Modern & Contemporary Art

The collection of modern and contemporary art began with a strong foundation through the support of Donald Bear, the Museum's first Director, and pivotal gifts by Wright S. Ludington, the Ala Story Collection of International Modern Art, founding members of the Board of Trustees, and many others. These early benefactors recognized the importance of a strong modern and contemporary presence, an important objective that continues today. Over the span of nearly seventy-five years, the Museum has amassed a modern and contemporary collection with three primary areas of concentration: the art of Europe, Latin America, and the United States, with a specific emphasis on California art.