New Events Include Tours, Event Features Signature Home Tours in Palm Springs, Featured Home Tours, Tours of Iconic Homes, and Much More
We’ve added some exciting new events to this year’s Modernism Week program! Taking place February 13 to 23, 2025 in the Palm Springs area of Southern California, these newly added events include a tour of the Morse House, a Midcentury Sunny Cycle Tour, a talk about Sunnylands exterior artworks, a new Atomic Ranch Talk & Tour program, and many new compelling talks.
The popular annual 11-day festival will feature more than 400 events including the Palm Springs Modernism Show, tours of iconic homes in more than 28 neighborhoods and communities, walking tours, and nightly parties. Also offered are a range of architectural double-decker bus tours, several fashion-related events, a classic car show, landscape talks and garden tours, walking and biking tours, and a series of compelling and informative talks with world-class speakers. All events are open to the public and tickets are on sale now at modernismweek.com. Some events sell out quickly due to limited capacity and high demand.
Newly added events include:
Tours
- Morse House Tour (2/21, $50) The stunning Krisel and Palmer-designed Morse Residence was built in 1961 and was the first home in the Vista Las Palmas neighborhood of Palm Springs to be designated a Class 1 Historic Site. This midcentury modern design gem is considered one of the finest in all of Palm Springs. Guests will enjoy its incredible interior spaces, including its distinctive swim-up bar.
- A 1929 Spanish Revival Transformed Into A Modern Marvel (2/20, $45) This tour of a 1929 fully re-imagined home demonstrates how to blend Spanish Revival with modern design elements. Showcased in Architectural Digest, this custom estate in Palm Springs’ prestigious Old Las Palmas enclave boasts extensive grounds and bold colors with a playful energy.
- Midcentury Sunny Cycle Tour by PS ModCom (2/13 – 2/23; $90) This fun two-hour small group tour of many architectural wonders in a prized neighborhoods in Palm Springs (including the Movie Colony, Old Las Palmas, Vista Las Palmas, and the Historic Tennis Club) takes place on the cycling-optional Sunny Cycle. The tour offers a unique opportunity to explore the work of renowned architects who designed some of the iconic buildings that define Palm Springs’ architectural legacy. It includes a short break at Eight4Nine Restaurant & Lounge that will be serving complimentary appetizers.
Talk and Tour
- Cocktails and Conversations: An evening touring The Lautner Compound with architectural photographer Andrew Pielage (2/15, $100) This exclusive presentation by renowned photographer and educator Andrew Pielage, explores the personal connection between two of architecture’s most visionary figures: Frank Lloyd Wright and John Lautner. Discover how Wright mentored a young Lautner, whose bold, futuristic designs would go on to reshape modern architecture. In addition to the talk, guests will be able to tour four incredible “Lautner Living Units” at The Lautner, a micro boutique hotel and upscale vacation rental property.
- Atomic Ranch Talk & Tour: Sackley Chase Sensation (2/17, $65) Participants of this informative tour will take a deep dive into the Sackley Chase Sensation, one of the Modernism Week featured homes, designed by the renowned Stan Sackley. Guests will enjoy a poolside chat with designers Michael Ostrow and Roger Stoker of Grace Home Furnishings to hear all about the renovation and the original elements they preserved by the home’s very first interior designer, the legendary Steve Chase.
Party
- Trini Lopez Museum Cocktail Party (2/14, $75) This festive cocktail party celebrates the new Trini Lopez Museum in Palm Springs, celebrating the life and legacy of the iconic folk-rock musician and Latino cultural trailblazer. Guests will be immersed in the colorful world of Trini Lopez through captivating exhibits of his costumes, guitars, gold records, awards and personal artifacts, and an original artwork by Shag. Attendees will receive a Shag exhibit poster and meet the artist, members of the Lopez family, My Name is Lopez documentary film directors P. David Ebersole and Todd Hughes, and producers Joan and Gary Gand of the Gand Band. There will even be a pop-up live music performance. All proceeds will go to the Palm Springs Historical Society.
Live Entertainment
- Pajama Game (2/23, $120) PS UNDERGROUND is offering a one-of-a-kind experience of music and ambiance that pays tribute to movie musicals of the 1950s and 60s as guests enjoy a three-course brunch with free-flowing 1950s-themed cocktails, mimosas, and bubbly. Guests are encouraged to relax in their comfortable PJ’s and revel in the musical magic of the movies with fantastic songs from movie musical films including Singing in The Rain, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, A Star Is Born, The King And I, Jailhouse Rock, and, of course, The Pajama Game. Chef will flip the script on classic 1950s brunch dishes with a playful, contemporary twist.
- Shelton Sings Sinatra – A Very Romantic Affair (2/16, $65) Acclaimed as the leading dramatic interpreter of Frank Sinatra, Richard Shelton honors Sinatra’s timeless legacy with an unforgettable performance, showcasing the legendary singer’s most romantic classics. Accompanied on stage with a nine-piece orchestra and grand piano, Shelton manifests not only Sinatra’s sliding rhythms and nuanced phrasing, but also the timbre of his famous voice. With a full performance of Sinatra’s most romantic and beloved songs brought to the Annenberg stage, this will be an evening to remember and a perfect Valentine for everyone.
Talks and Films
- Iwan Baan: Rome – Las Vegas: Bread and Circuses (2/19, $18) Photographer Iwan Baan will present a talk on his latest publication “Rome – Las Vegas Bread and Circuses” (2024, Lars Müller Publishers), which offers a visual comparison of two cities often perceived as architectural opposites. While Rome is known for its ancient and enduring monuments, and Las Vegas for its contemporary spectacle, Baan’s photographs capture striking parallels between the two, exploring themes of power, play, and urban identity. This presentation will showcase Baan’s images from both cities—ranging from aerial perspectives to street-level views. By juxtaposing the perceived authenticity of Rome with the artificiality of Las Vegas, the photographs raise questions about how we interpret and value architecture in different contexts.
- FILM: SCHINDLER SPACE ARCHITECT. A New Documentary on Rudolph M. Schindler (2/17, $20) This newly released full-length documentary explores architect R.M. Schindler’s richly complex work, life, and his legacy as a pioneer of modern architecture. Austrian-born and educated, Schindler changed forever the architectural landscape of Los Angeles and laid the foundation for what now is considered the California lifestyle of indoor-outdoor living. The film is narrated by Meryl Streep and Udo Kier and features comments by renown architects Frank Gehry, Steven Holl, Thom Mayne, and Ray Kappe.
- Curated Landscape: Monuments, Sculpture, and Other Built Delights on the Grounds of Sunnylands (2/18, $15) Join Anne Rowe, Director of Heritage at Sunnylands, as she shares the intriguing provenance of the sculpture and unique “follies” chosen by Walter and Leonore Annenberg for their estate’s landscape.
- Italian Modernism: Carlo Scarpa and the Architecture of Geometry, Water and Light (2/21, $18) In this fascinating talk, Annalisa Capurro delves into the extraordinary work and legacy of Venetian modernist architect, Carlo Scarpa, renowned for his masterful fusion of modernist principles with artisanal techniques. His career was marked by a masterful fusion of modernist principles with artisanal techniques, resulting in buildings that were both functional and poetically evocative.
- Expanding the Field: The Preservation of Modernist Homes at World Monuments Fund (2/18, $18) This presentation highlights past World Monuments Fund projects such as the initial assessment work and archival research in the 1990s at the Villa Tugendhat in the Czech Republic designed by Mies van der Rohe, and the preservation and protection of Edward Durell Stone’s A. Conger Goodyear House in the US in the early 2000s.
- Boys in the Sand: Horace Gifford and the Architecture of Seduction (2/15, $15) Architect and historian Christopher Rawlins presents a new, expanded edition of his best-selling 2013 book, Fire Island Modernist: Horace Gifford and the Architecture of Seduction.
- Contemporary Perspectives on Heritage: The National Trust of England, Wales and Northern Ireland (2/17, $18) This presentation explores the intersection of public realm programming and the preservation of modernist properties.
- The Legacy of Disney’s Monsanto House of the Future (2/14, $18) The House of the Future was an iconic Disneyland attraction that captured the imagination of countless visitors during its 10-year run 1957-1967. This presentation takes attendees on a fascinating journey through the conception, construction, opening and ultimate closure of this groundbreaking exhibit.
- Blurring the Lines: Studio AR&D Architects (2/19, $15) This presentation by Sean Lockyer, founder and principal architect of Studio AR&D will explore the studio’s design process of crafting modern desert homes that blur the boundaries between indoor and outdoor spaces, creating seamless living environments. This presentation will showcase several key projects, highlighting how thoughtful design can enhance the connection between architecture and landscape.
- Framing Midcentury Modern: The Visionary Lens of Dan Chavkin (2/21, $100) Go on a Midcentury Modern journey through the lens of celebrated photographer and author Dan Chavkin at The Lautner Compound. Dan will share insights from his 20-year career as an architectural photographer specializing in midcentury modern architecture, showcasing the iconic structures and design principles that define this influential era.
- Capturing California Modernism: Photography and the Rise of an Iconic Architectural Style (2/20, $15) ARCHITECT Editor-in-Chief Paul Makovsky will lead a compelling panel discussion on the origins, evolution, and contemporary interpretations of the timeless allure of California Modernism. The panel will explore photography’s role in capturing California Modernism for design publications and the real estate market. Underwriting for this event and complimentary tickets courtesy of Marvin Windows and Doors and ARCHITECT Magazine.
- Honoring a Local Legacy: Midcentury Modern Inspiration at Cotino, the first Storyliving by Disney community (2/17, FREE) Once a beloved retreat for Walt and Lillian Disney, the greater Palm Springs area will be the setting for Cotino, the first Storyliving by Disney new-home community currently underway in Rancho Mirage. The Cotino community will be a creative oasis energized by the desert’s natural beauty and designed to inspire residents to write the next exciting chapter of their lives. During a collaborative discussion with Disney Imagineers and Pixar artists, learn more about how the rich architectural legacy of Palm Springs influenced different aspects of the Cotino community’s design including the Parr House. Currently under construction, the Parr House is inspired by the superhero family’s stunning midcentury modern home in Pixar Animation Studios’ “Incredibles 2.” Underwriting for this presentation and complimentary admission is generously provided by Cotino, a Storyliving by Disney Community.
- The Lives of a (Modern) Building – The Edith Farnsworth House in Chicago: Architecture, Preservation and Stewardship (2/16, $18) Chicago-based architectural historian and preservationist Professor Michelangelo Sabatino will join Dirk Lohan, the architect grandson of Mies van der Rohe, and discuss the Edith Farnsworth House, a 1951 Modernist masterpiece designed by van der Rohe. The two will share captivating stories about the house’s vibrant cultural history, including the house’s preservation journey and insights into van der Rohe’s design choices and site decisions with his client.
Exhibitions
- Trini Lopez Museum (2/13-17 and 2/19-2/23, FREE) This new museum celebrates the life and legacy of the iconic folk-rock musician and Latino cultural trailblazer Trini Lopez. Discover the story of Trini’s remarkable career: his friendships with legends Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack, the Beatles, Elvis, and how he became a beloved part of the Palm Springs scene. Be immersed in his colorful world through captivating exhibits of his costumes, guitars, gold records, awards and personal artifacts.
- The Art of Herb Alpert–Palm Springs, CA (2/18 and 2/20, $65) Step into the world of Herb Alpert, a legendary musician, 9-time Grammy Award recipient, and artist, whose paintings and sculptures have been created over five decades. “Herb Alpert, Palm Springs,” is an extraordinary art studio dedicated to showcasing a self-curated selection of his art. With its expansive 12,000 sq/ft facility featuring extraordinary exhibition spaces and a stunning outdoor sculpture garden, this destination promises a memorable experience.
