Explore the desert’s renowned midcentury aesthetic during Palm Springs Modernism Week (www.modernismweek.com) from Feb. 14 to 24. The only event of its kind in the country, it highlights the design, architecture, and culture that originated in the 1940s, ’50s, and ’60s and took root in Palm Springs. The 11-day event, held at several venues throughout the area, offers films, lectures, exhibitions, double-decker bus architectural tours, a vintage car show, chic parties, interior design shows, book signings, and more. Several events are free. The Palm Springs Modernism Show & Sale, Feb. 18-20 at Palm Springs Convention Center, brings together noted national and international decorative and fine arts dealers.
Palm Springs Art Museum will host events, including tours of the Frey House II, Feb. 18-21, with accompanying lectures on Albert Frey at the museum Feb. 19-20. Sunnylands Center & Gardens in Rancho Mirage will also offer Modernism Week programming, including a Family Day on Feb. 17. Money raised during Palm Springs Modernism Week goes to preservation groups and a scholarship fund for local high school students who plan to study architecture and design.