Director's Desk
Welcome to our Director's Desk, where you'll find personal letters from our Executive Director that offer insights into the Museum's heart and vision, share stories behind our collections, and connect with our community.
Fall Exhibition Season 2026
This fall, Monterey Museum of Art (MMA) focuses on how art inspires and connects, bringing together two remarkable exhibitions and, after Thanksgiving, Iluminado, our annual celebration of community-driven creativity.
MMA is honored to present Rex Ray: We Are All Made of Light, the first museum retrospective of this eminent Bay Area artist. Guest curated by Cydney Payton and Griff Williams, the exhibition traces Ray's multifaceted career that fused his pop sensibility, activism, and design sensibility to create works inspired by the communities that shaped him. To accompany the exhibition, the Museum invites you to explore Rex Ray's creativity in our Chromatic Lounge and adjacent Makerspace. All are welcome to participate!
MMA is also pleased to share the travelling exhibition Born of the Bear Dance: Dugan Aguilar's Photographs of Native California, organized by the Oakland Museum of California upstairs in the Marble Galleries. Curated by Drew Heath Johnson in collaboration with Native community members: Dustin Aguilar, Maidu, Pit River, Paiute; Jennifer Bates, Northern Sierra Mewuk; Theresa Harlan, Kewa Pueblo and Jemez Pueblo; Chag Lowry, Yurok, Maidu, and Achumawi; Rico Miranda, Rumsen Ohlone, Dugan Aguilar's photographs offer an intimate and respectful record of Indigenous life across California and Nevada. This exhibition is a reminder that the collective stories of Native land are still being lived and told today.
This fall also marks the return of MMA's beloved fundraiser, Art in Bloom, an inspiring celebration of California art and design to benefit our permanent collection and La Mirada. Select works from MMA's permanent collection will inspire talented local floral and interior designers as they transform the historic rooms and gardens of La Mirada. The Museum will host a Roaring 20s-themed Jazz Party on Saturday evening, September 19, and a public viewing on Sunday, September 20, with two seatings of tea in the Rose Garden. Both events are ticketed and can be purchased on the MMA website.
In late November, MMA will present the fourth annual Iluminado—a community celebration of art, light, and wonder. This year we are proud to feature local artist-in-residence, Anne Ylvisaker, whose installation, Rooms of Possibility, provides a participatory and evolving art experience for everyone to enjoy. Alongside Iluminado, the children from the Boys and Girls Clubs of Monterey County will partner with Ylvisaker to create Luminaries, a youth art exhibition. Rooms of Possibility cultivates a place where our collective dreams and memories become an ever-changing work of art.
This season also marks the rollout of MMA's 2026–2029 Strategic Plan. This plan serves as a cultural roadmap shaped by months of dialogue with Museum Staff, the Board of Trustees, and our community. Art has the power to inspire, and MMA's role is to create a cultural legacy for generations. In the coming year, guests will see this plan come to life with programs, outreach, and the myriad ways California art is celebrated. The Museum is proud of the thoughtful work that drives our mission and even more excited about the future yet to come.
MMA has also begun the rigorous process of pursuing reaccreditation from the American Alliance of Museums (AAM). This multi-year undertaking asks the Museum to hold every part of its operations to the highest national standards. It is demanding work, and it's an investment in the institution's long-term credibility.
Now more than ever, MMA's legacy depends on the partnership of generous individuals who believe in our new mission—to inspire creativity, connect communities, and celebrate the stories of California art. The Museum invites you to join a dedicated community of supporters. Your gift ensures that MMA continues to serve Monterey County communities and visitors, along with artists and art lovers, for generations to come.
This fall I hope you'll join us and find your own meaningful way to connect with the communities and stories of California art.
With gratitude,
Corey Madden
Executive Director, Monterey Museum of Art