Bowers Museum Gift Shop in Santa Ana

Had not been here in a while, but came here back in July and loved all the exhibits. I was not able to see the Anime or Comic exhibit, but their main museum entry covers a lot of different art and styles. I loved all the Silver and Gold jewelry as well, so neat and beautiful. Came on a Sunday last summer, not a planned trip but it was on the way back home to San Diego so my friend and I decided to go there on my birthday. It was not busy at all, early afternoon and tickets were not expensive at all. Great little museum, definitely check it out if you have time.

I stopped by Bowers today and decided to purchase a membership. It’s been a decade since my last visit, yet it still holds up to my vivid memories. The curation is inviting and engaging. The cultural rooms are fascinating, stunning, and educational. The grounds are serene. I'm intrigued and cannot wait to see future exhibits.

Awesome museum in the O.C. Lot of fantastic sculptures and art to see and enjoy. Very historic place too. Price is worth the admission I feel. Parking located on the side. Not ever a long wait in line. Plus has a nice restaurant and free things to enjoy while also enjoying the art. Fun for all ages.

What a pleasant surprise! The exhibits were well done and even with limited time, I left feeling inspired! I found street parking and found my 90 minute window to be just enough. I almost skipped the California Art, but was glad I didn’t as it was my favorite! The museum shop was charming.

I came for the Asian Comics exhibit and absolutely LOVED IT!!! So much to see I'm circling through it twice. The lovely lady running the Comic gift shop was super helpful and even recommended some murals and places to see while I'm in town. I'm so glad I made the day trip here for the city, museum and exhibit. I'll review the museum restaurant separately.

Went for the Dias de los Muertes festival and loved in. Great addition to the community. I only attended the free portion of the museum. Based on that experience I'd recommend it to someone who lives in the area but not someone who is from out of town. I also am not sure I'd be willing to pay for the rest.

31 years in Santa Ana, and it was my first time going. I was really excited for this trip. We went for the manga/anime exhibition. It was beautifully done! They had a lot of history to go with it. The museum had other exhibits, from oil paintings, to historical artifacts The museum isn't super huge, however we did spend a good amount of time there. I would have loved spending more time, however, we had two little ones that were done for the day. Very affordable trip too, and parking is 6 bucks flat rate. We did pay in person, however if you are a Santa Ana resident there are discounts.

The parking costs $6 dollars. Admission is $18, but we get free admission for being members of other museums. The exhibition are well curated, with 8 galleries: ancient arts of China (the best), spirits and headhunters, gemstone carvings, California legacy, bounty and first. We had fun and it is worth the visit- of course not comparing to the old palace or La Louvre museums.

I recently had the pleasure of photographing a wedding at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, California. The venue offered a unique and captivating setting for the special day, with its blend of cultural exhibits and beautiful outdoor spaces. The staff's professionalism and attention to detail ensured a smooth experience, allowing me to focus on capturing the couple's precious moments. The museum's architecture and lush gardens provided a diverse range of backdrops for my photography, adding depth and character to the couple's visual story. As a wedding photographer, I can genuinely recommend the Bowers Museum for couples seeking an inspiring and well-organized venue for their celebration.

I had a really wonderful time at the Bowers Museum. It's a lovely cultural museum in Santa Ana, probably one of the best in Orange County, but it makes a serious misstep in the Mission Indians exhibit that is really unconscionable and needs addressing. Parking is paid, despite what is said online, so be prepared for that. Restaurant looked good. A few vegetarian options. No vegan options that I saw. Gift shop was interesting for a museum gift shop. Worth checking out. Try to get a tour from the docent Diane, she's the best. The exhibits: My favorite was Spirits and Headhunters, which focused on cultural art out of the Pacific Islands. This was a gorgeous exhibit that was beautifully laid out, making full use of the space in such artful ways. I truly was happy and content to just exist in here for a couple of hours, and that's exactly what I did while going through, reading the inscriptions, and looking up a little more information on my phone. This is where we start getting into the iffy for me. As I'm losing myself in learning more about some items in one exhibit, I was kind of accosted by a docent who called me out for being there for a long time. This was a quiet day and I was one of probably three other people that were in there, so I was a little confused. She proceeded to talk at me about the history, which, sure, was welcome, but felt far more like she was trying to catch me doing something I wasn't supposed to be doing. It really took the peace out of the moment and kind of killed my enjoyment. I managed to shake her off and get back into the moment, looking up different things, when another docent again starts talking at me about the items, but in a very western-centric lens that downplayed the artistic abilities and achievements of the people represented, with a lot of emphasis on how "primitive" they were. Modern art history and anthropology views utilitarian art as just as important and vital to the continued development of a culture as aesthetic art so I was a little shocked that this outdated view is being held by the museum, especially when we were surrounded by the literal elements of the aesthetic tastes of the Polynesian cultures on display. Aside from that and the interruption, this exhibit was just so good. I still have so much good to say about it. The Miao Silver exhibit was so good. You have to see it before it goes away. Just incredible craftsmanship. The Chinese art exhibit was so good!! I came just for this and it didn't disappoint in any way. The Mission Indians exhibit needs serious updating. To display it as is, unconscionable, erasing the genocide of the indigenous people of the area and calling their enslavement in the California Mission system just them "helping" to build the missions and "helping" to grow vegetables and "choosing" to stay close and "choosing" to wear Western clothing. I was shocked. I was disappointed. It was the last exhibit I saw and I'm glad it was, because I probably would have left after seeing it if it had been my first one. Honestly, the best thing about this museum was the docent Diane, the most intelligent, qualified, and welcoming person I had spoken to that day. I met her in the Chinese art wing and she was an utter delight to chat with, providing excellent information that really rounded out my understanding and added to my curiosity. She skillfully engaged families and I watched her just get so many kids excited and into the art they were looking at. They'd ask questions and make observations and she'd just encourage it along. She moved to the California Visions wing just as I was going through it and showed me some really incredible details I never would have otherwise picked up, like pointing out a husband and wife painting team and the differences in their work. She kept my energy and my interest up in a wing that otherwise I wasn't as excited for. I wish every museum had a Diane!

Nice museum with a mid-sized collection of art pieces and displays. The parking is paid via digitally on your phone and the staff is helpful once you're inside. At times they'll have book signings as well. The gift shop is also pleasant to to browse for small memorabilia for your visit.