Cultural Life in Fort Bragg, California

Cultural Life

Fort Bragg's allure is obvious. Boundless ocean bluffs and towering forests are the perfect setting for a family vacation or romantic getaway. Our area is also rich in cultural life, with museums, art galleries, theatrical performance and a movie theater, providing endless opportunities for things to do while visiting our shores.

Art Galleries

Art Explorers Inc.

305 E. Redwood Ave. • P.O. Box 2710 • Fort Bragg, CA  95437
Phone: (707) 961-6156 • Fax: (707) 961-6156
Email: artexpl@mcn.org

Art Explorers Inc. is a non-profit organization that serves artists with developmental disabilities. Art Explorers has a gallery as well as a workspace. We are open Thursdays & Fridays 9-3 and most Saturdays 12-3. For sale are paintings, floorcloths, cards, scarves, painted china & jewelry.

art3g

303 N. Main St. • Suite 3G • Fort Bragg, CA  95437
Phone: (707) 964-9666
Email: 3g@mcn.org

A design studio & open art venue showing mostly contemporary, but always extra-ordinary art from both established and emerging artists. Shows change on a bi-monthly basis. Visit our website for a sample of why we're "procuring art for a better world"...

Edgewater Gallery

356 N. Main Street • Fort Bragg, CA  95437
Phone: (707) 964-4668

Edgewater Gallery is an artist owned enterprise featuring the work of Mendocino County artists. The unique selection of fine art includes paintings, pottery, jewelry, stained glass, photography, sculpture, and furniture. The gallery location on Main Street (Hwy 1) is convenient for visitors to downtown Fort Bragg and Mendocino. Open daily. All major credit cards accepted.

Erin Dertner Gallery

137 E. Laurel Street • Fort Bragg, CA  95437
Phone: (707) 964-5300 • Fax: (707) 964-5589
Email: erinsart@2xtreme.net

Sunlight and sea, cottages and bright flowers have been Erin's inspiration since the age of nine. The challenge to capture that perfect country landscape or that lush cottage garden continues to evoke the response, "Can't we live there?!"

Flowers Etc

303 N Main St. Suite G • Fort Bragg , CA  95437
Phone: (707) 964-3731
Email: flowers_etc1@att.net

Frame Mill Artworks

116 E. Laurel Street • Fort Bragg, CA  95437
Phone: (707) 964-6464

Custom Picuture Framing on the Northcoast since 1977 and Giftware to inspire creativity, spirituality, and green living. Cutting edge home decor for all seasons. The Northcoast's largest and most experienced Custom Framing establishment--with do-it-yourself options, conservation, restoration, and all other phases of custom framing.

Gabrielle

344 N. Main Street • Fort Bragg, CA  95437
Phone: (707) 964-2483 • Fax: (707) 964-0140
Email: gabrielledesigns@msn.com

Mendocino Textiles/Fort Bragg Fabric Studio

122-B E. Fir St. • Fort Bragg, CA  95437
Phone: (707) 961-1800

North Coast Artists Gallery

362 North Main St. • Fort Bragg, CA  95437
Phone: (707) 964-8266
Email: info@northcoastartists.org

In the winter of 1986, a small group of inspired and enterprising artists realized a dream - to create a showroom and retail space for locally made art. It was named Northcoast Artists: A cooperative Gallery. This truly original gallery has since become a cornerstone of the north coast art scene, offering an authentic and enriching cultural experience to visitors and the local community.

Partners Gallery

335 North Franklin Street • Fort Bragg, CA  95437
Phone: (707) 962-0233 • Fax: (707) 962-0233
Email: partners@mcn.orog

Partners Gallery is an artist administered contemporary art gallery on the Mendocino Coast. Monthly exhibits include painting, sculpture, photography, jewelry, fiber art, and mixed media. Partners has a new show every month with the artist reception occurring during First Fridays from 5pm until 8pm.

Museums

Guest House Museum

343 North Main Street • Fort Bragg, CA  95437
Phone: (707) 964-4251 • Fax: (707) 964-3725
Email: donrnel@inreach.com

This three story, Victorian home sits in the heart of downtown Fort Bragg. Outside the museum, visitors will discover a massive redwood tree slab, as well as an outdoor exhibit featuring steam donkeys and logging artifacts. Inside the museum, enjoy perusing artifacts and exhibits on the history of native people, logging, fishing and the city itself.

Triangle Tattoo & Museum

356 B. North Main Street • Fort Bragg, CA  95437
Phone: (707) 964-8814 • Fax: (707) 964-9311
Email: info@triangletattoo.com

Triangle Tattoo and Museum was founded in 1986. It is one of only a few museums in the world dedicated to the display of tattoo artifacts. Located in downtown Ft. Bragg, across from the Guest House Museum, the collection is fittingly housed in one of the town's original Victorian store fronts.

Theatre & Music

Opera Fresca

P. O. Box 411 • Mendocino, CA 95460
Phone: (707) 937-3646 or 1-888-82-OPERA (1-888-826-7372)

Presenting full length operas in English with a full orchestra, Opera Fresca has entertained our coastal community since 1996. Opera Fresca continues to fulfill it's commitment to bring high caliber opera to a wide variety of audiences.

Symphony of the Redwoods

P.O. Box 278 • Fort Bragg, CA 95437
Phone: (707) 964-0898

"An orchestra concert is the product of a great effort on the part of friends and neighbors working together to produce a thing of beauty for the entire community." says Music Director and Conductor Allan Pollack. Inspired and guided by Pollack, more than fifty musicians hone their skills and blend into a powerful ensemble.

Cotton Auditorium

Cotton Auditorium Photo by Ron Bloomquist

500 N Harold St • Fort Bragg, CA  95437

It's a dream of a venue. It's a concert-hall, a theatre, a dance chamber, and opera house, a lecture room. It's a place to showcase Fort Bragg's talent. Recently renovated, Cotton Auditorium has featured such outstanding events as Opera Fresca's "Carmen", the Mendocino Theater Company's production of "The Vagina Monologues", and an exhilarating performance by renowned folk musician, Steve Earle.


First Fridays

First Friday Galleries and shops welcome the community to experience art and culture in Fort Bragg. From street theater and gallery openings to coffee house concerts, First Friday in Fort Bragg is a must do for visitor and locals alike.

Map of First Friday Gallery locations

Unique & Offbeat

  • Fort Bragg Oddities Walking Tour - It's nice to walk. Walking is a wonderful way to see parts of Fort Bragg you would not normally see. Take this self guided walking tour and discover some of the "Oddities" around Fort Bragg. A half mile walk can bag six hitching rings, a bar and church that predate the 1906 earthquake and one misspelled bronze plaque. An additional two tenths of a mile will get you a Stage Coach step! Or, if you plan your route carefully, you can walk six and a half miles and get them all! Have fun and be sure to look both ways before you cross the street.
  • Tattoo Museum