di Rosa

One of our favorite experiences during our weekend in Napa! It was nice to do something that wasn’t wine tasting or eating.
You have to make a reservation which is easy to do online. The tour starts in the main gate house and they drive you up the hill to the main gallery. The art is beautiful and quirky! I loved so many of the pieces! The outdoor art installations were my favorite – including a car hanging from a tree and a flying angel sculpture. At the end of the tour, you can see the residence of the namesake of the experience: Rene Di Rosa.
Our tour guides were lovely and clearly super passionate about the art and this place! The roaming peacocks were also amazing and put on quite the show for us.
This was a perfect way to spend a few hours on a warm afternoon! Highly recommend it!

We wanted to check this place out and try something different instead of the usual wine stuff. Came by thinking we could check out the Art as well check out the nice views this place has to offer. We came by about an hour before closing so we missed the tour. We were hoping to avoid the tour and just check out the Art and the outdoor scenery it had to offer.
As others have mentioned, you gotta take the tour to see everything, so plan accordingly if your interested in checking out this place. I’m not really an art person so for me i couldn’t recommend this place to people, I also thought the front desk person wasn’t too welcoming… but maybe that was just me.

Di Rosa was an incredible experience. Our tour guides were very informative and made this trip very interesting. The art was beautiful and amazing. Defiantly planning to come back here for the outdoor hike.

I went on the tour today and I had a blast. Amazing property, the artwork collection was fascinating and the staff & docents are great at what they do! I highly recommend Di Rosa, Thank you!
Danny.

di Rosa is an amazing respite from a long day of wine tasting in Napa. This place has an amazing collection of 20^th century pop art that sprawls across multiple buildings that covers acres of rolling hills next to a spring-​fed lake. The collection include many outdoor art installations.
The collection of paintings, sculpture & technology-​enabled art is huge. It takes a few hours just to wander around the place with your tour guide to see the footprint of the place. It would take days to actually take in everything on the grounds.
This place may not be for everyone, I notice some reviewers critiquing the art as not being actual art. I personally find the collection at di Rosa to be eclectic and beautiful. I’ll add a few photos to this review so people can gains sense for the style at di Rosa. I will say that my tween-​age son was kinda freaked out by the flying angel statue, I’ll leave the details as a surprise for your visit…
My advice is to take a few hours to take a tour here, it is a unique experience in wine country that would be a shame to miss.

Such great gallery with super knowledgeable staff. It’s a great way to break up a weekend of winetastin and eating. The art is modern and cheeky. The 1.5 tour was good and I could have gone longer. a good mix of being on own and getting info from tour.

This place is truly exceptional. Our tour guide Kyle was very helpful in explaining the artwork during our tour and he really went the extra mile to make my groups experience positive and enjoyable. I would recommend this place to everyone! It’s the perfect midday break from wine tasting. It’s a one-​of-​a-​kind kind of place.

Definitely eclectic in art — definitely passionate guides. It was just a feast of contemporary art. I’m not a huge fan but willing to experience it in such an incredible setting. The grounds are beautiful. There’s art everywhere. Look all around you. And what you think is a beautiful house is a beautiful that’s a gallery of amazement. Enjoy your time there as its just a beautiful place to visit. I was amazed at the size of the property!

What a great place. you don’t always have to drink wine in Napa Valley. an eclectic gallery. here’s our review —

What a magical place not to be missed. Tucked in a Sonoma hillside, this gallery is barely noticeable amongst all the huge wineries. Look for the metal sheep and you’ve come to the right place.
Our party consisted of three couples, and and we took a group tour of the grounds and the gallery. The grounds are beautiful, with gorgeous views, the right mix of landscaping, natural growth, and the occasional peacock. After the first gallery area, we took a trolly up to the second gallery area, stopping to learn along the way. The tour concluded with a visit to the «house» and tram back to the beginning. The docents were passionate and shared their knowledge of the history of the space, as well as the art, but also gave us plenty of time to meander and enjoy on our own.
Part of the fun of this place is the discovery that this treasure exists. I would love to go back for one of the seasonal nature hikes. Great little gem of a place, and a great way to enjoy contemporary art in the wine country.

«Art is in the eye of the beholder» is a phrase that applies here. The setting and the windows of the building around a man-​made lake allows light and shadow to flood the first part of the museum. Then a little cow-​spot-​designed jitney (shuttle) takes visitors up to the main house and its collection and to the outdoor sculptures. Rene Di Rosa, the only child of an ambassador of the Italian Consulate, arrived in San Francisco in the early 1950s and decided to collect original, modern art. That art and more modern pieces all have a home here.
A note to those who noticed the peacocks. As a girl who lived on ranches in Santa Barbara and Edna Valley and Santa Ynez and showed horses all my life and was a guide at Hearst Castle for ten years, every rancher knows what peacocks are for: the peacocks are fearless around snakes and eat them. Great pest control! EVery ranch I’ve ever ridden on has peacocks.
That being said, I had the same reaction I had when I visited the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington DC. Most of the «art» looked like it was created by people whose elderly aunt told them when they were ten that they had artistic talent. I set off the alarms and the wary senses of the security guards as I fled through the emergency exits to get away from the spectacle. Just not my style in any sense. I couldn’t wait to dash back across the street to Domaine Carneros and wash away the images with good sparkling wine. However, the iridescent cow in the middle of lake was delightful as is the famous steel «Sheep» herd seen on the hill at the entrance.
However, the tour guides are enthusiastic and upbeat and it is possible to find something of interest. There is lots of room to wander, observe and decide what is of interest to you. Just realize you are held captive up on the hill and can’t escape without leaving in the jitney which delivers you back at the entrance.
An original museum with an utterly original art collection – just be aware that the art is modern and «outside the box» in thinking and presentation.

I wish there were six stars for this amazing little gem tucked between Sonoma and Napa. So many wonderful California «funk» and eclectic pieces, all collected by a single individual during his lifetime. Not your typical museum that acquires the «right pieces» to fill holes or whatever. Rene diRosa bought what he liked and filled his personal property with it. This is considered to be the largest collection of Bay Area art.
My first visit to diRosa was probably in the late 1990s or early 2000. I met Rene diRosa there and he explained to us that he did not want to put any placards on the art indicating the name of the piece or anything about it. His goal was simply to have people view the art and make their own minds up about it. At the time, I wasn’t a big fan of modern art. But we went through the galleries, talking about what we thought each piece was about. We had such a great time and wow… that simple statement changed my life, my appreciation of art and developed a new love of modern art. Unfortunately, diRosa did eventually add the placards, but whenever I view art I try to follow this bit of wisdom from Mr. diRosa himself. And it has served me well.
I went on to become a part time docent there years later and eventually helping to plan/​run their annual art auction/​gala for a few years. I have moved on with a busy life and running my own business. But di Rosa has my heart. Don’t miss this gem of the wine country… and keep your mind open!

2^nd time to Di Rosa this time for the Nature Tour $ 20pp to hike up Milliken Peak, it’s only 3 miles RT, 500 elev gain. You take a shuttle to a spot, there is bathroom there in the building, then go on the hike. Some artwork on the way up. It was a warm day but everyone made it to the top, nice views up there.
On the way back you go to the Sculpture Garden, several artwork there.
You don’t have to take the shuttle back, I recommend walking to see more artwork and to spend more time there.
Back to the main gallery there is artwork there too. Bathrooms available in the main gallery.
Worth a visit, just not the same weekend as NASCAR Race due to Traffic.

My wife and I took a trip to Napa and wanted to do something other than dine and enjoy fine wines one day. We are both avid contemporary art fans so we decided to check out di Rosa on our way to Sonoma.
We found the art here both amazing and diverse. The experience only got better because of an an informed and cheerful staff that was ready to answer questions, tell stories, and provide context. In addition, the grounds are beautiful with peacocks running around and unique sculpture.
Renee di Rosa was obviously an exceptional man. We were happy to experience his compound and will definitely come back.

Very cool art gallery with a unique collection. I’m glad we took the tour because the docents have some great stories to share on the pieces. It’s especially interesting for me to see some of the Bay Area focused art being from here. I would come back!

One of the coolest, funn-​est/​funniest art venues I’ve seen in a while. However, only do it if you can make the tour (either the 1.5 or 2 hours), otherwise, you’re not allowed in to see the collection.

Wow… I must’ve missed something…
We paid $ 5 each (aka suggested donation) and saw absolutely nothing… we walked around the entire exhibit and was done in about 10 minutes. The art tour was unavailable since we came 30 minutes before closing.
I was SOOOO disappointed. If Di Rosa was a «for profit» gallery, I would’ve requested my «suggested donation» back.
Someone, please explain why this place is so highly reviewed b/​c I can’t understand…

I am not a huge fan of art galleries or museums, but my parents took me here and i must say, it’s probably the best one that I’ve ever been taken to! I was blown away by the majority of the the art; the guy who owned the place, Rene (died in 2010), had SO much freaking property and must have been rich as hell! Let me explain in detail my experience at the place:
When we first got there, I immediately wished that I had brought my camera to take pictures of the gorgeous views of the property. When we got inside through about 10-​foot doors, we decided to take the tour. By the way, you can take pictures but only without flash. After briefly looking at a few impressive ceramic sculptures, we all hopped in a little trailer and were pulled up towards the buildings with the most art. One of my favorite pieces of art was a decorated car covered in a thousand different things, including horse heads, action figures, coins, pictures, stuffed animals, a globe, toys, etc… We also got to visit Rene’s house, which was decided to be kept untouched after he died. His house had a bell, which we rang a few times for fun! Finally, scattered around the property were several beautiful peacocks; we got to take a few great pictures!
Anyway, I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves art!

I love this place, my only regret is I don’t live closer so I can’t take advantage of being a member. Anytime I’m in Napa, this is a must stop.
They have a large eclectic collection of modern art that goes from inside to outside. Everything from an art car to a flying statue. This place is not for everyone, you have to really have an appreciation for art. If you question modern art in general or you appreciate the occasional painting, it may be too much of a commitment. You are required to take a tour, you are not allowed to roam freely. Tours range from 1.5−2 hours and there are several options depending on the season.
If you like an excuse to shop, they also have a good gift shop where you enter and exit.
Bring good walking shoes because there is gravel and uneven ground. If it’s sunny out bring sunscreen and a hat because it gets hot. On a nice day, you can decline the ride back and take a nice walk back by the duck pond.
This is one of the best collections in Napa and a unique collection in general. There are over 2,000 pieces of art. The docents are very knowledgeable and passionate about the art and the history of Di Rosa. I’d recommend going here before you start your wine tasting.
Watch out for cops on the road there (from both directions), they are notorious for speed traps.

Took my BF here for one of his birthday presents. The location is beautiful and some of the pieces they have collected are absolutely amazing!
It is kind of confusing how there are different tours that show you different things, and it’s not very clear what you get with each tour so that could be a little more clear. FYI, you don’t get to see any of the stuff without joining a tour — so make sure you RSVP ahead of time.
It can get very overwhleming if you go in to the gallery. Whoever laid out the pieces did not do an especially good job because there is no «flow».
All in all it was very interesting, and I would definitely recommend it to others who are interested in art. Just being able to see the owner’s home (they didn’t even move pieces into his house, that’s how he LIVED in it!) is an experience all on its own.

We came here based on rave reviews in our travel books, but found out you CANNOT browse the grounds without a tour guide. It’s not spelled out that way on their website, but that’s the situation you will find yourself in if you drive out here special.
So we were allowed to browse, for a suggested $ 10 donation per person, their indoor art, which was maybe 10 items. Waste of money and time, frankly.
Their gift shop was filled with cute things, as so many art places’ gift shops are, but that was hardly worth the trip or the cost.

Anyone who says the Di Rosa «is just like…» is lying; there’s nothing that’s just like this place. Rene Di Rosa, in his lifetime, amassed an enormous art collection of more than 2,000 pieces made by 800+ one-​time or long-​time Nor Cal artists. What he liked was vibrant, messy, whimsical, contemporary, and irreverent. With his collection he aimed to please no one other than himself.
At some point, he also purchased a massive swath of Carneros region acreage then turned it into vineyards. He sold off much of those vineyards, then developed the remaining 200+ acres and toiled away to make it accessible to the public. Now it sits across the highway from Domaine Carneros, marked only by a small roadway sign and some metal sheep (created by his 3^rd wife) on the small knoll that hides his serenely beautiful Winery Lake from view of the road.
Mr. Di Rosa believed art should be viewed and enjoyed for pleasure, pure and simple, and when the preserve first opened there were no markers identifying the artist, the name of the artwork, or the medium. Mr. Di Rosa, a rogue, used to pop into tours, giddy about sharing his collection. His enthusiasm was contagious.
Rene Di Rosa has passed now, and the preserve is still there with his wild-​ass collection of works. It’s like a peek into the mind of the man, a self-​described «art-​aholic», and the setting is stunning. They’ve now added artist identifiers and artwork names but it’s still the same: An incredible collection of art and sculpture set amidst acreage of utmost beauty, like scenes stolen from «Manon of the Spring».
You’ll need to arrange a tour here, to see the entire collection and grounds. If you’re feeling lucky you might also inquire about hosting a picnic out under the Oaks near the sculpture garden. Even if you don’t enjoy every piece of art you’d have to be blind not to find something to smile at. For me, the setting and the 2 art cars by David Best make this a worthwhile stop. Everything else is gravy.