Cultural Programs, Events & Tours

Beach=Culture Series

Beach=Culture is an ongoing series of free concerts, lectures, readings and exhibits. Beach=Culture events take place mostly on Tuesdays in the summer and Mondays in the winter. Docents from the Santa Monica Conservancy are available at the Marion Davies Guest House to discuss the site prior to most Beach=Culture events. 

Beach=Culture Reservations >  

"On Noir" with mystery writer Naomi Hirahara, accompanied by jazz duo Doc & Renee 

Monday, February 27, 6:30 - 7:30 pm 

Mystery author Naomi Hirahara takes us on a tour of her unique vision of noir in this reading and author discussion. She is accompanied by torch songs and saxophone stylings from the Doc & Renee father-daughter jazz duo.

Make a reservation > 

“A Walk on Raymond Chandler’s Westside” with Judith Freeman 

Monday, March 12, 6:30 - 7:30 pm 

Join us for an illustrated lecture by Judith Freeman, author of The Long Embrace: Raymond Chandler and the Woman He Loved

Make a reservation > 

Lucy Wang, 2012 Writer in Residence - Final Reading 

Monday, March 19, 6:30 - 8 pm 

Playwright Lucy Wang concludes her 10-week residency with a reading of selections from her body of work, including new material written while in residence at the Beach House.

Make a reservation > 

Artist Residency Program

In celebration of Marion Davies’ support of artists, and in acknowledgement of the desire of the City to further the work of artists in all disciplines, the City created the Annenberg Community Beach House Artist Residency program.

Lucy Wang, 2012 Writer in Residence

Follow Lucy's residency on our new Artist in Residence Blog!

Open office hours - come by to say hello! Lucy will be available to field questions from the public about playwriting, the residency, and the writing life from 11am-1pm from her office on the second floor of the Marion Davies Guest House.

Mondays 2/20, 2/27, 3/5, 3/12, 3/19, 3/26
Saturdays 2/25, 3/3, 3/10, 3/17, 3/24

Guest House hours are subject to change and may affect Lucy's office hours. Please call 310-458-4904 to confirm.

Gallery

Daily 9 am - 3 pm 

Please note: Gallery hours are subject to change.  

Gallery CLOSED Saturday, March 3

Upcoming closures will be posted here with as much notice as possible.

Bill Johnson, L.A. River and 6th Street Bridge, 2008 

Los Angeles—Icons and Other Impressions (January 20 – April 15, 2012) 

Participants in The Los Angeles Photography Project display images that explore the theme of LA’s diversity—its people, architecture, and natural and cultural environments. Capturing the unique buildings, special places and other physical properties of one of the most fascinating and progressive cities in the world, they seek a composite view accreted by different individual approaches and photographic techniques. Artists: Z.T. Fang, Rita Hamilton, Lorna Hart, Bill Johnson, Ronald S. Litvak, Judith Raffel, Robert L. Sherman, Margaret K. Tsai, Leonard Waits, and David Williams. 

About The Los Angeles Photography Project 

The Los Angeles Photography project was organized in early 2009 and is a consortium of LA-based artists with a mission to produce photographic work in and about the city and county of Los Angeles. laphotoproject.com 

Marion Davies Guest House & Docent Tours

Learn about the rich history of the Beach House from a Santa Monica Conservancy docent. Tours are free, last approximately 30 minutes, and no reservations are required. Tours at 11 am, noon and 1 pm on the dates listed below.   Please note: Guest House hours are subject to change. Changes to the below schedule will be posted with as much notice as possible. Call 310-458-4904 to confirm hours.

Guest House open and docents available 11 am – 2 pm on dates below

February
Thursday 2/23
Friday 2/24 *first floor only
Saturday 2/25
 + Lucy Wang office hours 11 am - 1 pm
Sunday 2/26
Monday 2/27
 + Lucy Wang office hours 11 am - 1 pm
 + 5:15 - 6:30 pm

March
Friday 3/2        
Sat 3/3        
 + Lucy Wang office hours 11 am - 1 pm
Sun 3/4     
Mon 3/5      
 + Lucy Wang office hours 11 am - 1 pm
Fri 3/9
Sat 3/10  
 + Lucy Wang office hours 11 am - 1 pm
Sun 3/11  
Mon 3/12
 + Lucy Wang office hours 11 am - 1 pm
 + 5:15 - 6:30 pm
Fri 3/16
Sat 3/17
 + Lucy Wang office hours 11 am - 1 pm
Sun 3/18 
Mon 3/19
 + Lucy Wang office hours 11 am - 1 pm
Mon 3/19     
 + 5:15 - 6:30 pm
Fri 3/23
Sat 3/24
 + Lucy Wang office hours 11 am - 1 pm
Sun 3/25      
Mon 3/26 
 + Lucy Wang office hours 11 am - 1 pm
Fri 3/30
Sat 3/31

Free tours at 11 am, noon, and 1 pm