The Crocker Art Museum is “a blank canvas” that has the flexibility of being both old and new and the perfect place to paint the vision of your unique event. Located in downtown Sacramento (a great destination venue for all the happenings in Historic Old Sacramento, along the river front, and close to the Capitol Building), the Crocker is considered a leading art museum in California and a primary regional resource for the study and appreciation of fine art. As a public building, there are a number of striking settings within the entire Museum to hold your custom social event, wedding, or corporate meeting.

Let’s start at the beginning – the gorgeous circa 1880 Italianate Victorian Mansion that was once the home to a prominent Judge, E.B. Crocker and wife Margaret Crocker, is a California Historical Landmark and listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Personal belongings of the Crockers, including photographs, jewels, furniture, and a beautiful collection of art are on view on the Museum’s second floor.  Guests arrival to the Mansion via the grand stairs and portico is quite a statement maker. But then the thrill of seeing the opulent Ballroom (which it served as such in the heyday of the Mansion) is quite breathtaking.  The Ballroom is a perfect wedding ceremony location with its gleaming parquet floors and massive ornate cherry wood carved pocket doors serving as a backdrop. The ceiling treatment and columns are beautiful and the best part is the opening of the floor on the second floor allowing for a view down into the Ballroom.  Behind the Mansion is the E. Kendell Davis Courtyard which is a tree shaded cozy patio and garden area to hold outdoor ceremonies or post wedding cocktail parties and dinners.

Now let’s move forward approximately 130 years(!) to when the much anticipated “new Crocker” opened adjacent to the historic mansion… the bright white contemporary design and architecture of the structure complements the ornate historic details of the next door Mansion.  The most used of the spaces in the Museum is Friedman Court which is sleek, spacious, and dramatic with its floor-to-ceiling windows. The view across the Courtyard of the historic Mansion is stunning.  With high ceilings, all white walls (except for some focal unique art pieces), this truly is a blank canvas to create any design and put your own stamp on the event you might be hosting.  And just outside those beautiful windows is The Courtyard, framed on one side by the historic Mansion and by the glass of Friedman Court.  This very large open air courtyard is shaded in the evening, has a wonderful clear space wall for lighting effects, and also a cool looking water feature to enhance the clean lines of this patio space.  Another “blank” palette, any matter of décor will work for a sit down dinner, cocktail reception or for a theatre style meeting and/or performance.  Weddings may be held in the outdoor Courtyard and then move just inside to Friedman Court for an inside reception.

Lastly, there are a couple other rooms for use at the Crocker Art Museum, the Setzer Foundation Auditorium – great for a video slide show of the newlyweds, or for a meeting presentation;  and then there is also the Cemo Meeting Room – both of these rooms are right off the Friedman Court.  This is a great venue to visit, perfect for every taste since it combines historical, vintage beauty with the contemporary, modern elegance.

~ Vixen Lora

Crocker Art Museum Wedding Events