much more is just amazing. However, the next exhibit does not look to be of interest to me. Be sure and check what's there and try to get in on the E Steward Williams exhibit. They are showing a film in the basement that shouldn't be missed about the Frey House II. Don't miss the basement floors plus there are very nice restrooms down there. Everything about my several visits to the Design museum has been amazing. This is not a place of interest for small children.