Catalina Museum of Art and History

Catalina Island continues to be one of the world’s most iconic destinations full of rich history, culture and adventure. Located in the heart of Avalon, the Catalina Museum for Art & History offers the best in art and history exhibitions, music and dance performances, lectures by guest speakers from all over the world, and the finest in silent, documentary and international film.

The only organization to present the history of Santa Catalina, the Catalina Museum for Art & History celebrates the island’s unique and vibrant history, featuring detailed collections of Catalina artifacts, photographs, the island’s connection to the Chicago Cubs, its role in World War II, and more. In addition to the permanent collection of Catalina Island history, the museum presents a variety of exhibitions, events and activities for all ages. Catalina Museum for Art & History is a museum for Catalina locals, as well as the visitors who want to experience and enjoy one of America’s most beautiful islands.

About the Ada Blanche Wrigley Schreiner Building

Our museum building designed by the architectural firm of Marengo Morton Architects, provides well over 18,000 square feet of exhibition and support space. Visitors to the new building discover all the amenities of a modern museum. The spacious Hagenah Family Lobby and Harris Family Museum Store offers an impressive welcome to every museum visitor. Adjacent to the Museum Store is a new gallery full of natural light which looks out onto the Hinchliffe Family Atrium. A mural composed of Catalina tile and designed by artist Richard Keit is a highlight of the atrium. The William Wrigley Jr. Gallery, the John and Hasmik Mgrdichian Gallery and the Artists’ Plaza Gallery are all exhibition galleries dedicated to the island’s history and to special exhibitions, many of which will travel to the island from collections throughout the world.

One of the most unusual features of the museum is the amount of exterior space that exists both on the building’s rooftop and in the gardens immediately adjacent to the museum. A large projection wall directly opposite the Ackerman Family Amphitheater, which seats approx. 100 people and accommodates the exhibition of films in the evening. The Artists’ Plaza and Schreiner Family Plaza provide well over 8,000 square feet of outdoor space, appropriate for dance and music concerts, as well as public and private events.

The design of the building’s exterior represents a blend of the Spanish Mission style with the Art Deco influence of the 1920s that predominates in Santa Catalina’s landmark building, the Avalon Casino. One of the most inventive areas of the building is its facade, the highest reaches of which were inspired by the famous marquee of Chicago’s Wrigley Field. This may be considered a fitting tribute to the Wrigley family, the city of Chicago and the Chicago Cubs – all of which play an important role in Avalon’s history.

The Piano Connection

In descending chronological order