Having first visited Palm Springs many, many years ago to stay with friends who had relocated there from San Francisco, we loved it so much that we have been back numerous times since, and have now been to three Modernism Weeks, culminating in this last visit for the 20th anniversary in 2025. You can read all about this trip in my recent travel itinerary here, and in this blog I will detail out our experience of all the Modernism Week events that we attended. So that it’s not too long an article, I will also feature additional posts about where to eat in Palm Springs (they have some amazing restaurants, and as well as revisiting old favourites we always like to try out new options too), things to do including some new and old favourite shops.

Our Top 10 Modernism Week 2025 Events: Tours, Talks, and Exclusive Experiences

This year I had booked ten different Modernism Week events, a mix of lectures/talks in the Annenberg Theatre (part of the Palm Springs Art Museum, house tours and a cocktail party at the Steve McQueen house. Read on to find out what we did, and what I thought of each event.

I’ve listed these as 1 to 10, but this was the order in which we experienced each event, not prioritised though some we enjoyed more than others.

1. Mies in Brno, Beyond the Glass Room:

Restoring Villa Tugendhat

Our first talk of Modernism Week 2025 at the Annenberg Theatre, given by the current Director of Villa Tugendhat  Iveta Černá.

The story behind the villa’s design and build was an interesting one, built in 1928 in Brno in the Czech Republic, but thank goodness for some really nice pictures as the presentation itself felt like it hadn’t been rehearsed at all. Unfortunately she kept losing her place, would be talking about one thing with pictures of something else on screen, and overall just felt like she was doing someone else’s speech (with extremely disorganised notes) in a foreign language. Disappointing for our first event.

2. Keynote Presentation:

Dr. Raymond Neutra–Survival Through Design

This was totally different from the first presentation by Richard Neutra’s son, Raymond. He talked about his background and growing up in that environment, and featured some of the incredible houses his father had designed, including the spectacular Kauffman House in Palm Springs. He also went on to talk about the creation of the Neutra Foundation - Institute for Survival Through Design, which he has been working on over the last five years.

The bulk of the hour was him talking (and he’s now 86 years old) and it was really interesting and well worth the visit. What was a bit disappointing was at the end there was a live interview by Modernism Week board member, Frances Anderton, leading a moderated discussion and Q&A session. As this turned out, it seemed to be all about her and she spent 90% of the time introducing herself and her views of things, with minimal interaction from the interesting speaker, Dr. Raymond Neutra. It would have been far better just having a moderator to allow some questions from the audience, and hearing more from Raymond himself.

3. PS ModCom "King of Cool" Soiree:

at the Steve McQueen Residence

We had done one of these cocktail parties before - Sunday Night at the Twin Palms Estate Frank Sinatra House, and this was a not dissimilar format albeit a different house and different location. Following directions on the tickets, we found ourselves being left by the Uber driver at a rather dark and unoccupied address. After a few moments it became clear that we weren’t the only people thinking this was the right address, as numerous cars were driving by, then stopping to ask if we knew directions which we didn’t. I hadn’t thought to check emails, as I’m normally fastidious about checking and reading all emails, but after quite a few people kept stopping, eventually one couple mentioned something about an email with a change of location, but then just left us there in the dark and without transport.

Thankfully, I then found the email, and a very nice couple from Chicago who had a second home in Palm Springs (where they spend the winters to avoid the harsh Chicago climate) offered to take us. Once we got to where we should have been, there was a quick check-in and then small coaches transported groups of partygoers up to the Southridge (gated) community just a short distance away. The Steve McQueen house is one of just 22 houses built in this hillside exclusive neighbourhood, and young architect Hugh Kaptur was hired by builder Thomas A. Griffing to build a cantilevered steel and glass home. This wasn’t originally for Steve McQueen, but he bought it from the original owner in 1969 and kept it until 1976.

There was a bar with a choice of cocktails, mocktails and wine/prosecco; but it was only later on we realised they also had other spirits too so reverted to a classic gin & tonic. Food was provided by Eight4Nine, the restaurant in downtown Palm Springs that we’ve been to a few times before. There was a selection of canapes being brought around (though nothing vegetarian) and some mini-dishes of cheese and meats on small platters from a display table. There were then two massive bowls of pasta; one chicken and one mushroom, so I just had to make the best of avoiding any of the mushrooms from the vegetarian option. I must say the food was a bit disappointing (the last time at the Sinatra Estate, it was Lulu that provided the food, which was a freshly made to order pasta station), but it was a lovely evening of unlimited cocktails, open access to all of the house and grounds, and we met quite a few interesting guests.

4. Palm Springs Modernism Show

A Timeless Showcase of Mid-Century Design and Iconic Style

We had been to this before on our first Modernism Week visit in 2020, but with this only be on for the first weekend, in 2022 we had missed it, deciding to come later in the week as we had to spend a week first in Mexico before coming to the US (Covid rules at the time). From what we both remembered though, this had been an amazing show however we were quite disappointed this time. Still a good show, and some nice pieces and exhibits, but overall not spectacular. The highlight probably, and which would have been free, was the display of new AirStream trailers and RVs that parked out the front of the Palm Springs Convention Center. We had loved our last visit getting to the Vintage Trailer Show, but this year we’re in Joshua Tree by the time of that event (usually the second weekend of Modernism Week).

5. The Griffing and Goldberg Residences:

PS ModCom Iconic Home Tour

I hadn’t initially appreciated that this was a tour of two adjacent houses, but Southridge is home to one of the most exclusive and historic estates in Palm Springs, and was actually just a few metres up from where we had been the night before for the Steve McQueen soiree. The first, the Griffing Residence, was bought by an architect (Susan Secon Jensen) and her husband in 2014.

We thought this was nice, but when we went next door to the Goldberg Residence, that took it to a whole new level. This was initially designed in 1962 as a spec house by William F. Cody. It was purchased by Chicago industrialist and inventor Stanley Goldberg, who then rehired Cody along with designer Arthur Elrod to expand the floor plan, incorporating many distinctive and glamorous features. Designer Michael Johnston and Broadway lyricist David Zippel purchased the house in 2016 and began an extensive restoration based on Cody’s original plans. Absolutely stunning and definitely our favourite of the two.

6. Ceramics for the Modern Landscape:

The Story of the Architectural Pottery Company

This was one more for ‘Mrs’ TPT as he’s really into ceramics, so hearing all about this was a highlight, and he had already bought the book before we came here. The talk should have been by three of the co-authors - Daniel Chavkin, Jeffrey Head, and Jo Lauria; however Jeffrey wasn’t able to attend and therefore Jo also read out his part of the talk, as well as doing her own. Modernism Week have organised a private tour bus excursion to the American Museum of Ceramic Art (AMOCA) in Pomona where the collection is on show. This would have been something he would have wanted to do, to really bring the book to life and the photos that we saw during the talk, but we actually plan to stop by the museum on our way back to LAX from Joshua Tree.

7. CoCo Cabana:

Designed for Gracious Living

This now condominium complex, Co Co Cabana was originally built in 1955 as a garden apartment hotel. This was converted from the hotel in 1977, at which point some extra apartments were added. With it being the 70th anniversary, eight condominiums were open to the public as part of Modernism Week in 2025, including the one and only three-bedroom at the front which was the original owner’s (number 1) apartment.

After we had seen a mix of originals (numbers 6 and 8 were two hotel suites converted into a one bedroom condo) we also saw “new” that were 1970’s and then they had provided some drinks poolside. They all varied in style and design, some much nicer than others, and it was good to meet some of the owners who used the condos as second homes, with some being rented out too.

8. Fallingwater’s Edgar Kaufmann, jr.:

The Life and Legacy of a Modern Movement Tastemaker

The Director of Fallingwater, Justin Gunther, talked through not only the history behind the world-famous house near Pittsburgh, but also of the Kauffmann family including Edgar Kaufmann Junior and their original department store, as well as the choice of Frank Lloyd Wright as the architect. The story continued right up to the building of the new (Mr) Kaufmann (Desert) House in Palm Springs by Richard Neutra. Justin was a great presenter, and the talk was extremely engaging with some amazing photos shown on screen. This was up there with the Raymond Neutra talk (son of Richard) but thankfully at the end when there was time for questions this was just direct from the audience, without another guest presenter.

9. Working in Tranquility:

Landscapes, Interiors and the Modernist Corporate Campus

This was our final talk at the Annenberg for the week, and actually one of the least attended. Most of the rows were blocked off so that the first few rows were filled. Attending the "Working in Tranquility: Landscapes, Interiors, and the Modernist Corporate Campus" presentation at the Annenberg Theater in Palm Springs was an enlightening experience. The discussion delved into the post-war Modernist corporate campus movement, highlighting the collaborative efforts of renowned designers who crafted serene environments to attract sophisticated professionals. A focal point was Hideo Sasaki's philosophy of integrating architecture with natural landscapes, creating restorative spaces that harmonize with nature and foster human interaction. The conversation, led by Liz Waytkus of Docomomo US, alongside James Miner and Amy Auscherman, provided profound insights into the legacy and future of these iconic campuses. This event deepened my appreciation for the thoughtful design principles that continue to influence modern workspaces.

10. James Logan Abernathy Residence Tour:

An Exclusive Look Inside a Mid-Century Architectural Masterpiece

This was our last house tour, and probably the one we both thought was best. Situated in the Old Movie Colony District, The James Logan Abernathy Residence in Palm Springs is a stunning example of mid-century modern architecture, designed by William F. Cody in 1962. Characterized by its pavilion-style structure, the home features a unique pinwheel layout with L-shaped wings extending from a central pavilion. Its seamless indoor-outdoor connection, achieved through expansive glass walls and an extended pergola, embodies the quintessential desert modernist aesthetic. Recognized for its architectural significance, the residence was designated a Class 1 Historic Site by the city of Palm Springs in 2013.

Featured recently by Robb Report, this five bedroom seven bathroom house is currently for sale at a mere $12.9m; which is extremely expensive but it is an incredible house. Some of the doors were blocked off and not accessible as part of the tour (and no interior photography) was allowed, but this must have been the other bedrooms and bathrooms as we only saw two bedrooms as part of the tour.

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