Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Desert The Galen 72-567 Highway 111 Palm Desert, CA 92260 Located at Entrada del Paseo at the westernmost intersection of Highway 111 and El Paseo 760-346-5600
The Palm Springs Art Museum will open a new building in the city of Palm Desert on March 15, 2012. This architecturally distinctive, LEED Certified building and the beautifully landscaped gardens surrounding it will become the site of a museum and sculpture garden that will serve the middle and easternmost side of the Coachella Valley. Set in a lushly landscaped desert oasis of water features, native plants and winding walkways dotted with natural rock benches, the Palm Desert facility's sculpture garden will house the works of modern masters. The naming opportunity of the main museum building was secured by Helene Galen in honor of her late husband Lou and will be called "The Galen."
The 8,400-square-foot building will feature ongoing and temporary exhibitions of internationally important art in different media including sculpture, painting, photography, art glass, and architecture and design. The interior of the building will house four separate gallery areas for rotating exhibits. Exhibition concepts and details about the museum's plans for adding fine art sculptures to the building's beautifully landscaped gardens will be announced in the coming months.
An ambitious education program meant for visitors of all ages will accompany these exhibitions, with school tours, artist demonstrations, curatorial lectures, art films, community days, family events, and other learning programs. The education wing will enhance the Museum's capacity for creative partnerships with local organizations, schools and universities for after-school classes and intern/mentor programs. It will also provide a space for social programs for area libraries and galleries.
Outdoors, the sensory experience of the sculpture garden, with its 250,000 square feet of sculpted, rolling landscape covered with native plantings, winding pathways, and water features will be further enhanced by the addition of major sculptures in both abstract and representational styles, creating the most important sculpture garden between Los Angeles and Phoenix. The building itself is architecturally significant in not only its modern design but also in the fact that it was the first new LEED Certified, SILVER rated building constructed in Southern California, a designation used to identify high performance “green” buildings.
The Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Desert is now inviting enrollment of "Friends of Palm Desert" as part of its membership launch campaign.
The museum is currently finalizing a roster of Founder's Society members—generous donors who have contributed $25,000 towards the initial funding of the museum's building and renovation campaign. Building on that strong base of early support, the museum is also seeking "Friends of Palm Desert" whose membership commitment of $5,000 a year will assist the museum with operating costs.
Friends of Palm Desert members will receive the following special benefits:
Name listed on the Friends of Palm Desert plaque at the Palm Desert facility
An invitation for two to the private Grand Opening
A one-year complimentary membership in the prestigious President's Circle whose extensive benefits include:
Listing on the President's Circle panel in the Hall of Donors at the Palm Springs Art Museum (Palm Springs location)
Annual President's Circle cocktail party
VIP Preview tours prior to exhibition openings
Two President's Circle membership cards to ensure prompt, free admission to both museum locations
Free gift membership to the person of your choice
Additional membership cards for children and grandchildren (17 & under) upon request
12 complimentary guest-admission passes
20% discount in the Museum Store
Invitation to premier council tours and events
One complimentary catalogue/museum publication each year
Complimentary tickets to selected Annenberg Theater performances
Discount on rental of Palm Springs and Palm Desert facilities for a private event
In addition, Friends of Palm Desert will receive discounts for classes, lectures, performances and special events, use of the museum library (by appointment) as well as reciprocal free admission to over 300 museums.
Aside from the Founder's Society and Friends of Palm Desert membership levels, standard museum membership is also now open for all who wish to take advantage of both the Palm Springs and Palm Desert location offerings.
“Anyone who is already a Palm Springs Art Museum member will instantly become a member of the Palm Desert location once it opens,” explained Polzin. “They will have membership under their preferred levels at both museums for the same single price including all of the traditional benefits already offered, as well as unlimited admittance at both locations.”
Anyone interested in becoming a "Friends of Palm Desert" member may contact Greg Polzin at or 760-219-5579. Others interested in becoming members of the museum may contact Becky Moreno, Membership Manager, at or 760-322-4848.
