Life

Charles Moore

Charles Willard Moore was born in 1925 in Benton Harbor, Michigan. A former school teacher, Moore's mother recognized his gifts early on, and through encouragement in self-education and frequent trips across the United States, the young Moore developed a remarkable sense of place aided by a photographic memory. Learn more...

Austin · Santa Monica Canyon · The Sea Ranch

Great places deserve our care and attention.

Charles Willard Moore (1925-1993) was an extraordinary person—an architect, educator, and writer who carried entire generations in new directions. The Charles Moore Foundation cares for several of his architectural masterpieces as "living places", where it organizes educational programs, activities, and preservation projects. Learn more...

Places

Living Places

The Charles Moore Foundation preserves the Moore/Andersson Compound in Austin and the Burns House in Santa Monica Canyon. (In 2022, the Charles Moore Foundation's helped ensure the preservation of Charles Moore's iconic Unit #9 of The Sea Ranch Condominium in Sonoma County.) These are no mere house museums. They are living places where preservation and enthusiasm for architecture, music, design, and art is made a daily reality for visitors from all over the world. Learn more...

Preservation

Preservation

Great places deserve our care and attention. Preservation is a daily reality, and we do most of the work with our own hands! Learn more...

Programs

Programs

The Charles Moore Foundation is truly a "do it yourself" place, where we accomplish much of the preservation work with our own tools, hands—and backs! Many individuals and companies support our efforts. We abide by Charles Moore's observation that great buildings benefit from energy and care and attention. The more you put in, the more they give back. "Bread cast on the water," he famously quipped, "float back club sandwiches." Learn more...

Collections

Archives, Collections, & Libraries

Charles Moore, like Hadrian, was an inveterate traveler and collector. Starting from a young age, he amassed a stupefying array of folk art and souvenir toys, a collection emblematic of his ultra wide field of vision. The Charles Moore Foundation cares for this sensational collection as well as important libraries. The Foundation also assists with the development of Charles Moore's archival resources, located at various universities. Learn more...

Visit

Visit Us

Flat screens and pages printed with photographs can be stimulating and full of information, but places are best experienced in person.

We welcome visits. Learn more...