Sight, the workhorse of the five senses, puts in too many hours keeping man from falling in manholes. Reward the most overworked sense with today's Groupon to The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, which also provides access to The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA and MOCA Pacific Design Center. Choose between two options:
- For $50, you get a one-year household membership, including unlimited free admission for two adults (a $100 value).
- For $175, you get a one-year associate membership, including unlimited free admission for four adults and any minors who reside at the same address (a $350 value).
MOCA members can browse more than 5,000 works in the permanent collection and a rotating roster of temporary exhibits, flashing personalized membership cards to gain free entry for two or four adults. Curators exclusively collect and display international artwork produced since 1940, bedecking museum walls in masterworks of abstract expressionism and minimalism, as well as futuristic new-media installations crafted by androids wearing all black and quoting Deleuze. Groups of art gawkers can also frequent exhibition halls, where Andy Warhol's Campbell's Soup Cans commemorates the 49th anniversary of the iconic work's premiere (through September 19), and the upcoming Naked Hollywood exhibit will expose stark urban images wrought by photographer Arthur Fellig, known as Weegee (November 13–February 27).
Museum members of both levels can also claim a plethora of other perks. Thumb through complimentary subscriptions to The Contemporary, a museum publication, and Dwell, a magazine of residential architecture and design, or take 10% off purchases of stationery and tote bags in the MOCA store. Reciprocal membership to more than 300 participating North American museums sends members to study regional styles of goatee stroking. In addition, associate-level members enjoy free admission to 30 additional American museums and eligibility to join the MOCA Contemporaries cultural-support organization, among other privileges.
The Museum of Contemporary Art
Since its inception in 1979, The Museum of Contemporary Art has devoted itself to post-1940 artwork, a focus that sets it apart from all other Los Angeles museums. Its permanent collection harbors more than 5,000 art objects, encompassing media from video installations and documentary photography to pop art. Works from renowned artists such as Roy Lichtenstein, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Diane Arbus share gallery space with pieces from up-and-coming artists across the museum’s three facilities.
To complement its permanent collection, the museum hosts rotating temporary exhibits, such as the current Mike Kelley exhibit, which explores american pop culture through irreverent, multimedia pieces. The museum staff also augments these displays with events, such as their screening series in collaboration with the Los Angeles Filmforum, which explores the intersection of experimental film and art like a projection screen sewn with pages from DaVinci’s journal.