Mission Statement: 
The Lancaster Museum of Art and History is dedicated to strengthening awareness, enhancing accessibility and igniting the appreciation of art, history and culture in the Antelope Valley through dynamic exhibitions, innovative educational programs, creative community engagement and a vibrant collection that celebrates the richness of the region. 

 

History:
Founded in 1986, the Lancaster Museum of Art and History operates four sites within the City of Lancaster, serving the Antelope Valley and greater Los Angeles County regions. MOAH, the museum’s primary exhibition space, is host to large-scale curatorial initiatives, which celebrate the historic traditions and artistic revolutions taking place in Southern California.  MOAH holds a collection of over 10,000 artworks and artifacts, producing community-oriented programming engaging diverse audiences. MOAH:CEDAR, located at the Cedar Center for the Arts campus, boasts additional gallery spaces which highlight experimental and emerging artists and their studio practices, is home to the Museum’s artist-in-residence program and activates the regions youth and young adults through its weekly programs. The Western Hotel Museum and the Elyze Clifford Interpretive Center offer semi-permanent exhibitions highlighting the rich indigenous, ecological, natural, and economic histories of the Antelope Valley and provide access to the past and future from environmental perspectives. 

Learning is at the core of Lancaster MOAH’s mission. Collecting, exhibitions and programs are all undertaken in an effort to provide the residents of the Antelope Valley with a way of integrating art and history into their lives and taking away the lessons that these disciplines offer. By presenting quality exhibitions and programs as well as committing to the proper care and preservation of works of art and artifacts relating to history and culture of the Antelope Valley, the Lancaster Museum of Art and History is the region’s center for art and historical engagement.

MOAH's exhibition program is diverse, offering a range of displays for all age groups. Exhibitions of locally collected dinosaur and native artifacts, collectible toys and hands-on history of the pinball machine have delighted children, while the presentation of works by major California artists and creative presentations from sustainable energy to the history of the surfboard have appealed to adults.

Exhibitions that are especially relevant to the Antelope Valley have included shows on aircraft and space travel as well as displays on the industries and natural resources that built the area. For artists, the museum hosts an Annual Juried All-Media Art Exhibition and Annual High School Student Exhibition. Increasingly, the Lancaster Museum of Art and History is presenting exhibitions to the residents of the Antelope Valley that feature works by regional, national and internationally renowned artists. 

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Land Acknowledgement:

The Lancaster Museum of Art and History (MOAH) acknowledges the original inhabitants of the Antelope Valley including the Tataviam, Vanyume, Nüwü (Chemehuevi), Serrano, Kawaiisu, and Kitanemuk peoples who call this region home. The museum honors the Valley’s history as a renowned center of trade and commerce, a vital part of a widespread economic network that reached far beyond its own boundaries. The Lancaster Museum of Art and History recognizes its position as a guest on these unceded lands and honors the ongoing work of Indigenous peoples to preserve their history, culture, and stories for future generations.