THE NOUN Cultural Calendar | November 11–30, 2026
From Japanese cultural celebrations and creative workshops in San Diego to artist conversations, new exhibitions, and performances in Los Angeles and San Francisco, here's what's happening for the remainder of November.
BALBOA PARK | SAN DIEGO
Boundless: Reflections of the Southern California Landscapes in Midcentury Studio Ceramics, Mingei International Museum, Balboa Park, San Diego. On view September 27, 2025–May 31, 2026. Photography by Amélie Rae Mayumi.
Events & Experiences
NOV 12 | Sumi-e: Japanese Ink Painting
Balboa Park
Explore traditional Japanese ink painting through a workshop emphasizing brushwork, balance, and simplicity.
Explore Balboa Park Events
NOV 14 | Yokohama Festival
Balboa Park | Free
Celebrate 70 years of friendship between San Diego and Yokohama, Japan, with taiko drumming, Bon Odori, cultural performances, food, and community activities. Main performances run 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Festival Information
NOV 14 | Coffee & Conversations with Salley Mavor
Mingei International Museum
Meet the artist behind intricate embroidered illustrations and miniature scenes, and learn about her creative process.
Explore Balboa Park Events
NOV 14 | Potters Guild Fall Patio Show
Spanish Village Art Center
Discover handmade ceramics and locally created artwork by San Diego artists.
Explore Balboa Park Events
NOV 18 | Why Dinosaurs?
San Diego Natural History Museum
A film screening and conversation exploring the science, discoveries, and enduring fascination surrounding dinosaurs.
Explore Balboa Park Events
NOV 20 | Nat at Night
San Diego Natural History Museum
Experience the museum after hours, with exhibitions and evening programming.
Explore Balboa Park Events
NOV 21 | Skate Craft Opens
Mingei International Museum
A new exhibition exploring skateboarding's inventive DIY culture through design, materials, and craftsmanship.
Explore Mingei Exhibitions
NOV 21 | Tezukuri-Ichi Holiday Market
Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum | 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Shop handmade items from local artists and small businesses at the Inamori Pavilion. Included with garden admission.
Explore Garden Events
NOV 21 | Accessibility Morning
Fleet Science Center | 9 a.m.
An early museum experience designed to offer a more sensory-considerate environment for visitors and families.
Explore Balboa Park Events
NOV 21 | The Art of Fashion & Photography
MOPA@SDMA | 6–8 p.m. | Free, RSVP required
A collaborative runway event bringing together fashion, photography, and creative expression.
Explore SDMA Events
NOV 21 | Ales N' Rails
San Diego Model Railroad Museum
An evening combining model railroads, food, games, and craft beverages. Ticketed.
Explore Balboa Park Events
NOV 21 | Taikopalooza
WorldBeat Cultural Center
A celebration of Japanese taiko drumming featuring local performers and community music.
Explore Balboa Park Events
NOV 22 | Kokeshi Doll Painting
Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum
Learn about traditional Japanese wooden dolls and create your own painted design.
Explore Garden Events
NOV 27–29 | The Magic of Christmas Show
Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater
A seasonal family performance featuring puppetry and holiday entertainment.
Explore Balboa Park Events
San Diego Zoo
Toy Shop Hop, featuring Santa's acrobatic elves at the San Diego Zoo. Photography by Amélie Rae Mayumi.
NOV 28 | Santa's Factory Opens
San Diego Zoo
The zoo welcomes the season with Santa's Factory ahead of its annual Jungle Bells celebration in December. Regular zoo admission or membership required.
Explore Jungle Bells
Resident Free Museum Days
Free general admission is available to eligible San Diego city and county residents, active military personnel, and dependents at participating institutions. Valid identification is required; some special exhibitions and experiences are excluded.
NOV 12 | San Diego Model Railroad Museum
NOV 17 | Third Tuesday
The San Diego Museum of Art
Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum
The Old Globe — limited behind-the-scenes tours; advance registration required
NOV 24 | Fourth Tuesday
San Diego Automotive Museum
Museum of Us
Mingei International Museum's ground-floor spaces are free to the public daily.
Resident Free Days & Eligibility
Exhibitions Worth Exploring
Mingei International Museum
Painted Prayers: The Japanese Folk Art Tradition of Ema
My Bed: Enchanting Ways to Fall Asleep Around the World
Skate Craft: Do-It-Yourself Design in Skateboarding — opens November 21
Exhibitions
The San Diego Museum of Art & MOPA@SDMA
Icons of Imperial Russia
Cecil Beaton's Fashionable World
Exhibitions
San Diego Automotive Museum
Art Deco: The Machine Age in Motion
Explore the Museum
Comic-Con Museum
Exhibitions exploring comics, illustration, costume design, and popular culture.
Explore the Museum
Fleet Science Center
Interactive science galleries, planetarium experiences, and giant-screen films.
Explore the Fleet
San Diego History Center, Museum of Us, Timken Museum of Art & More
Explore San Diego history, human cultures, and art across Balboa Park's additional cultural institutions.
Complete Balboa Park Calendar
LACMA | LOS ANGELES
David Geffen Galleries, Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Los Angeles, California. Photography by Amélie Rae Mayumi.
Upcoming Events & Deadlines
NOV 15 | Paul R. Williams: Architect for Living Opens
An exhibition celebrating the pioneering Black architect whose work helped shape Los Angeles and American architecture. On view through May 31, 2027.
Exhibition Information
NOV 18 | Paul R. Williams and the Idea of Home
7 p.m. | Free, RSVP required
A conversation exploring Williams's architectural legacy and the meaning of home.
Third Weekends at LACMA
NOV 19 | Brockman Gallery Curator Walkthrough
4 p.m. | Free, RSVP required
Explore the history and cultural influence of the Brockman Gallery, an important institution in Los Angeles Black art history.
Third Weekends at LACMA
NOV 19 | A Century of The New Yorker Covers
7 p.m. | Ticketed
A conversation about the art, illustration, and cultural influence of the magazine's iconic covers.
Third Weekends at LACMA
NOV 20 | Spring 2027 School Tour Lottery Deadline
K–12 educators can apply for guided school tours of LACMA's new David Geffen Galleries. Limited transportation funding is available for Los Angeles County teachers.
LACMA's email states a 9 a.m. PST application deadline, while its application form states 5 p.m. Applicants are encouraged to submit by the earlier time.
Apply for the School Tour Lottery
NOV 20 | Behind-the-Scenes: Lighting LACMA
4 p.m. | Free, RSVP required
Discover how exhibition lighting contributes to the presentation and experience of art.
Third Weekends at LACMA
NOV 21 | Sound Bath in the David Geffen Galleries
9 a.m. | Ticketed
A guided sound bath experience inside LACMA's new galleries.
Third Weekends at LACMA
NOV 21 | Chess & Double Dutch at LACMA
Noon | Free
Community activities encouraging play, movement, and connection. Chess requires an RSVP.
Third Weekends at LACMA
NOV 22 | Pop-Up Poems
11 a.m. | Free, RSVP required
An interactive opportunity to explore poetry and creative expression at the museum.
Third Weekends at LACMA
NOV 22 | Making Art in Turbulent Times
2 p.m. | Free, RSVP required
Artists Eileen Cowin and Fred Tomaselli discuss artistic practice and expression during periods of uncertainty.
Third Weekends at LACMA
NOV 23 | An Evening with Catherine Opie
6 p.m. | Ticketed
A conversation featuring the acclaimed American photographer, followed by a separate screening of Addams Family Values at 7:30 p.m.
Third Weekends at LACMA
On View
Paul R. Williams: Architect for Living — opens November 15
Textile Alchemy: The Art of Reiko Sudō & NUNO
The Brockman Gallery: Los Angeles, 1967–1990
SFMOMA | SAN FRANCISCO
Upcoming Events
Jacob Hashimoto, Giant Arc (2026). Installation view, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). Photography by Amélie Rae Mayumi.
NOV 12 | Little Forest: Film Screening & Conversation
6:30 p.m.
A film screening and discussion exploring food, everyday life, and the relationship between memory and place.
Explore SFMOMA Events
NOV 14 | Hansik Cooking Class Inspired by Little Forest
11 a.m.
A Korean cooking workshop inspired by the film's exploration of food and everyday traditions.
Explore SFMOMA Events
NOV 15 | The Jealous Curator: Kids' Answers to Your Art Problems
11 a.m. | Free
Artist and author Danielle Krysa invites children to offer creative advice to adults facing artistic challenges.
Explore SFMOMA Events
NOV 15 | Real Artists Wear Black with the Jealous Curator
1 p.m. | Free, RSVP encouraged
Danielle Krysa challenges assumptions about what it means to be a professional artist and discusses her new book.
Explore the Artist Talk
NOV 15 | Art in the Age of AI
4 p.m.
Artists Holly Herndon and Mat Dryhurst join curator Hans Ulrich Obrist to discuss art, technology, and emerging creative possibilities.
Explore SFMOMA Events
NOV 19 | The Poetics of Space Book Club
6 p.m.
A discussion of Gaston Bachelard's influential book examining memory, imagination, and the spaces we inhabit.
Explore SFMOMA Events
NOV 19 | The Art of Butoh
6 p.m.
A performance introducing the expressive Japanese movement practice.
Explore SFMOMA Events
NOV 21 | Baon: Stories and Struggles of Filipino Migrants
2 p.m.
A film screening and conversation exploring Filipino migration, food, memory, and cultural identity.
Explore SFMOMA Events
NOV 21 | Sarah Sze: Forever is Composed of Nows Opens
An immersive installation combining painting, video projections, light, and sound. Located in the museum's first-floor atrium and free to view.
Explore the Exhibition
NOV 22 | Family Art Workshops
Krazy Kites: 10 a.m.–1 p.m. | Butoh Workshop: 2 p.m.
Hands-on creative programs inviting families to explore art through making and movement.
Explore SFMOMA Family Programs
NOV 29 | Sigmar Polke Family Art Walk
11 a.m.
A family-friendly program exploring materials, experimentation, and creative discovery.
Explore SFMOMA Family Programs
On View
RM × SFMOMA: Between You and Me
Graciela Iturbide: Between Two Worlds — closes November 29
Sarah Sze: Forever is Composed of Nows — opens November 21
BONUS | YERBA BUENA GARDENS & CULTURAL DISTRICT
San Francisco | Steps from SFMOMA
Located just across from SFMOMA, Yerba Buena Gardens and its surrounding arts district offer additional museums, performances, workshops, and family experiences worth exploring.
Revelation (1993), Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and Fountain, Yerba Buena Gardens, San Francisco. Photography by Amélie Rae Mayumi.
Upcoming Events
NOV 14 | The World of Black Film: Revolutions
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts | 2 p.m. | Ticketed
The film series opens with West Indies: The Fugitive Slaves of Liberty, exploring histories of colonialism, migration, and resistance through cinema.
Explore YBCA Events
NOV 14 | Thrive @ MoAD Free Community Day
Museum of the African Diaspora | 11 a.m.–5 p.m. | Free
Explore exhibitions examining African diasporic art, history, and culture through the museum's free-admission community day.
Explore MoAD Events
NOV 18 | Velveteen Rabbit Pop-Up Book Workshop
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts | 2–4 p.m. | Free, registration required
Create an imaginative pop-up book inspired by The Velveteen Rabbit, using paper, illustration, and storytelling. Materials provided.
Workshop Information
NOV 21 | Touki Bouki Film Screening
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts | 2 p.m. | $15
Discover Djibril Diop Mambety's 1973 Senegalese film as part of YBCA's The World of Black Film: Revolutions series.
Explore YBCA Events
NOV 28 | Holiday Tree Lighting
Yerba Buena Gardens | 4–6 p.m.
Welcome the holiday season with a community tree-lighting celebration in the gardens. RSVPs are appreciated but not required.
Event Information
NOV 28 | The Velveteen Rabbit Opens
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts | Ticketed
ODC/Dance celebrates 40 years of its beloved family production, bringing Margery Williams's story to life through dance, music, and theatrical design. Performances continue through December 6.
Performance Information
Also Worth Exploring
Children's Creativity Museum
Located within Yerba Buena Gardens, the museum offers hands-on experiences in animation, design, storytelling, and creative problem-solving. A special exhibition celebrating 50 years of Folkmanis Puppets is on view through December.
Explore the Museum
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
The galleries feature exhibitions by GaHee Park, Dread Scott, and Rael San Fratello. General gallery admission is free on Wednesdays; the galleries reopen November 14 after a brief closure.
Explore YBCA Exhibitions & Visiting Information
More to Explore
From free museum days and artist conversations to performances, exhibitions, and family experiences, there's plenty to discover across California.
Look for our next Dates to Know guide featuring December's cultural events.
Explore more from Balboa Park, LACMA, and SFMOMA in THE NOUN Issue No. 002: Swells & Soul Food.
Event dates, pricing, admission policies, and availability may change. Please confirm details with the organizing institution before visiting.
Cover image: Lamp Ramp skated by Andy Anderson. Courtesy of the Zenga Bros. Photography by Gordon Nicholas.