An insider’s look at hidden masterpieces.

The Visible Vaults recreates part of The San Diego Museum of Art’s most carefully guarded area, a place that is invisible to most visitors—the vaults—where the thousands of works of art in the collection are stored. An insider’s look at hidden masterpieces, visitors are invited to peek into virtual storerooms.

Often curators cannot put everything on view that deserves to be displayed; some works of art are too light-sensitive, and others do not have a context in the galleries. However in this behind-the-scenes display, visitors have the opportunity to discover numerous little-known masterpieces, including ancient mosaics, ceramics, cloisonné, snuff bottles, and paintings, as well as sculpture by Alexander Calder, Lynn Chadwick, Henry Moore, Masayuke Nagare, George Rickey, and Auguste Rodin among others. Recently added to the installation is a display of Roman glass as well as an important Dogon carving.

One of the strengths of the Museum’s permanent collection is its prints and drawings collection. Visible Vaults introduces printmaking and drawing techniques used all over the world with a selection of works on paper including Japanese woodblock prints, South Asian paintings, Photography, as well as Latin American, American, and European prints and drawings.

More information is available on the SDMA app.