This 1,720 square metre exhibition space, just a half-hour drive from downtown Phoenix, seeks to challenge expectations in art, architecture, and design. The Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA), located in sunny Scottsdale, Arizona, is an inexpensive treat for art lovers children under the age of fifteen never pay for entry, and on Thursdays, everyone gets in free.
The SMoCA was founded in 1999 to showcase the labours of local, national, and international artists and to educate audiences about contemporary work. Its concentration is on work from the 1950s onward, and the art is split up into five main galleries. The exhibits and programs are meant to intrigue, inspire, and provoke the viewer—which they certainly do.
In addition to the galleries, there are education programs which are geared mostly toward youngsters, such as Art Start for pre-schoolers and Art Days for elementary-aged kids. Guided tours are available for visitors of all ages, and the museum offers a free guided tour on Thursdays.
You can spend hours exploring this intriguing museum, but be sure to leave time to walk around outside, as the building itself is a work of art. A movie theatre once occupied the site where the SMoCA now stands it was completely renovated to become a more minimalist structure. The sparkling steel facade reflects the blue desert sky, and the purple-grey metal that covers mirrors the shadows left by the fading sunset on the McDowell Mountain Range to the east.
Writers and performers share true stories and live music in the SMoCA Lounge on Fridays and Saturdays. In addition to these live events, there are always unique exhibitions and special fundraisers going on, so check out the SMoCA’s calendar of events when planning your visit.
