Modernism Week Palm Springs: Tickets, Tours & Planning Guide

When it happens and when tickets go on sale

Modernism Week fills the middle of February, running Thursday to Sunday across two weekends with everything in between. A smaller Fall Preview weekend happens in October. The critical date is the ticket release, usually in early November: the double-decker architecture bus tours and the signature home tours sell out the same day. Set a reminder, make an account in advance, and know which two or three events you actually want before the queue opens.

The events worth planning around

• **Home tours:** the reason people come. Several private mid-century houses open for self-guided walk-throughs, usually clustered in one neighborhood so you can park once. These are the fastest sellouts.
• **Double-decker architecture bus tours:** a narrated 2-3 hour loop through the neighborhoods with commentary on Wexler, Krisel, Frey and Lautner. The single best value if you only do one ticketed event.
• **The Modernism Show & Sale:** a big convention-center furniture and design fair. Easy to get into, good for browsing even if you are not buying a $4,000 credenza.
• **Vintage trailer show:** a field of restored Airstreams and Spartans, open to walk through. Family-friendly and cheap.
• **Talks, films and parties:** lectures by architects and authors, documentary screenings, and cocktail parties in landmark buildings. The parties are where the scene is.

Doing Modernism Week without tickets

A surprising amount is free or open to anyone. Neighborhood streets are public — you can drive or walk Twin Palms, Vista Las Palmas and Racquet Club Estates and see the butterfly rooflines and breezeblock walls from the sidewalk at no cost. The Visitor Center in the Albert Frey-designed former Tramway gas station, the Palm Springs Art Museum Architecture and Design Center, and Frank Sinatra-era landmark exteriors are all year-round. Our self-guided driving tour covers the route.

Where to stay

Downtown puts you closest to the shuttle stops, party venues and restaurants, and lets you walk home from an evening event. Book lodging before the November ticket release — rates roughly double for these dates and two- to three-night minimums are normal. Mid-century hotels themselves become part of the experience; several open their properties for tours during the week.

Practical notes

Home tours mean lots of standing and walking on gravel and desert landscaping, so wear real shoes. February weather is ideal — 70s by day, 45-50 at night, so bring a jacket for evening events. Photography rules vary by house and are strictly enforced; interior photos are often not allowed. Shuttles run between major venues, and parking at popular tour sites is tight, so use them.