San José Museum of Art

The San José Museum of Art celebrates new ideas, stimulates creativity, and inspires connection with every visit. Welcoming and thought provoking, the Museum delights visitors with it’s surprising and playful perspective on the art and artists of our time.

SJMA is a leading showcase in the Bay Area for modern and contemporary art. The Museum has earned a reputation for its fresh, distinctive exhibitions, which are conceived to engage Museum visitors of various ages and cultural backgrounds. Through its exhibitions and programs, SJMA addresses major trends in international contemporary art, architecture, and design, with an ongoing commitment to also place the work of California artists in national and international context. The Museum strives to make significant contributions to art‑historical scholarship; address prescient issues of interest to the general public; and offer programs that reflect the rich diversity of its communities. The Museum presents nine to twelve exhibitions each year, including one‑person and thematic group exhibitions that include a range of artworks, from traditional painting to exploratory new‑media installations. Given its location in the heart of the high‑technology culture of Silicon Valley, the Museum has a substantial commitment to new work in new media, as well as to initiating special projects and commissions that reflect issues of importance to its communities.

SJMA is accredited by the American Association of Museums, a recognition given to just 750 of the nation’s 8,000 museums. A non-profit, 501(c)3 organization located on the central city plaza in downtown San José, SJMA serves 100,000 people a year, including some 40,000 school children: SJMA is the largest provider of arts education in Santa Clara County. Initiatives such as the award-winning school program Let’s Look at Art Program and SJMA’s participatory activity stations in the galleries further distinguish the Museum as an innovator in museum education.