The always-intriguing exhibits at The Design Museum begin with artificial, "manmade" objects we take for granted and, by placing them in unexpected contexts, attempt to raise our awareness of what else they might mean. Past exhibitions have related to the fields of architecture, fashion, graphics, textiles and aspects of popular culture.
Exhibitions remain in place for an entire UC Davis academic quarter (10 weeks). The Design Museum also maintains a permanent collection of more than 5,000 items (textiles, porcelain, furniture, architectural drawings and more) it has acquired since its founding in 1970.