Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art

This museum tries to be historical and artistic at the same time but completely fails at both. The best part was the children’s art section. Clearly art has nothing to do with taste. I want my money back. The chiluly was pretty cool though but i recommend looking at it from the glass outside the building in-order to avoid paying for a ticket.

Wow, what a great show! Just saw the DUKE RILEY exhibit. What a treat. It was the highlight of our visit to Virginia Beach.

First time visitor myself and my mom. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and would most certainly return. We drove from North Carolina and this museum was our first stop. The exhibits were intriguing and so well put together! The interior, exterior and the grounds surrounding the building are also very beautiful to look at. 10/10 experience.

My family (children 10 & 13) stopped by here on a Sunday. The building itself is quite pretty, and the staff was just lovely. The entire place takes no more than an hour to go through, but it was a really pleasant hour. Aside from the main exhibit, there was quite a bit of student art on display. There were also three art/crafting stations that we all enjoyed working at as we made our way through the galleries. I think it was a lovely little stop - peaceful compared to the surrounding beach area. We saw people of all ages walking through, including families with young kids. Highly recommended.

Great place to spend an afternoon. When we visited, we enjoyed an exhibit that had school-aged kiddos' work on display (Included our favorite pieces in my attached pics). The other exhibits were interesting. They were mainly focused on climate changes and the environment. The museum is large and also has a theater within it where I watched a commentary about the pieces on display. They also sell food and beverages which are not permitted in the exhibits.

Very cool and amazing art. The nice person who acknowledged us when we walked in was helpful in making us feel welcome. This person directed us to start to the right. As we began the children's art was fabulous. Then we proceeded to the main gallery art exhibit.

Very nice place to go and has interactive activities for children. I thought it was a very cute place to go especially for relaxing. It was free for us to go in since the Virginia Beach City pays for this place to stay open and up. It’s a small but good Museum for your day on vacation when you want to relax and just enjoy art and what it offers to your mind. It had different types of art too, painting, prints, sculpture, and videos! All loved and appreciated. They also have a cute gift shop full of books and stickers! Very nice place and would come back again one day in the future.

It was a very cool experience. The displays also change frequently, so you can always see something different! It's also free for in state residents.

This review is for Thank You Gallery. Tucked inside another museum, Thank You Gallery is a hidden gem in Virginia worth seeking out. The space is intimate but thoughtful, and the curation feels fresh and intentional. Andrew (who worked there) was excellent -- welcoming, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about the work on display. Definitely a nice surprise and well worth a stop if you're in the area.

Lovely museum. When I went they had a student exhibit and a Duke Riley exhibit! I really liked the museum. Everything was interactive. We could have gotten an audio tour if we had liked. They had a section to draw and to read. I love the idea that they have children's and adult classes I'd love to attend one. The museum was also free to Va residents! Took about 30-45 minutes to go through everything. Was told that the art would be different in August, can't wait to return!

Just wanted to share the goodness that is the Virginia MOCA. I've been coming here for years, and every visit has been amazing. They really take the time to curate beautiful stories that need to be told from the community and I learn something about the Hampton Roads area every time I go There are multiple galleries in this museum. There's one in the wing where classes are held. There's the main gallery which just finished the Collector's Edition this past season. There's an interactive hallway-which is usually my favorite. It's great to enjoy with kids, a partner, friends, or by yourself if you have the time. I'll usually be there for hours. There are hands on activities, videos, a book corner, a photo both with a wall backdrop painted by a local artist. Then there's the hallway that leads up to the glass chandelier and the auditorium. That one had the open call Art! I love seeing familiar names on the art descriptions and learning about new ones. It's a nice ambiance. They even hold events such as the something in the water seat at the table, weddings, etc. The front desk is helpful with every question I've had. It's super easy to book a ticket with the museum. And visits are free! That's the most amazing part, right? Accessibility. Take the time to visit your local museum. Or come in if you're visiting Virginia Beach!

Going back to Louisiana, Sophia and I went to museums to tour local exhibitions. It's a great interest to have if you're into art. To be honest, it was a long time since we went to a museum. And I can't even tell you the year unfortunately. But it's Memorial Day weekend so it was enough time to break the streak. So after eating breakfast, we stopped here right after they opened up. It's free for Virginia locals and MOCA members. After checking in at the front desk, off to looking at art we went. On the outside, the building appears to be at least two stories where you go up and down stairs. Not the case. Everything is one story and you'll probably be done looking at everything for at least an hour unless you want to sit down in the auditorium to view a video. The art alone was excellent. In the Fleming Hall, artwork from locals ranging from High School to even Elementary School is on display. Some are set at buying prices while others are not. Once you see the pictures, you'll know what I'm talking about. For the main exhibition, artwork from Mark Dion and Alexis Rockman is on display. Also there's an exhibition from Spenser Tinkhan on sculptures of birds. To end the tour, you have a large glass sculpture called Mille Colori. The picture alone doesn't do it justice. Also, if you want to know more about some of the artwork, they have an audio description both in English and Spanish. Definitely not a bad visit. We can definitely come back next time for another round

I decided to take myself to the Virginia Beach museum of contemporary art today and was glad to see it was free of charge for Virginia residents. I saw the American contemporary artist Duke Riley featuring amazing works of art making use of plastic items we throw away and seashells. There was also a children's art exhibit featuring wonderful art. I enjoyed my time there and will definitely return to see different exhibits.

The Virginia Art Museum is a small but lovely spot with a diverse collection. Despite its size, it offers a rich experience and is perfect for a peaceful visit.

My friends rented this place out for a wedding and it turned out beautifully. Small but beautiful I terrior space so the number of people it fits is limited. Each phase of the wedding had an intermission where staff would change out the setting from reception, wedding, dinner, and then dance floor fun with DJ. Things that would have been nice/things that needed to be fixed: outdoor heaters set up for the ladies wearing dresses (it was cold out) and we were waiting for the room to be changed over, the food servers forgot some of the tables when it came to food service (it was a bit disjointed) some people were finished with their salads as other people at the table hadn't gotten theirs yet. Coffee service was also a bit awkward... Bottom line: Lovely venue...just needs to be a bit more professional on the service side.

My wife wanted to go here and it wasn't even on my radar. It should have been. Beautiful museum and the best thing, IT'S FREE - but they do ask you to make reservations. There is a donation box and of course we donated. Nicely laid out, you can enter the galleries through their own entrance or walk through the connecting passage ways. Great pieces of art and the finale 1000 colors glass sculpture was spectacular.

Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art is located in a beautiful building that also hosts weddings. On a warm day, it's nice to walk into their air conditioned building. The art work is quite simple and elegant. Highly recommend a visit. It's free for Virginia residents. Just go online to reserve your ticket.

I loved my recent visit to the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, in which the featured exhibition was the 'Summer of Women' - this was a collection of 'She Says: Women', 'Words and Power', 'Amplify', and 'Lauren Keim: Everyday Magic', which all provided both the setbacks and the advances of women. LOVE! Artists from VA, MD, NC, and DC were featured, but my absolute favorite was all the work by artist Nastassja Swift - she's a sculptural fiber artist and uses portraiture through wool - I was absolutely enchanted with all her pieces!!! The staff here were so welcoming, friendly, and helpful. There's a little gift shop behind where you check-in, and the space is really set-up quite nicely. The visit was generously funded by the Goode Family Foundation, admission was free, but you'd just have to register online in advance, which was super easy to do. I can't wait to check out other future events and exhibitions they'll hold. Plenty of parking in their private lot. +great exhibits +friendly staff +plenty of parking in private lot

Stopped by the VA MOCA as I was exploring VB! Exhibits were interesting and loved how admission is free. It was very easy to reserve tickets online via their website. Very much enjoyed the interactive exhibitions as well as the ArtLAB area. Most exhibits connect so it was easy to explore everything in about 1-1.5 hours. There is a cute family-owned book store for any souvenirs or gifts. Free parking available on site.

Had an event planned since March of this year, worked it out with the coordinator, shared the link my organization created. 2 days prior to my event the museum cancelled on me causing me to issue refunds, losing money, embarrassing my company and hurting my reputation. Very sad organization. Never had this experience with other established museums.

Really beautiful and well done museum - everything was thoughtfully curated and displayed. I loved the interactive art stations at the Mya Lin exhibit. Every employee we encountered was very helpful. Definitely don't miss this spot!

I have attended several events over the years at MOCA. It's been quite some time since I toured the museum itself. Of note is the spectacular Chantilly piece that hangs from the ceiling. Last weekend I attended the DanceSpace Showcase. My daughter is a member of the company. Other area dance companies use the auditorium as well. MOCA is located blocks from the oceanfront. Parking is in front and side. For larger events there is not enough spaces. With double parking it can work. The main foyer is impressive. Tile floor, high ceiling and trees with white lighting. It is very beautiful. This area is often event space. The auditorium which I'm very familiar with is an excellent small, but modern theater. It seats a few hundred in comfortable seats. The stage is perfect for smaller shows. Virginia Beach is a lucky city to have a modern art museum as well maintained as MOCA.

COVID-19, pandemic times review update. In October 2020, I made my first trip to MOCA in what felt like a gazillion days. I'm a member, so if the pandemic hadn't occurred I would have visited at least a few times by now. I kind of wanted to mention something about not being able to take advantage of my membership but it didn't really seem appropriate for the time, I came to enjoy art. Everyone is simply doing the best they can during a time of great uncertainty. I was the first guest to arrive for my time slot which was at opening. I viewed every single piece of exhibited art in 30 minutes and never crossed paths with a single individual. The only person I interacted with was the lady that checked me in - she was safely behind a very large plexiglass barrier. Here's what you need to know: MOCA is open Thursday-Sunday. Admission is FREE to everyone thanks to a wonderful patron. You need to go to the MOCA site to reserve your FREE ticket/s. YES children count. 10 visitors are allowed per half-hour time slot. You MUST wear a MASK. Arrive a few minutes early to be checked in. Follow the posted instruction/directional signs. Do not touch the books in the reading nook, instead take a picture of the books and/or the reading list. There is a NEW exit: the atrium where the ornate glass art hangs from the ceiling. Do NOT go back to the front from here. You must EXIT the building and then walk back around to the front entrance. MOST importantly ENJOY THE ART.

Something nice to do on a rainy day. They had an interesting womens exhibit. Free to get in due to a grant. We spent maybe an hour there. I think they just have exhibits. Lots of room. They have an auditorium but nothing was happening there.

The time I was at the VA MOCA it looked like they damaged all the artworks picture frames. Haven't been back. Wasn't impressed. Now with everything going on it seems everything is Black women arts and artists. Not interested still. Maybe if inclusion didn't mean a quick change dichotomy for the VA Beach MOCA.

Moca is a small contemporary museum near the waterfront featuring art by living artists. It's current feature is va beach native, michael kagan: "i was there when it happened". The art is mostly oil on canvas with heavy brushwork and thick paint. His talents showcase space and landing on the moon. This exhibit will show through mid February. It only takes a short time to View and I recommend his work. Admission is $8 unless you are military. They often have free events and community art classes!

I peeped the MOCA on the way into VA Beach via a sign and kept it on my radar to check out. I think this is the best $5.25 I've spent on anything in a while minus coffee!!! The inside is open and inviting, housing de seal pieces of fascinating art by Inka Essenhigh and other artists. Such colorful and thought provoking pieces you can feel yourself getting lost on the pictures. You can take all the time you need to savior each piece of art. Cutest part of the MOCA is a comic strip booth with catchy signs they created that you can use to make your own four scene comic strip. Once you are done you can email or text it to yourself! Don't like the first one, you can redo it as many times as you need to get it right! When the weather is hot out, the coolness of this place will reset your internal temperature quick!

Looking for something to do with family on a gray and rainy day, we decided to check out the museum as we're lovers of art! Myself being in the visual arts, and my wife being in writing. So when we arrived at the MOCA, we were happily welcomed by a sight that reminded us of a similar museum in Hawaii! A peaceful, lush setting that we then discovered housed a small, focused installation curated around women artists. Admission was also free, which of course prompted us to donate generously due to the wonderful experience and beautiful setting. Great activity anytime rain or shine and will come again if we're back in VB!

Awesome free exhibits. Hands on stuff for kids. Only criticism is the lack of a café. Seems like it's a no brainer for raising money. So, don't go hungry or thirsty.

Stunning structure and close to the beach (not enough to walk though!), the MOCA seems more slated as an event venue than an art museum. We stopped in and they were "between exhibits" which I suppose is normal during the off season. The museum shop was open and a small exhibit of student artists was on display. Some of those students are quite talented and it was a nice little exhibit. You'll probably want to check the website before coming over. Which I didn't do. You'll also want to program your GPS as it might be a challenge to find.

Well I must say I've been here three times and all three times were for the Wine by Design event hosted by the museum. Therefore, I have no idea what the museum features, but they know how to host an event. This event is apart of a yearly fundraising project the museum hosts around February. This is also a themed event and this year it was "Aqua" Here at the event items are featured in a silent auction for party goers to bid on throughout the night. Items up for grabs included: hotel packages, wine packages, iFly packages, several restaurant packages and a hosts of other deals. I put in a bid for several items but I lost. Nevertheless, this event is always a good time. About 20 vendors (restaurants) feature some kind of edible dish for all to sample through the night. Wine glasses are given out upon entry and depending on your ticket purchases drink tickets are included. This year wasn't as packed as the previous two events I attended, but still worth our time. One day I do plan to return for "family free fun" days and different artsy events they host. As a matter of fact they are always hosting events for their members and events they even open to the public. This venue is pretty cool and only minutes from the Virginia Beach oceanfront. The parking lot is right outside the building. Make it a date night or bring the entire family here...they definitely update their website with lots of events for all. Have fun :)

Only giving this a three because not enough variation or work there. However, today was a very interesting showcase of a Kara Walker, an African American woman who has a very interesting approach to slavery and history. I did enjoy her work, I got it quite nicely (except for one part which just made me want to look up about her). But her work provoked immediate feelings of horror, sadness, joy, and even stereotypical depictions you knew where and whence it came from and just saw it all clearly. Very well done showcase of her talent. There are a couple other artists depicted and some student work but it's a small place and needs more in there. This time was strong black women artists. Some of the kids artwork was amazing. Like to see space outside to sit etc and more flowers etc. The building itself is huge. So I am only giving my review based on the "museum" part, but it's my understanding this is a great place where workshops are held, they have an auditorium where I'm going to assume lectures take place and someone was having a wedding there today... so this place offers much more than the museum part. I'm sure some of the local artists would tell you more and it'd be four stars at minimum. Worth a stop for sure. Just needs MORE.

Was expecting a museum and cultural experience looked like an empty lot with broken into car in the staff parking. Was not impressed with the tiny building and lack of activity. Nice woods around the area but not someplace I would hang out.

I just had my Art CRush cherry AND my MOCA cherry popped at the same time! Talk about filling two needs with one deed! I happened to scout the MOCA website and found the "Art Crush" events that occur after hours. It's an innovative, fresh way to look at Art and actually get into the psyche of your friends, date, SOs or complete strangers. Truly & Rebecca were great! They ran the Art Crush night and were organized, friendly, funny and down to earth!! They mentioned they change up the themes and activities of these nights so it never gets stale. The main activity of tonight was a spin on OK CUpid where instead of speed dating looking to date other people, you and your group had to personify the piece of artwork you chose and answer questions as if you were the piece of art. Afterwards we reconvened to do the actual speed dating of the artwork deeming whether our chosen piece of art was deemed worthy of "hanging " out on the wall next to our own art. Through this activity we actually look at art through a different perspective perhaps not only through the artist's eyes but our own as well. Based on our answers and own description of our "art" Selves we came to a realization of our own perceptions probably based on our actual personalities and projected it onto the piece of artwork. After all art is open to different interpretations and perceptions as well as provides insight into others as well as ourselves. Now the art museum itself, is fairly small but still holds interesting pieces with rotating art. The staff that was there during this event were friendly and polite about informing me not to take pictures in the gallery. It was something fun and different to do. It also is a good way acquaint yourself with others without the awkwardness of forced/contrived conversations. Also it's a very inexpensive date $11 for two if you have AAA or are military. The other fun pre art gallery activity was making throwback heart throb buttons. I thought it was pretty fun to choose your favorite celebrity crush and turn it into a button!! They do offer drinks for sale for $5 I think during the pre art gallery tour activity. Oh after Art Crush they allow you 30 minutes to roam the gallery on your own.

It was small but beautiful. I loved how it was interactive and displayed children's art. Check it out for a quick trip!

Although I'm a lifelong local, I visited the MOCA this summer for the first time. I was looking for something fun to do on a summer day in the city. The museum is smaller than I anticipated, but it is a nice outing. The audio tracks to accompany the artwork was amazing: perfect for an art history nerd. I will definitely stay updated for new exhibits.

Had a wonderful visit to the Virginia MOCA this month. I've never seen this type of creativity in North Carolina's art galleries. Every time I turned a corner my jaw dropped. The room with the Chinese dragon was my favorite!

This place was really cute! However, it was really small. Justin and I love seeing contemporary art because of how weird it can be sometimes and that's exactly what we got: awesomely weird galleries! They charged us about $5.50 for tickets. The first exhibit we saw was pretty cool, because it was only local Virginia artists. I think this was really meaningful for Justin, because he grew up in Virginia Beach. I was a big fan of the glass pottery. The next gallery we saw was Ryan McGinness artworks. Some of them are so surreal because it takes 3D to the next level, there are paintings embedded in a real live set. For example, the wall is painted, but it had real paintings hanging in there. It's really difficult to describe, but it's so awesome to see. We even got a poster for us to take home from here. The third gallery was interactive and felt like arts and crafts in elementary school. I would have spent more time here if I knew we weren't really in a rush, but we drew things to put on the wall. On our way out we saw the most amazing chandelier and then we sat and watched a mini documentary about Youth who are amazingly artistic and talented. Although we only spent an hour to an hour and a half here, it was an awesome experience.

This is a really small museum that seems to normally feature 2 main exhibits and a couple of small hall way/niche exhibits, a colorful chandelier room, an atrium that can host an event du jour and a ~280-man theater. The museum is a coop with the city and is mostly well kept and with knowledgeable/passionate staff. About $8 or $5.50 with a student/senior/mil discount. The grounds are well kept with some of the botany planted by a local gardening society. Given its size, I would prefer that this place would run themes or genres instead of featured artist exhibits. I would recommend checking up on facebook or their website to see if you actually would like the exhibits first. Since art is subjective and really a matter of perception, I'll keep my comments on the exhibits brief. I am not a big fan of the metalwork outside by the Lasser guy, I don't see much artistic quality nor any particular mastery in metal working. The main exhibit was Tracey Snelling's Woman on the Run exhibit which was a collection of photo/video/diorama/life-size interactive pieces. This exhibit is fun for the whole family I think and the motel room you can walk through gave me goosebumps... I don't know why. There are LCDs, projectors and monitors put up on constructed buildings of several sizes where you're supposed to gather clues and decide why this gal was on the run. Even a phone you can pick up and listen in on a call! If you go this fall, this is the exhibit worth the visit. The Martin and Munoz exhibit I didn't care much for. It's a feature of dark-themed snow globes and photos of snow globes which to me had the craftsmanship of a hobbyist (The photos by Munoz were actually superb). I don't like to poo-poo an artist for deviating from reality, but Martin's figurines are wearing skirts and rolled sleeves in a snow covered tundra, which to me, I just can't get in to. Have some semblance of reality please, otherwise it looks lazy... 31 yelps review challenge 19/31

There were 3 artists with collections.... and 2 artists with ONE piece each; sculptures outside; and basically...that's it. Their movie theater is streaming a super cool short film festival but all the films are online on Youtube and Vimeo. I would check out their website before coming in to see and pay for art here. It's $7 admission for hardly any art. The vibe I get is this is more of an event space (weddings, corporate parties) rather than an actual museum. So party spot first; museum second. What I truly didn't appreciate is I was there Saturday 1pm and right when I walked in, they were setting up for a wedding reception in the lobby. It was noisy and distracting the entire time I was there with traffic of tables/chairs/workers/event planners. Like don't make people pay admission for that vibe............. they close at 4pm. It would have been more appropriate to start setting up at closing time! I definitely WOULD NOT come here with kids. They have an art room with crayons, black markers, colored pencils, scrapbook paper, glue, and scissors. Sure that sounds nice and all, but it's not worth it as a destination if you're looking for a kid museum--because outside this room, the art isn't colorful or interesting enough for kids. And I couldn't imagine paying admission for "borrowing crayons." The gift shop is fairly disappointing. Customer service is adequate. If you're looking for art, I highly recommend the Chrysler--it's free with TONS of art. They have a contemporary collection.

Came here today on a date and loved it, had a great experience. They have both a student and active military discount so for 2 adults it was only $11. There was practically no one else there on a Saturday afternoon. The lady at the front desk and super friendly and even drew us out a map detailing the exhibits. There were 3 different rooms, though 2 of those were for single (giant) pieces. One of those rooms (the last one) was permanent while the others rotated through out the year. It's small but had great art, lot of it local and some even by young aspiring teen artists! There were 2 interactive drawing stations that kids would love. We got there 45 minutes before they closed but were able to slowly walk through it and even browse the gift shop. Towards the end there was a theatre for movies I guess but nothing was playing. (We probably got there too late.) The lobby of the building had many live trees and tables in it so I would assume they also can hold events. There were pamphlets advertising artistic classes (painting, photography) and a Valentines event and even a family/kids paint night. They seem like a great community center! The building also looked great from the outside and had cool art in the parking lot, which was a good size. It was also right off the freeway and close to the beach, great location.

Smaller than it appears. I'm glad that I didn't pay admission (they are a Blue Stars Museum), because it was a little bit of a let down. When I visited today, I walked into the lobby and saw some sort of meeting/gathering. Tons of people everywhere. It was quite difficult to enter the galleries as the people milled about. When I checked in at the front desk, the staff member didn't indicate what the group was there for or acknowledge the intrusion. One of the galleries (the Southern Routes) was excellent. The other wasn't exactly my style, but was interesting. The community gallery wasn't anything special and the final gallery was actually completely empty (which the staff member didn't mention either). Tiny gift shop shoved behind the admissions desk, so I didn't even bother looking. I did really enjoy the short video in the theater. I actually spent most of my time in there. But overall, a short visit and an uncomfortable one trying to navigate around the crowd. Not worth a repeat visit.

We had such a great time at the Wayne White Exhibition event we are becoming members. It was an absolute great experience that we can not wait to do again and again! We loved getting to meet the artist and see all the exhibits. Also loved the cocktail hour and getting to try food from the local vendors! I highly recommend this museum for a nice day trip or if you are planning a wedding or event it's a gorgeous space!

I was expecting an experience similar to MoMA (in New York) and was sadly mistaken. I drove all the way out to Virginia Beach (this museum is located not far from the shore) and was highly disappointed. The museum itself is super small, had few offerings in terms of pieces and artwork and the depth of work was not exhibited in a way that I could truly enjoy. The collection was quite disjointed, and on top of that, they charge a fee to enter the museum (and Chrysler, which has way more to offer, doesn't). Also, I went alone and the museum was about empty. There were two creepy men in there (I guess who worked there) who all of a sudden appeared out of nowhere and startled me. Both were saying something like "Welcome to the museum" and I guess, trying to greet me (which is how I know they weren't just paying visitors) but they didn't have on museum T-shirts or uniforms. I'm not typically a woman scared of strangers or anything like that but it was just creepy and led me to shorten my visit. The gift shop features overpriced items (very few from the actual artists whose works are being exhibited.) I was just thrown off and disappointed by what I saw after finally getting a chance to go to this museum. The only bright side to my experience was the young man at the reception desk. He was friendly and as helpful as he could be. If you have small children or are expecting a more heightened museum experience, don't waste the gas or money traveling here.

Small museum but filled with many creative art. The price was affordable. I love how quiet and peaceful it was in there. Looks like a beautiful building to rent and hold events. Recommend a visit if you're bored and in the area.

Coming from a non-artsy type person...this place is pretty cool. Not many folks are familiar with the VA MOCA. I hope this review brings them add'l attention. I popped in here once in 2009 for a wedding. Good spot for a small wedding. I popped in here Friday night for the Andy Warhol exhibition and birthday bash celebrating his life. The staff here put on quite the show. My girlfriend and I toured the exhibit, enjoyed some cocktails with Yelpers and random folks, and enjoyed the nice atmosphere this place has to offer. I actually have a deep down interest in art and enjoy visiting museums. I'd like to come back and see what this place really has to offer. The only thing that irked me about the place was the "Review us on TripAdvisor" sign in the bathroom. Yelp life son!!!!!

Yea MOCA! Boo for your stealth ninja location... In comparison to the much larger Chrysler Museum, this place packs a lot of character and potential. They have rotating exhibits throughout the year so there's always something new. I love that they had a full exhibit of my fave artist: Warhol, just recently. Complete with a small room for hands on activities and crafts :) They have this epic glass chandelier in the back room that could also be converted as a small venue for private parties. A friend of a friend had her wedding there. Fab! There's also a small theater for whatever exhibit they are showing. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable. Pretty clean place but uber small shop. Wish they had more stuff for me to take home ha. But then again, my wallet is glad that they don't. Definitely the best museum to visit for A.D.D. kiddos like myself. Finished roaming in less than an hour. Bam! 4 stars for the stealth mode location.

We spent a pleasant morning here while recovering from a sunburn lol. We loved the exhibits and the facility was beautiful! And it was CHEAP. $15 for two adults.

This is a neat little art gallery just a ways from the oceanfront. They are only big enough to carry three or so exhibitions at a time so you can make quick work of the place. The day we went the prices were great...as in free! They were running some deal where military and retired military get free admission. I still stuffed some cash into the donation box since my wife and I are fans not only of the MOCA but art galleries in general. They make where you live better. They also do events on occasion at the MOCA so hit up there website once in a while. You might find a very affordable way to kill a couple of hours if you get sick of sand and tourists.

Very nice collection of contemporary art and an excellent way to spend a few hours while at VA Beach. The museum is not very big, so you can tour the entire collection in about 2-3 hrs. Plenty of free parking, but the museum charges a small admission fee. BTW - They have a Chihuly chandelier with it's own special room that is really amazing and worth the admission and time to see alone.

This place was ok. It reminded me of a high school art gallery. It was creative....but nothing to go out of your way for

Whether you are an artist, art-enthusiast, tourist, or local this museum is about all you could hope for to have in your community. Virginia MOCA is recognized internationally for the quality of their exhibitions and the creative ways that they engage with people. Just about any big gallery in the US knows of Virginia MOCA, and that is largely due to the amazing people who work incredibly hard at the museum. It is one of the cleanest museums that I have been to. There is no permanent collection, so you see a lot of fresh new art each time they change exhibits. Don't take this museum for granted, it's a must visit for anyone. The cost of admission comes out to about 50 cents per WHOA!

came to visit while staying in Virginia Beach. the art is amazing and uncensored but i felt majority of the energy was focused on depression/mental issues. the facility seemed big on the outside but only a portion of it is dedicated to the art. it wasn't crowded during my time there but it seemed like it was a hot spot during peak seasons. the staff wasn't rude and they also have a gift shop. photography isn't allowed while viewing the art.

We do not recommend MOCA. Several issues we brought up in advance were not taken care of, and more issues arose the night of our wedding. We were members of the museum and frequented it often, but each time we'd go, the bathrooms would be dirty, and would have little to no soap/paper towels. We brought this up to the event manager and she said she had noticed the same, and would ensure those would not be problems during our wedding. On the big day, bathrooms were dirty, we ran out of paper towels after 1.5 hours, and there was no soap. Let me reiterate. No soap. All of our guests, and our catering staff, were left rinsing hands in just water and then drying them on their clothes or shaking them to air dry. Hard to believe a venue that regularly hosts events and weddings would not supply soap and paper towels, which are very basic necessities. There are also sinks/toilets in the getting ready rooms, but no paper towels or soap were supplied in those rooms. In the women's getting ready room, the toilet began to leak. After just 3 uses from the bridal party, the room was flooding, and with no onsite manager present, we were cleaning it ourselves. It is hard to believe no one knew about the toilet in advance considering how much it leaked. Now for the grossest part: throughout the evening, there were several HUGE cockroaches running around. One ran into the getting ready room area and the rest were all out where we were eating, dancing, and trying to enjoy ourselves. Some were stomped on, others were chased back into the trees (the venue has lovely trees inside...which apparently house bugs). The most frustrating and disheartening part of this is that we brought up all of these issues to the event manager after the fact, and she never responded. Not even to offer a simple, "I'm sorry." So again, we do not recommend this venue. There are other gorgeous options to choose from in the Virginia Beach area that will care more about their client's experience/well-being.

Pleasant visit compliments of the Virginia Beach summer reading program. Several interesting exhibits for all ages.

A beautiful building with awesome modern art statues, the thing that strikes me about the Contemporary Arts Center is that it seems kind of empty. Maybe that's the minimalist modern art part of it... But it's a cool place to visit for many different reasons. They have a theater area for plays, ceremonies, fashion shows and other small events. There's some pretty cool art in the gallery, but the main attractions for me are the sculptures. They have an awesome gigantic "chandelier" by glass artist Dale Chihuly that sends me spinning every time I look up at it. I know many people who have had beautiful weddings here. I recommend if you're planning your nuptials or any other small ceremony that you want to have a contemporary classy feel, check out the rates for this local landmark.

Love love this place. We hold 2 company events here each year. The venue is so elegant without a single decoration - the art frames any event. The staff from security to food services are outstanding. Parking is convenient and a great central location in RVA. A true masterpiece.