Things to Do in Bergamot Station Arts Centre: Santa Monica’s Creative Contemporary Art Hub

The Bergamot Station Arts Centre is located in the heart of Santa Monica and has a lively, open-air creative hub that presents industrial charm with a modern artistic vibe. In the 20th century, it was a cultural hotspot, a bustling railroad station, serving as a trolley stop for the Los Angeles Pacific Railway. It transformed into a warehouse complex in the 1950s, but in the 1990s, a remarkable revival took place when the City of Santa Monica and a group of visionary developers turned the old industrial buildings into a thriving arts centre. Today, Bergamot Station is celebrated as one of Southern California’s premier art destinations, boasting over 20 art galleries, creative businesses, and nonprofit organisations. Visitors wander through its courtyards adorned with sculptures, attend exciting gallery openings, participate in creative workshops, or soak in the unique atmosphere. 

What Can You See & Do at Bergamot Station Arts Centre?

Here are the eight best things to see and do at the Bergamot Station Arts Centre, Santa Monica:

1. Explore Contemporary Art Galleries: Bergamot Station has many vibrant contemporary art galleries. The William Turner Gallery showcases modern and abstract art and spotlights artists like Andy Moses and Ned Evans. The ROSEGALLERY explores photography and visual storytelling and features world-famous photographers. TAG Gallery (The Artists Gallery) showcases artwork, which includes original paintings, sculptures, mixed media and other creations of local and regional artists. Each of these art galleries provides a unique artistic signature and showcases a different selection of established and emerging artists.
2. Attend Openings, Artist Talks & Cultural Events: Bergamot Station has wonderful gallery openings, special exhibitions, and cultural events. These events present live music, opportunities to meet the artists, and curator talks that explore the creative process. The centre also hosts art fairs, design exhibitions, and fundraising galas. Students and art professionals enjoy the artist talks and lectures that provide insight straight from the artists about their inspirations, obstacles, and artistic journeys. These events create and maintain a lively community around artists and visitors, with Friday evening openings or weekend art walks.
3. Join Art Workshops & Creative Classes: Bergamot Station offers numerous hands-on opportunities for people motivated to produce their own art. The galleries and partner studios offer art classes that teach painting, photography, and printmaking. These classes cater to all skill levels. The synergy of the classes and the interplay of modern art with the tried and true techniques make an inspiring environment. The programs help the participants to acquire relevant skills while enriching the art scene by fostering community members’ involvement through art and meaningful expression.
4. Visit the On-Site Art Museum or Nonprofit Spaces: The Bergamot Station is a lively venue of nonprofit and educational art organisations. The Santa Monica Museum of Art, redesigned as the Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (ICA LA), has a major role in the formation of the culture of the station. It curates the work of a number of nonprofit galleries to promote social awareness using art, addressing such critical issues as sustainability, identity and community. 
5. Shop for Art & Collectables: Bergamot Station boasts numerous galleries that supply a full range of art and design collectables. Original paintings and fine art prints, ceramics, sculptures, and handmade jewellery for every collector and art lover. Limited-edition pieces of art and photography prints are displayed in many galleries, and this is the perfect place to steal exclusive pieces right out of the artists’ or curators. The employees are welcoming and knowledgeable and are willing to tell stories about the artists and the message behind the pieces, which makes each purchase personal.
6. Take a Guided Art Tour: For a better experience with your visit, participate in a guided art tour. These guided tours are arranged by the art historians or gallery curators and provide intriguing information about the history, the redesigned railway complex, and the stories of the chosen artworks. Through these tours, the visitors can visit various galleries and have professional commentary. Other ones are group or individual tours, which offer the art student or collector a closer insight into the art movements, curatorial practices and contemporary aesthetics.
7. Stroll Through the Outdoor Art Campus: Bergamot Station is an open-air and relaxing exploration. The galleries are arranged in a way that visitors walk between them, which is full of sculptures, murals, and installation art, and makes it seem that they are walking through an outdoor museum. It contains sufficient benches and shaded areas where the visitors can relax and absorb the art all around them. The industrial design of the centre, combined with colourful displays, forms an incredible visual background that unites the elements of creativity and relaxation. 
8. Perfect for Art Photography: Bergamot Station is a heaven for photographers. Contemporary art is combined with urban design and industrial elements, which give endless possibilities in stunning photography. It possesses the geometrical wall construction of metals and worn-out surfaces, to smooth sculptures and colourful murals full of striking contrasts. Tourists visit this area to test the architecture, the works of art, and the details of spontaneous performances in the exhibitions. It is an ideal spot to take photographs for a professional or an amateur.

 What are the Entry Fees & Timings?

The Bergamot Station Arts Centre is free for visitors. They wander through the galleries, explore the public spaces, and check out the outdoor exhibits without spending anything. The centre is open from Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and on Sundays from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM. 

How to Get to Bergamot Station Arts Centre?

Here are the six best ways to go to the Bergamot Station Arts Centre, Santa Monica:

1. By Metro: Metro E Line (Expo Line) is the simplest and environmental-friendly to the Bergamot Station. The 26th Street/Bergamot Station puts you right at the door, and this makes it exceedingly convenient to anyone who is travelling in and out of Downtown Los Angeles or Culver City. There is no reason to worry about parking and traffic.
2. By Car: The most enjoyable way of travelling is by car. You only need to use the Cloverfield Boulevard or the 26th Street exit and use the signpost to Michigan Avenue for the ride. Visitors are allowed free parking around Bergamot Station Arts Centre.
3. By Bus: The complex is served by the Santa Monica Big Blue Bus lines 5 and 43, which provide access to the major locations in Santa Monica and its surroundings. It’s not only affordable, but the bus is also an environmentally friendly method of getting around the city when sightseeing the cultural attractions of the city.
4. By Bike/Scooter: Santa Monica has the reputation of being a bike-friendly city in Los Angeles County. It has bike lanes and bike paths that directly head to the art centre, and there is a bike rack on-site. Scooters and bikes that run on electric power are also popular, and the areas of drop-offs and pick-ups are directly close to the entrance.
5. By Limo Service: Limousine service Los Angeles is the best in the area of Santa Monica. It is comfortable and stylish, good enough for a personal occasion, touring the art galleries or visiting groups, and it drops off and collects directly on the complex.
6. By Rideshare: Uber and Lyft are both easy to access in Santa Monica, and there have been specific areas where rideshare arrival points are located close to the main entrance. This is so convenient to get in and out without the burden of having to search to get a parking space.

Where to Eat & Drink Near Bergamot Station?

Here are the three best eating places near the Bergamot Station Arts Centre, Santa Monica:

1. Father’s Office: Father’s Office is among the popular gastropubs in Santa Monica, which is well-known because of its Office Burger, an appetising dish that is made out of dry-aged beef, caramelised onions, blue cheese, and arugula. It offers a beer selection which includes local and international ones, which makes it a place to visit when one wants to have both tasty food and nice drinks in a comfortable environment. It also has truffle fries, steak sandwiches, and seasonal salads, which are well matched with their ever-changing beer list.
2. La Dijonaise Café & Bakery: La Dijonaise Café is a classic type of French café and is best to visit in the morning for breakfast or in the afternoon to have a snack between gallery visits. It offers freshly baked croissants, quiches, and baguette sandwiches,  salads as Niçoise and Goat Cheese Beet Salad. Visitors enjoy their French onion soup, chocolate eclairs, and espresso beverages to have a light, but fulfilling meal. The cafe has a relaxed atmosphere and open-air seating that makes it a perfect place to relax after visiting the art spaces.
3. Mélisse and Citrin: Mélisse and Citrin are two-star Michelin sister restaurants of Chef Josiah Citrin, are within a short distance of Wilshire Boulevard. Melisse offers lobster that is poached in butter, black truffle risotto and dry-aged duck breast in a small dining area. Citrin serves branzino (wood-grilled), wagyu beef, and homemade pasta. These two restaurants emphasise California-style food, using local and seasonal dishes and showcasing the ingenuity. It is an ideal place to eat after spending the entire day surrounded by visual arts.

Is Bergamot Station Arts Centre worth visiting?

Bergamot Station Arts Centre is the most creative place in culture in Santa Monica. It allows experiencing creativity, history and the community of artists. It is a lovely spot with its factory appeal, free and airy plan. The visitors see the most advanced contemporary art, meet artists and curators, take part in workshops, or just spend a relaxing afternoon in the atmosphere of creativity. Bergamot Station is described in the same way as the artistic spirit of Santa Monica. It is free to visit, easy to reach, and vibrant.