This is a lovely small museum that showcases Impressionistic California art from 1890-1930. The works are largely donated by the Irvine family--particularly Joan Irvine Smith. Some of them are masterpieces of the era. At first it feels a bit stuffy, but the museum reach out to children and introduces them to Impressionism. I was amazed by a wall with original... More

Worth a detour if you like fine art , impressionism, and the California landscapes! We are lucky to have such a collection right here

Collection is a narrow focus of California impressionists in the 1900s. Excellent choice of art books on the same subject.

The Irvine Museum specializes in California Impressionists and they have probably the best collection anywhere. They mount six or seven different exhibits each year, all drawn from their extensive collection. California Impressionist works ran to bright, light, landscapes. Most artists were primarily interested in the natural world, and there are relatively few human figures in the paintings. The colors are... More

My husband and I were coming back from lunch and saw a sigh for the Irvine Museum. We pulled in, parked our car, found the entrance and, What a surprise!! This small but very upscale museum had beautiful painting from local artist. The staff was very knowable on the artist making this a great hidden delight in our own backyard.

I wanted to take my 87 year old mother to a museum with Plein Air art as I knew she would enjoy the style. The Irvine Museum specializes in the style and rotates their selections/shows often during the year. The space may be small but the opportunity to closly examine the paintings is priceless. A very comfortable space with knowledgable... More

The collection was manageable after an upscale lunch with friends and we enjoyed its location and presentation; thanks to the private collector for making it available to us

Exhibits change several times a year. Although we have attended most exhibits for several years, they have not repeated themselves. Paintings are outstanding and ideally exhibited. If you love impressionism, Plein Air painting, and (or) California, you will love this small, impeccably curated museum.

This museum displays pieces of Joan Irvine Smith's vast personal collection of stunningly beautiful works of the California Impressionist artists from 1890 to 1930. Though smaller in scale, it is better than anything else on the west coast, including the museums in San Francisco and LA. The exhibits change 5 to 6 times a year and always contain only paintings... More