Looking for California's artistic side? Then step inside. PMCA's exhibitions and programs explore the cultural dynamics and influences that have shaped and defined Cali art in all media.

One of the area's newest museums (it opened to the public in 2002), the Pasadena Museum of California Art is dedicated to showcasing California-made art, architecture and design from 1850—the year the Golden State entered the union—to the present. The collection and exhibits are housed in a tri-level modernist building that offers a picturesque bird's eye view of Old Pasadena from its rooftop. Inside, visitors can see how California's rich mixture of cultures and geography has inspired a spirit of freedom and experimentation in its inhabitants. The museum has dedicated exhibits to the artwork of musician Herb Alpert, the figurative paintings of Raimonds Staprans and Irving Norman's surrealist works, which comment on the evils of modern society. Opening receptions are open to the public and cost $5 to attend. Besides getting to see mind-expanding art, visitors can also indulge in wine and music—quite the bargain high-class evening.