Photo: Matthew Hendricks ( SCUMATT at en.wikipedia ) · CC BY-SA 2.5 · editedDe Saisset Museum
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Cristiano Tomás · CC BY-SA 4.0 · edited
What's on here
Why go
- European prints by Dürer, Hogarth and Piranesi, alongside modernist works by Chagall, Matisse and Picasso.
- 20th-century American photography by Ansel Adams, Wynn Bullock and Imogen Cunningham.
- Paintings by Ernest de Saisset and California mission artifacts, including liturgical vestments.
- Contemporary California art at the heart of current collecting.
Opening hours
Today11:00 – 16:00Show all
Don't miss
- Mission Style architectureThe museum’s building follows the style of California’s Spanish missions.Exterior
- De Saisset family crestThe family crest is above the foyer door.Above the foyer door
- European-print viewing drawersThe basement includes viewing drawers for European prints alongside historical artifacts and permanent-collection art.Basement
Know before you go
- Open Tuesday–Sunday, 11:00–16:00; often closed between exhibitions.
- Tickets can be bought through the museum’s website.
What's inside
- Ground floor: main foyer, visiting-exhibition rooms and a lecture hall for presentations and activities.
- Upper floor: exhibitions drawn from the permanent collection.
With kids
- The museum hosts programs such as Spark seminars.
- Students selected artworks through a class acquisition program.
- During her residency, Ana Teresa Fernández worked on a collaborative project with university students and staff.
Tips for your visit
- For opening enquiries before travelling, call +1 408-554-4528.
- Collection access is available for scholarly and research purposes; contact the museum to discuss arrangements.
Interesting facts6
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6,500 pieces
Works on paper and photography account for more than half the holdings, with over 6,500 pieces.
Art Collection - Santa Clara University -
The video-art collection includes rare videos and films from a period when the museum commissioned and exhibited video art.
Art Collection - Santa Clara University -
A small group of Asian artworks sits alongside European and American art dating from the Renaissance onward.
Art Collection - Santa Clara University -
Decorative arts in the collection include ceramics, glass, porcelain and furniture.
Art Collection - Santa Clara University -
100 paintings
The collection began with about 100 paintings by Ernest de Saisset.
Art Collection - Santa Clara University -
Painting and sculpture holdings are mainly Modern and contemporary, including works by Fletcher Benton, Inez Storer and Bruce Conner.
Art Collection - Santa Clara University
History
Paintings and objects belonging to Ernest de Saisset and his family formed the original collection. Later acquisitions in the United States and abroad expanded it.
- Before 1886Ernest de Saisset studied at Santa Clara and learned painting from Fr. Bartholomew Tortone during his final year at the college.
- 1886His family sent him to Paris, where he studied at the Académie Julian.
- 1895He returned to California and continued painting.
- 1899Ernest de Saisset died.
- Before the museum openedIsabel de Saisset offered family property, art, jewels, silver and tapestries for a university gallery and museum.
Show all
- 1955The museum opened following Isabel’s bequest, initially emphasizing art; history became a later focus.
How to get there
- On foot500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, California; on campus near Palm and Alviso streets.
Sources: De Saisset Museum - Wikipedia · Santa Clara (California) - Wikivoyage (see) · de Saisset Museum - Santa Clara University · Collections - de Saisset Museum - Santa Clara U… · Art Collection - Santa Clara University · Musée de Saisset - Wikipedia · De Saisset Museum: tickets (its own site) · Schools and Centers - Santa Clara University · checked 3 Oct 2026
- Website
- scu.edu/deSaisset/
- Phone
- +1 408-554-4528
Questions and answers
What contemporary prints does De Saisset Museum hold?
Its collection includes prints by Enrique Chagoya, Nathan Oliveira, Miriam Schapiro and June Wayne.
Which works by Mercedes Dorame are in De Saisset Museum’s collection?
The collection includes the archival prints Smoke to Water and Balance.
Does De Saisset Museum hold work by Bryan Ida?
Yes. The collection includes Manzanar, an ink-on-panel work.
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