The museum was established in 1885 following the donation of the Crocker family home and art collection to the City of Sacramento.
The original mansion features an ornate ballroom with a coved ceiling and elaborate woodwork preserved from the 1870s.
It holds one of the most comprehensive collections of California Impressionist paintings in the country.
The museum complex includes a LEED-certified expansion known as the Teel Family Pavilion.
The institution houses a significant collection of ethnographic art, including works from Africa, Oceania, and the Americas.
The original mansion served as the first public art museum in the western United States when it opened to visitors in 1885.
The museum maintains a dedicated research library focused on California art history.
The museum is a member of the American Alliance of Museums and is fully accredited.
The Crocker Art Museum is the oldest continuously operating art museum in the Western United States. It is housed in the historic 1870s E.B. Crocker family mansion combined with a modern 125,000-square-foot expansion designed by Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects. The collection emphasizes California art, featuring works ranging from the Gold Rush era to contemporary pieces. Its international holdings include an extensive collection of master drawings and 19th-century European paintings. The museum sits on a site that preserves the original Victorian architecture alongside contemporary gallery spaces. It serves as a regional center for art education and cultural exhibitions in Sacramento. The museum's holdings include significant Pacific Rim and Asian art collections.
The dramatic, glass-walled Grand Staircase in the Teel Family Pavilion provides a striking view of the interior architecture.
Explore the historic mansion section first to understand the architectural contrast with the modern wing.
Check the museum's online calendar for rotating exhibitions, as they frequently update the gallery displays.
Take advantage of the outdoor courtyard spaces which feature contemporary sculptures.
Do not overlook the historic mansion wing; many visitors focus only on the modern pavilion and miss the 19th-century interior architecture.
Closed on Mondays.
Photography is permitted for personal use without flash; food and beverages are prohibited in the galleries; large bags must be checked.
