virginia museum of contemporary art

artgallerygal

The only permanent installation at MOCA is the grand Chihuly chandelier in the anteroom. Otherwise, this small but impressive venue holds travelling and juried exhibitions of contemporary art. You need to check their calendar regularly to see what the current offerings are. Right now there is a juried exhibit of about 20 contemporary artists chosen from over 600 entrants that is well worth a look. In addition, silk screen maven Ryan McGinness has a studio installation where you can see his work in progress as well as finished pieces. Be sure to put this on your list when you are in the Norfolk/Virginia Beach area.

StayCationNC

I don't care how often you go if you look closely you will always find something new to see. The exhibits change often and the space is so pretty it's a nice place to spend some time. The gift shop should not be missed it's an eclectic array of art and treasures you are going to want to take home with you.

352kayh

Interesting art - it is contemporary art, so some pieces you'll like and others, you'll scratch your head. There were a few stand-out pieces -- a huge thread sculpture that took up half the room and a very large handing glass sculpture by Dale Chihuly.

ABridge2Far

We were pleasantly surprise by the collection. Great way of spending a day visiting beautiful art. Suggest adding wine to your restaurant menu.

ArnieS492

Good size ..Great alternative to a movie or shopping.Nicely arranged, Ok staff. I saw 2 Fabulous exhibits. Worth a visit.

goneagain2

Nice setting and just a few blocks from the oceanfront, walk or ride your bike and enjoy the artwork on the grounds and inside the museum. Small but unique gift shop, great gift items, nice, knowledgeable staff.

KErskine

The museum is very attractive, but don't budget a lot of time.There's a HUGE front room (with no Art) that is obviously there for weddings and other receptions.There's a small Gallery; a Large Gallery; an interactive exhibit area and a large Movie theater with a loop.That's it.If we didn't sit and watch 45 mins of the very interesting movie (on Print Making) we would have been through the entire museum in 20-30 mins.

michaelhQ4700WS

My girlfriend is very interested in the Arts. She was practically begging me to take us there. When we got there the place was packed with interesting exhibitions that contained the talented works of many and we were extremely satisfied with the experience.We did find that the museum experience felt quick, we were out in about an hour and we wished that there was more, hence why the rating.

Kanilea361

This is a nice little museum tucked away in a park like setting just a short drive from the beach. I liked the small size, as it was easy to see everything without getting lost in a multitude of galleries. The museum has no permanent collection, instead features traveling exhibitions or something created by borrowing from other museums or private collectors. As a result, it is somewhere you can come back to again & again to see something different. The friendly helpful staff made the visit most rewarding.

Pnemiller

We visited last year and were disappointed in the art work displayed except for the magnificent large Chihuly piece hanging in the foyer. We gave it another try and were pleased with the multi facted exhibit on Vik Muniz, a Brazilian artist who does unusual, creative work. There was a video of an interview with hijm and a documentary called Wasteland about his work shown in the auditorium. Also an exibit called New Waves with work by Virginia artists. Best in show was an interesting, provacative film by Ying Prang Shen from Richmond. This is a large building that has classes and other activities. It is a member of the North American Reciprocal Museums (NARM), so membership in one of those museums, allows for free admission.

Sweetfang

Went here with the family since we had gotten a family pass from the school. They had art displayed from the local school children. They also had many paintings and sculptures that I found very interesting. It was worth the trip to visit. It was a nice outing with the family. The art inside is always changing, so good to come back from time to time.

Idreamov

The place is beautiful for a wedding with an atrium and indoor trees. So sad that the employees are impersonal and not helpful. Not even to open a door for guests. One front clerk got irate because we went out an "emergency door" that is not marked as this. The worst was no communication between the personnel and the wedding family. There were children as guest and when the exhibit was open to guest NO ONE told us it was pornographic in nature with inappropriate exhibits even for adults with profanity used in the exhibits. Very upsetting. When the bridal group went to get pictures done in the Rodriguez room it was filthy. Glad I did not pay to come in here.

Rita23890

The Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art is tucked away in an almost park like setting in this beach town - a little cut of culture for locals and tourists alike. The exhibits are interesting and the staff knowledgeable and friendly. Parking is easy. Check it out - you will not be disappointed.

AmbersM0mmy

I saw a brochure for this museum at my hotel and thought I should check it out. The woman at the front desk was friendly and informative. They offered many discounts, non I qualified for, but even so a great price. I believe it was $7.70 for admission.The exhibits were nice. The place itself small but almost perfect size, not overwhelming. Some places (museums, attractions, aquariums, etc) you can spend a whole day and still feel like you've missed something. I would suggest putting this on your "to do" list while at Virginia Beach. I was only there for an hour or so (I'm a fast looker, even have done the Holocaust in 40 minutes before). This could easily be an afternoon activity.

Travellers1970

While on holiday we like to visit the local art museums. MOCA had an interesting exhibition of Barnaby Barford, a British artist that works with ceramic miniatures and creates stories. There were a couple of other exhibits as well so we felt we had good value for the reduced senior citizen entry fee.