History
The Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art [SMoCA] is the only museum in Arizona devoted to the art, architecture and design of our time. Designed by award-winning architect Will Bruder, SMoCA's minimalist building (an ingenious renovation of a former movie theater) has five galleries for showcasing changing exhibitions and works from the Museum's growing permanent collection. SMoCA also features an outdoor sculpture garden housing James Turrell's Knight Rise, one of the renowned artist's few public skyspaces, and Scrim Wall, a monumental curtain of prismatic glass by James Carpenter Design Associates. The Museum presents a wide variety of educational programs and special events for adults and families, including lectures, docent-led tours, workshops and classes. The Store @ SMoCA offers classic design objects and furnishings, contemporary jewelry, art and architecture books and imaginative gifts for all occasions.
Specialties
The Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art champions creativity, innovation and the vitality of the visual arts. We seek both to build and to educate audiences for modern and contemporary art, as well as to provide opportunities for the artistic community--locally, nationally and internationally. SMoCA provides a memorable experience of art, architecture and design by exploring new curatorial approaches and by highlighting cultural context. We interpret, exhibit, collect and preserve works in these media. SMoCA's gift store is stocked with books on contemporary art, photography, architecture, design, pop culture and much more. Plenty of other signature merchandise abounds--whether you're looking for smart, modern home decor pieces, clever design accoutrements for your office space (or any space!), richly patterned stationery sets & postcards or one-of-a-kind jewelry, handbags and scarves--these pieces let you wear your artistic sensibilities on your sleeve