Pomona city centre is a compact starting point for exploring the Pomona Arts Colony, a downtown district with galleries, museums and recurring public events. You can build a visit around its art venues, then check current opening and parking details before setting out.
- Arts district: The Pomona Arts Colony directory describes more than a dozen galleries.
- Getting there: Downtown Pomona is about a 9-minute drive from Travelodge by Wyndham Fairplex Pomona, which offers guest rooms for your Pomona Arts Colony visit.
- Transit: The dA Center for the Arts is about a five-minute walk south on Main Street from Pomona Transit Center.
- Recurring events: ArtWalk takes place on the second Saturday of each month; the Collector’s Street Faire follows a pattern of selected months.
Getting oriented in downtown Pomona
Downtown Pomona’s arts district is known as the Pomona Arts Colony, with more than a dozen galleries. The district directory identifies the Latino Art Museum and American Museum of Ceramic Art as major anchors, giving you a couple of named cultural stops to use when planning a route through the area.
The venues are spread across downtown rather than gathered at one address. The American Museum of Ceramic Art is at 399 N. Garey Ave., the Latino Art Museum at 281 S. Thomas St. #105, and the Sasse Museum of Art at 300 S. Thomas St. You can use those addresses to shape a walk between venues.
For a central point on Main Street, the dA Center for the Arts is at 252 S. Main St. #D, at the corner of Main Street and 3rd Street, two blocks south of 3rd Street after turning from Main Street.
Arts, culture, and local places to see
The Pomona Arts Colony brings galleries and museums together downtown, with the dA Center for the Arts as another address to add to an art-focused outing. The Latino Art Museum and American Museum of Ceramic Art are major anchors in the district. The Millard Sheets Art Center is another local venue to consider when mapping an art-focused visit.
The dA Center for the Arts is on South Main Street, near the corner of 3rd Street. Its exhibition hours are Sunday 1–4 p.m. and Tuesday through Saturday 1–5 p.m.; it is closed Monday.
The center’s Second Saturday ArtWalk hours are 1–9 p.m., which differ from regular exhibition hours. Its events are free and require no reservations unless otherwise stated; classes may require signup or reservations, and the center advises calling to confirm.
If you want to add another art stop, the Benton Museum of Art in Pomona has its own location and visiting details.
Getting downtown from the hotel
If you are heading to the dA Center for the Arts, its address points to the Main Street and 3rd Street corner. From Pomona Transit Center, the center is about a five-minute walk south along Main Street.
The Vehicle Parking District operates 25 lots downtown, including two south of Holt Avenue. The standard fee is $2 per 24-hour period, from 8 a.m. to 8 a.m. the next day, with the first two hours free; exceptions may apply.
Lot 8 costs $4 per day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and is free until 8 a.m. the following morning. Check posted signs for the rules that apply to your lot.
Transit connections and walkability
Pomona Transit Center connects with downtown on foot, and the dA Center for the Arts describes the walk south on Main Street as about five minutes. That gives you a direct way to combine transit with a visit to the arts district.
For a broader look at station choices and routes around town, Pomona’s transit and station connections can help you plan your connections. Transit service and timetables can change, so check the relevant transit operator’s current information.
The dA Center for the Arts identifies Foothill Transit lines 195, 197, 286, 291, 292, 480, 482 and 486, the Silver Streak, and Omnitrans line 61 as bus services serving Pomona Transit Center.
How to plan a few hours downtown
For a short visit, start with one or two galleries or museums, then walk toward the dA Center for the Arts along Main Street. The venue addresses can help you plan an art-focused route without trying to cover every stop in one outing.
Downtown Pomona’s monthly ArtWalk takes place on the second Saturday of each month from 5–10 p.m., rain or shine. Activities include galleries, live music, food, shopping, family activities and vendors.
Street closures run from 2–11 p.m. on 2nd Street between Park Avenue and Main Street and between Main Street and Garey Avenue, and on Thomas Street between 2nd and 3rd Streets.
The Collector’s Street Faire follows a recurring pattern on the last Saturday of selected months: January, March, May, September and November, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The closure area is 2nd Street between Garey Avenue and Gibbs Street, from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Check the official site before you go for current event, street and parking details.
FAQs
What is downtown Pomona’s arts district called?
It is known as the Pomona Arts Colony, which has more than a dozen galleries.
Where is the dA Center for the Arts?
It is at 252 S. Main St. #D, at the corner of Main Street and 3rd Street.
When does the Pomona ArtWalk take place?
It takes place on the second Saturday of each month, from 5–10 p.m.
Which museums are in downtown Pomona?
The district directory identifies the Latino Art Museum and American Museum of Ceramic Art as major anchors, and also includes the Sasse Museum of Art.