Irvine has limited cultural facilities for its size, but within a 20-30 minute drive, you can find major cultural institutions in Orange County.

The Orange County Museum of Art (OCMA) is the largest contemporary art museum in Orange County. It relocated in 2022 to a new building on the Segerstrom Center for the Arts campus (600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa) and is about a 15-20 minute drive from Irvine.

The museum features a collection of California contemporary art and hosts international contemporary art exhibitions, along with frequent special exhibitions. The Segerstrom Center itself is a premier performing arts center in Orange County, hosting musicals, operas, ballets, and classical music performances throughout the year. It is a popular destination for Korean families in Irvine for cultural education for their children.

The Bowers Museum, located in Santa Ana (2002 N. Main St., Santa Ana), is the largest history and art museum in Orange County. It is about a 15-minute drive from Irvine and houses a diverse collection, including Native American culture, ancient Asian and African artifacts, and modern art.

Discovery Cube Orange County (2500 N. Main St., Santa Ana) is an interactive science museum that is great for visiting with young children, located about 15 minutes from Irvine.

There are also cultural facilities on the UCI campus. The UC Irvine Arts Campus (Claire Trevor School of the Arts) regularly hosts theater, music, and dance performances during the semester, with some events open to outside audiences. The UCI library also has special collections with interesting materials.

Great Park in Irvine features galleries and event spaces, hosting seasonal food festivals, music events, and cultural activities. In terms of the annual cultural calendar, Irvine residents actively utilize nearby facilities such as the Segerstrom Center in Costa Mesa, the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, and the Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach, which are key to cultural life in Irvine.