The Palm Court Arts Complex is home to the Great Park Gallery and the Great Park Artist Studios. The Palm Court’s re-purposed military structures now form a cultural campus supporting the development of a fresh approach to establishing an interdisciplinary, public arts program.
Learn more about exhibitions at the Irvine Fine Arts Center here.
Learn more about exhibitions at City Hall here.
Thursdays & Fridays: Noon–4 p.m.
Saturdays & Sundays: 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Free Admission
Images courtesy of Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.
Exhibition: October 1–December 31
Exhibition Reception: Sunday, October 1, 1–3 p.m.
In her government photography in 1930s and 1940s California, Dorothea Lange exposed the complexities of American identity in a time of economic and civil insecurity. Throughout the Great Depression and World War II, Lange changed her entire focus from portraiture to documentary photography. In so doing, she made some of the most evocative images in American history. Lange’s commitment to a democratic society and to documenting the dignity of people enduring hardship challenged the idea of the California dream. Dorothea Lange's California: 1935–1942 highlights Lange’s government work in California, drawing upon her extensive archive of images housed at the Library of Congress.
Brain Science: Acting, Writing, History & Memory!
Great Park, in collaboration with the Irvine Theater Company and in support of Dorothea Lange’s California: 1935–1942, presents a two-part acting series Brain Science: Acting, Writing, History, and Memory! No advance registration is needed for these free events.
Acting Workshop • Sunday, October 22, 1–3 p.m.
Bring characters to life by using images from Dorothea Lange’s California: 1935–1942 as inspiration. Participants will learn to create and embody the past experiences of a character through the use of brain-based techniques.
The Real Story of the Migrant Mother — A New Play • Sunday, December 3, 1–3 p.m.
In 1936, photographer Dorothea Lange was commissioned to capture images that depicted the lives of struggling Americans during the depression. The most famous of her subjects, Migrant Mother, was reluctant to be photographed. This is the rarely told story of one of the most famous faces in modern American history.
December 2–January 7
'Tis the season for family fun and holiday cheer as the Great Park transforms into a winterscape of holiday-themed art, music, and lights. Visit the Palm Court Arts Complex to enjoy interactive displays and festive photo backdrops. Visit the Holidayz at the Park page to learn more.
Thursdays & Fridays: Noon–4 p.m.
Saturdays & Sundays: 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Free Admission
*Great Park’s Hangar 244 is subject to closures due to private event rentals and/or larger city-wide events. For building closure status, please call 949-724-6599.
In 1993, Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro was designated for closing by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission and all of its activities were to be transferred to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. The station officially closed on July 2, 1999.
Since 2002, the Legacy Project has documented the transformation of the former Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro into the Orange County Great Park. They have created more than 200,000 images and famously turned a giant jet hangar into the world’s largest camera and used it to take the world’s largest picture.
These photos capture the Flying Bull insignia around the military base and its buildings.
A Guide to Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro is a documentary about the history of the region.
This 9-minute archive will take you on a retrospective journey from the early days of the Irvine family’s prodigious ranching and agricultural projects, to the coming of World War II and the subsequent arrival of Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro.
The film screens every 20 minutes in the History Room hallway of Hangar 244.
