124 THE BEST OF MONTEREY BAY ® 2025-2026 ARTS & CULTURE Open Ground Studios An artists’ collective in an accessible and funky collaborative space with well-equipped communal and individual studios featuring printmaking, painting, book arts, workshops and private lessons. For public events, there is also a gallery; tours by appointment. 1230 Fremont Blvd., Seaside. (831) 204-8578, opengroundstudios.com Sylvan Gallery In the little city’s West End Arts District, the gallery presents contemporary pieces and hosts exhibits highlighting individual artists. 613 Ortiz Ave., Ste. A, Sand City. (831) 3931990 Temple Garage The gallery presents collections of contemporary California artists, with rotating exhibitions, artist receptions and more. The curators are always looking for up-and-coming artists in many mediums, so this is the space to encounter something new. 542 Ortiz Ave., Sand City. templegarage.com Visual and Public Art Gallery at CSU Monterey Bay This small gallery is affiliated with and located within CSUMB’s College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences building, on the ground floor. It presents exhibits drawing from the pool of local talent, including students and alumni. CSUMB Building 504, 3050 Divarty St., Seaside. visualandpublicart.com Walter Lee Avery Gallery This gallery occupies the hallways of Seaside City Hall, compelling visitors to walk through a literal interpretation of Seaside in the form of a changing rotation of exhibits that touch on art, history, civic pride and commentary. 440 Harcourt Ave., Seaside. (831) 899-6811, ci.seaside.ca.us MUSEUMS AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS Japanese American Citizens League of the Monterey Peninsula The local JACL is more than an organization dedicated to the preservation of a culture and heritage important to the understanding of this area. They operate a museum, have sponsored educational productions and host presentations. 424 Adams St., Monterey. (831) 648-8830, jaclmonterey.org Monterey County Agricultural & Rural Life Museum A fascinating indoor-outdoor museum dedicated to telling the story of rural life in this area between the late 1800s and the 1940s through antique farm equipment and other artifacts, as well as historic barns, a blacksmith shop, a rural school house and the old King City Train Depot. 1160 Broadway St., King City. (831) 385-8020, mcarlm.org Monterey County Historical Society This campus is part museum, part archive, and part historical artifact unto itself. The mid-19th-century Boronda Adobe and the little red Lagunita Schoolhouse (built in 1897) help show the story of the region’s history. A beautifully appointed reading room and adjacent archive gives readers a place to take it all in. Occasional art exhibits rotate through. 333 Boronda Road, Salinas. (831) 757-8085, mchsmuseum.com Monterey State Historic Park Alta California history survives in beautifully restored adobe homes, historic buildings and gardens throughout downtown Monterey. Eleven 19th-century structures, including the Pacific House Museum and original Custom House, may be seen on interpretive tours or by walking the marked history trail at your own pace anytime. 20 Custom House Plaza, Monterey. (831) 649-2907, parks.ca.gov National Steinbeck Center This organization celebrates Salinas author John Steinbeck with a permanent gallery displaying interactive exhibits revolving around his books, archival and research materials, and also hosts special events. It’s one of the largest literary museums in the United States dedicated to a single author. 1 Main St., Salinas. (831) 775-4721, steinbeck.org Pacific Grove Heritage Society All the colorful Victorians, bungalows and kit houses have a history and many of their current owners celebrate that past by renovating their homes to historically accurate standards laid out by this foremost authority on historic buildings. Visit their Ketcham’s Barn museum. Ketcham’s Barn, 605 Laurel Ave., Pacific Grove. (831) 372-2898, pacificgroveheritage. org Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History Pacific Grove’s landmark museum is an immersion in the county’s ecology. It opened in 1883, but its diversity of Central Coast creatures, pioneering science and interactivity make it as current as ever. Displays of local birds, geology, animals and cultural history are bolstered by rotating exhibits, special events, and a native plant garden. 165 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove. (831) 648-5716, pgmuseum.org Tor House and Hawk Tower This monument to poet Robinson Jeffers is one of California’s most significant literary landmarks, built largely by Jeffers himself. A tour transports visitors into the fiercely independent poet’s world, punctuated with history, poetry and story. Docent-led tours take place on Saturdays from 10am to 1pm. On periodic Fridays, special musical tours are available. 26304 Ocean View Ave., Carmel. (831) 6241813, torhouse.org THEATERS AND THEATER COMPANIES ARIEL Theatrical This company teaches children and teens theater to build character, literally. Their plays happen to also be charming entertainment that introduces many kids and families to the theater tradition, including plays like Winnie Monterey Symphony at Sunset Cultural Center MANNY ESPINOZA
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjAzNjQ1NQ==