Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego

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MCASD
MCASD Visit Edwin 3
Photography: DoubleDoubleCreativePartners (Formerly SWISH Projects)
Photo by SWISH PROJECTS

We are excited to welcome you back to MCASD’s Flagship location in La Jolla. Explore the newly expanded collection galleries, our special exhibitions, sculpture garden, The Shop, and more.

We’re open today from 11 AM—7 PM
700 Prospect St, La Jolla, CA 92037
858-454-3541

Purchase tickets

Hours

Thursday—Saturday, 11 AM—7 PM / Sunday, 11 AM—5 PM

Monday—Wednesday, Closed

All second Sundays and third Thursdays of the month offer free admission.

Admission

$25
General
$20
San Diego County and Tijuana Residents
$15
Students & Older Adults
Older Adults 55+ with ID
Free
Members
Not a member? Join Now!
Free
25 and Under, SNAP/EBT Card Holders, Visitors with Disabilities, Military
25 & Under Generously provided by Qualcomm Foundation . The Blue Star Museum program at MCASD is generously supported by The Rosso Family Foundation.

All guests participating in reciprocal admission programs (NARM, ROAM, Mod/Co) can redeem their admission directly at the front desk.

Blue Star Families: FREE Armed Forces Day to Labor Day.

Recipients of federal disability assistance (SSDI, SSI, VA benefits, etc): FREE plus one personal care attendant per visitor.

We are proud to be part of Bank of America’s 2024 Museums on Us Program, which offers BoA cardholders free general admission to the Museum during the first full weekend of every month.

Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, and all other holidays that fall on Monday - Wednesday.

MCASD La Jolla is free on the Second Sunday and the Third Thursday of every month from 11 AM to 8 PM.

Getting Here

Getting to MCASD at 700 Prospect St, La Jolla, CA 92037

— Exit at La Jolla Village Drive
— Turn right at the end of the ramp onto La Jolla Village Drive
— Turn left at the third traffic signal onto Torrey Pines Road
— Travel approximately 4 miles down a long hill and then back up
— Turn right at the traffic signal on top of the rise of the road onto Prospect Street

MCASD is located approximately one mile down Prospect Street on the right-hand side. Free two-hour street parking is available in front of the Museum and on nearby cross streets.

— Exit at La Jolla Parkway
— Exit ramps are very long and merge directly into Torrey Pines Road
— Travel approximately 4 miles down a long hill and then back up
— Turn right at the traffic signal on top of the rise of the road onto Prospect Street

MCASD is located approximately one mile down Prospect Street on the right-hand side. Free two-hour street parking is available in front of the Museum and on nearby cross streets.

MTS Bus Line #30 services the La Jolla Village area.
— On Saturdays and Sundays, two children 12 and under ride free on MTS buses and trolleys with a regular adult fare.
— All San Diego Metropolitan Transit System trolleys and buses are wheelchair accessible.

A bike rack can be found to the left of our main entrance.

Dining at MCASD

LUNCH + DINNER + WEEKEND BRUNCH

WEDNESDAY – FRIDAY
lunch
| 11 am-2:30 pm
dinner
| 4 pm-8 pm
cafe grab + go
| 11 am-3 pm
happy hour
| 3 pm-5 pm

SATURDAY
brunch
| 9 am-2:30 pm
dinner
| 4 pm–8 pm
cafe grab + go
| 9 am-3 pm
happy hour
| 3 pm-5 pm

SUNDAY
brunch
| 9 am-2:30 pm

from the culinary team behind southern california's urban kitchen group.

The Kitchen at MCASD is the latest addition to restaurateur Tracy Borkum and Executive Chef Tim Kolanko’s CUCINA family of restaurants. Borkum is known for presenting exceptional food and superior service in imaginatively designed environments, including CUCINA urbana, CUCINA enoteca Del Mar, Newport Beach and Irvine, ARTIFACT at Mingei, Gold Finch modern delicatessen, Morena Provisions, Urban Kitchen food pavilion at the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park and Urban Kitchen Catering.

The Kitchen @mcasd menu is crafted by Tim Kolanko, Chef Partner, Urban Kitchen Group. The Kitchen draws inspiration from the regions southern europe, northern africa, and the middle east - including italy, greece, spain, turkey, israel and morocco.

See the menu
PH: 858-454-3541 x507

Visitor Guidelines

Our entrances and most restrooms are wheelchair accessible with a limited number of wheelchairs available at Front Desk.

No animals allowed except trained service animals. Pets, comfort animals and emotional support animals are not permitted.

Items + Bags larger than 16” x 16” with a strap length on 9” must be stored in our free lockers. The Museum is not responsible for lost or stolen items.

No food or drink in the galleries.

Smoking and e-cigarettes are not permitted anywhere on the grounds.

Sketching is permitted in the galleries with pencil only. No ink or paint is permitted. sketchbooks must be no larger than 8 ½ x 11 inches (21 ½ x 28 centimeters).

We encourage all visitors to engage with the artwork in a safe and respectful manner. Please do not touch works of art on display and be mindful of safety barriers in place for certain artworks.

Photographs and video are permitted unless stated otherwise with no flash. No selfie sticks, tripods, light panels, or professional equipment is permitted.

Photography and digital documentation may be restricted in some galleries if noted.

Disruptive cell phone conversations are also discouraged.

No photo/video of staff or security features is permitted.

Valet parking is available for all visitors. When planning your visit, you can reserve valet parking. Pricing is $10 for Members and $15 for Non-member visitors (Museum Membership or ticket purchase will be verified on arrival).

The parking garage entrance is around the corner from the main museum entrance, on Cuvier St, just before Coast Blvd. Guests will then exit the parking garage, walk up Cuvier St toward Prospect St and enter through the front doors of MCASD. Guests requiring ADA access will be escorted through an alternate pathway into the Museum lobby.

Alternatively, free two-hour street parking is available in front of the Museum and on nearby cross streets.

For large groups and school groups, we ask that all self-guided tours be booked two weeks prior through our website to accommodate the high volume of visitors.

If the tour is not booked ahead of time it is not guaranteed that we can accommodate you.

You may view our tours page here.

Frequently Asked Question

MCASD is committed to welcoming a wide and diverse audience, including those assisted by trained service animals. MCASD complies with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), which defines service animals as a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. The task(s) performed by the dog must be directly related to the person’s disability. MCASD allows service dogs in all public areas of the museum. No animals allowed except trained service animals. Pets, comfort animals and emotional support animals are not permitted. MCASD does not allow Emotional Support Animals (ESA) inside the museum. Emotional Support Animals, Comfort Animals, or Therapy Animals which provide comfort do not qualify as service animals under the ADA. The following questions may be asked of each visitor with a service dog: What work or task has the dog been trained to perform? If the dog is out of control or not housebroken, the handler will be asked to remove the dog from the museum.

We’re sorry—food and beverages aren’t allowed inside the museum. Please leave food and beverage items in the car or at home or dispose of them in a trash can outside of the museum.

We do not have a coat/bag check, but we do have a limited number of free self-service lockers for your use at our La Jolla location. Please pack lightly as the lockers are not large.  Items + Bags larger than 16” x 16” with a strap length on 9” must be stored in our free lockers. The Museum is not responsible for lost or stolen items.

Benches are located throughout the museum and we have portable stools available by request.

Wheelchairs will be available at the front desk on a first-come, first-served basis. Wheelchairs will be cleaned and sanitized after each use.

All sales are final, and ticket purchases are non-refundable. While we do not offer refunds on tickets, we can reschedule your ticket(s) for another date. Please email info@mcasd.org with the name on the order and the preferred date. Please remember that tickets can only be scheduled/rescheduled from Thursday to Sunday.

Free lockers are available for all visitors. Calm Room available for all guests. Visitors are welcome to request a stool at our front desk to enhance their gallery experience. Public Wi-Fi is available

Children and their adults must stay together at all times. No running or jumping within the museum. Stroller parking available within our lobby area.

MCASD is committed to creating an inclusive environment and accommodating our audience's diverse needs. If you require any special assistance while visiting MCASD, please contact us at 858 454 3541 or email info@mcasd.org to make arrangements.

Explore MCASD with our Digital Guide, accessible on Bloomberg Connects—the FREE arts and culture app. Our commitment to accessibility means that culture is within reach for all, wherever you may be. Learn about MCASD exhibitions, collections, and insights through features like curated content, audio tours, program videos, and more, all conveniently available for free download.

The Shop at MCASD strives to be an original voice in the La Jolla, CA retail landscape, supporting the Museum’s commitment to celebrate the vitality of contemporary art and its power to enrich our everyday life. Members receive a 10% discount.

Top: Photography: DoubleDoubleCreativePartners (Formerly SWISH Projects) |