Laguna Art Museum represents the core California art scene. It places the aesthetics of the west coast within a national and international context and develops scholarship on the art history of California. Laguna Art Museum works from a tradition going back to the founding of the Laguna Beach Art Association nearly ninety years ago.

The Museum's mix of historical and contemporary exhibitions are augmented by a smattering of "pop culture" shows dealing with areas such as surfing, car, and tattooing. The Museum is located right on one of the busiest streets of any coast town and is about 300 feet from the ocean making it one of the most spectacular and impressive locations of any museum in the world.