Palm Springs Visitor Center Receives Permanent Lighting

The Palm Springs Modern Committee celebrated the long-awaited installation of permanent nighttime lighting of the iconic Palm Springs Visitor Center on Feb. 16 during the opening of Modernism Week .

Since 2012, Modernism Week has dramatically lit the Palm Springs Visitor Center as part of its annual lighting of the city’s many important modern buildings. Its success inspired the Palm Springs Modern Committee (PS ModCom) to secure funding to permanently light Albert Frey and Robson Chambers’ sculptural masterpiece. In late 2022, a combination of Measure J funds and PS ModCom contributions achieved this ambitious goal.

Mayor Grace Garner performed the official switching on of the lights illuminating the building’s exterior that will henceforth serve as a spectacular welcome to Palm Springs 365 nights a year.

Said Peter Moruzzi, PS ModCom founding president who spearheaded fundraising for the project, “From now on a traveler’s first impression of Palm Springs when arriving at night via Highway 111 will be of the magnificent sculpture that is the Palm Springs Visitor Center – the welcoming symbol of Desert Modernism.”

Founded in 1999, the Palm Springs Modern Committee (PS ModCom) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the appreciation and preservation of Desert Modern architecture and design. We accomplish this through education, advocacy for threatened buildings, promotion of heritage tourism, and the celebration of successes in preservation and adaptive reuse.

For information, visit psmodcom.org.