Explore Arts & Culture in Petaluma
Visual and fine arts; performing and decorative arts. Petaluma is a community of artists. And our compact geography makes it easy to experience them all.
In the downtown district, art is at the heart of our city. Visitors can explore more than a dozen galleries, many of them housed in beautifully preserved Victorian buildings. In midtown, the Petaluma Arts Center is a cultural hub featuring gallery and classroom space.
History shares the bill with live theater in Petaluma’s unique entertainment venues. Today, buildings from the turn of the century present a diverse range of performers, from string quartets to Shakespearean plays. Or if you’re in the mood to unwind after a long day on the road, there are wine bars and cafes with live music that pair perfectly with a Petaluma Gap pinot.
ART GALLERIES
When welcoming visitors to Petaluma, we also welcome them to a vibrant cultural arts community.
The Petaluma Arts Center, located near the Visitor Center and downtown SMART platform, features rotating exhibits showcasing fine art in a variety of mediums as well as classes and cross-cultural collaborations.
Wonderstump is an interactive art experience, that combines various art forms to stimulate all the senses. As you explore their mind-bending exhibits, you may feel like you have gone down the rabbit hole to Wonderland.
In historic downtown Petaluma, art flourishes at Usher Gallery, Nanny Goat Gallery, and Alchemia. Several blocks south on the Boulevard is Art & Music Gallery.
In midtown, across the street from the SMART station, visit the Ice House Gallery in the historic Burdell Building. Also in Midtown, Life on Art is gallery, community, and empowerment for all humans through art.
In the Foundry Wharf district, find art in the WTRSHD warehouse, with more on weekends within at G Street Gallery, Studio LZ (open Tuesday-Saturday), First Street Gallery, and Magic Shop Studios Gallery. Two blocks away, Slough City Studios has multi-media works by Petaluma artists, as well as a welcoming community maker table to create your own.
Usher Gallery
For two weekends in October, Sonoma County art studios open their doors to the public for Sonoma County Art Trails, a juried multi-location show.
In July, shop for art at the annual Art & Garden Festival, which features 100+ exhibitors, live music, locally made food, craft beer and spirits, children’s area and so much more.
First Fridays . Arts Alive is a free, eclectic art experience on the first Friday of every month at citywide host locations with live music, dance, theater, improv, storytelling, art demos, poetry, book launches, photography, multimedia exhibits, film and more.
Making Progress
See “Making Progress” by Rough Edge Collective and 30 more murals and public art installments with the interactive map below. Photo: Katie Gebhardt
Art in Unexpected Places
Petaluma is a community of makers. You’ll find hand-crafted treasures throughout. There are so many artists, its art spills out of galleries onto the walls of its downtown boutiques, restaurants, and businesses. Petaluma invites you to enjoy art while you’re dining, getting your hair done, shopping for designer clothes, working remotely, shipping packages, or sipping coffee.
Here are some of the places where you can find rotating art exhibits.
Live Theater Takes Center Stage
Mercury Theater, housed in a 1908 two-room schoolhouse, represents a visionary collective of local artists and performers who bring innovative shows to this iconic location.
Cinnabar Theater has been producing opera, drama, cabaret, and musical performances for more than 50 years. Formally in the 1908 building now occupied by the Mercury Theater, Cinnabar expects to make their new home in the Petaluma Outlet Mall and is performing at other locations in the interim. The show must go on!
Visit the Events Calendar for plays and performances throughout the year presented by Petaluma’s active performing arts community.
MOVIES
When you can’t wait to catch a new release, there’s no better theater to relax and enjoy a movie than Petaluma’s Cinema West.
Enjoy IMAX (big screen and immersive sound) and ScreenX (key scenes spill onto surrounding walls) shows from luxury recliners. Parking is free in the Theatre District garage.