Palm Springs' 2 Great Indoor Museums: The Palm Springs Art Museum & the Palm Springs Air Museum

To escape the warm midday sun into air-conditioned galleries or explore 20th-century art, modernist architecture and aviation history, Palm Springs offers two extraordinary museums that rank among the finest in California.

1. The Palm Springs Art Museum + The 'Architecture and Design Center' (Downtown)

Anchored at the western end of Museum Way directly beneath the granite cliffs of Mount San Jacinto (101 Museum Dr; open Thursday to Sunday, with free admission every Thursday evening during VillageFest; check current ticket prices on the official website), the Palm Springs Art Museum spans three levels and two sunken outdoor sculpture gardens:

• What You See Inside the Main Museum: a rich collection of modern and contemporary art (Warhol, Lichtenstein, Picasso, Chihuly, Ansel Adams and Helen Frankenthaler), Native American Cahuilla basketry and Western American art, plus Frey House II perched on the rocky hillside directly above the museum.
• 3 Blocks South, The 'Architecture and Design Center, Edwards Harris Pavilion' (300 S Palm Canyon Dr): your museum ticket also covers this satellite building housed inside E. Stewart Williams's restored 1961 Santa Fe Federal Savings & Loan building, a glass-and-steel Mid-Century Modern jewel box with rotating exhibitions on Palm Springs modernist architects.

2. The Palm Springs Air Museum (745 N Gene Autry Trail)

Located on the eastern side of the runways of Palm Springs Airport (10 minutes from Downtown; open daily, check the official site for admission rates), the Palm Springs Air Museum spans five air-conditioned hangars (totalling 91,000 square feet) housing over 75 historic aircraft from World War II, Korea, Vietnam and the Cold War:

1. No Ropes & Combat Veteran Docents: there are no barrier ropes separating you from the aircraft; you can walk right under the wings, climb inside an authentic WWII B-17 Flying Fortress bomber or C-47 Skytrain transport, and chat with volunteer docents, many of whom are retired combat and test pilots who flew these aircraft.
2. The 'F-117 Nighthawk Stealth Fighter' Hangar: step inside the Jim Houston Pavilion to stand nose-to-nose with a black Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk Stealth Fighter ('Black Devil' #833), alongside F-14 Tomcats, P-51 Mustangs, a Grumman F6F Hellcat and vintage Warbird Ride flights.