Monterey Museum of Art
559 Pacific St., Monterey | 720 Via Mirada, Monterey | (831) 372-5477, montereyart.org
Last year this museum unfurled contemporary takes on Monterey’s art history in exhibits like their annual Miniatures show, derived from the local artist community; Re: Pose: Photographs and Dynamic Range, both made up of photos from the museum’s permanent collection; Active Voice, contemporary landscapes with accompanying wall text from staff and volunteers; and Insignias of Fort Old: Art in Everyday Military Life, which brought the vast but sometimes hidden military community into rich relief. Add to that a busy calendar of docent-led tours, lectures, daytime family activities, workshops, summer camp and even plays, and it become clear why many see this museum as a contemporary of many art galleries—it’s very much engaged with today.