Armand Hammer Museum of Art and Culture Center

The Hammer Museum explores the capacity of art to impact and illuminate our lives. Through its collections, exhibitions and programs, the Hammer examines the depth and diversity of artistic expression through the centuries with a special emphasis on art of our time. At the core of the Hammer's mission is the recognition that artists play a crucial role in all aspects of human experience. The Hammer advances UCLA’s mission by contributing to the intellectual life of the University and the world beyond.

The Museum is positioned—both physically and metaphorically—at the gateway between the city of Los Angeles and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). The Museum is the entry through which the general public can gain access to the diverse riches of the University community. Meanwhile, through the programs and exhibitions of the Museum, UCLA students gain first-hand exposure to the larger world of creative human endeavors. UCLA’s mandate of pursuing cutting-edge research within the sciences and the humanities is reflected in the Hammer Museum’s renowned exhibitions and programs. We approach the arts with the same quest for knowledge, discovery, and understanding that guides the scientist, engineer, or anthropologist. We see it as our mission to pursue the margins, explore unknown territory, rediscover the familiar, and take risks.