Joan Irvine Smith and UC Irvine

Joan Irvine Smith was a philanthropist, arts patron, horse trainer and heiress to the Irvine family fortune from their California ranch. She played an important role in the creation of the University of California, Irvine both in site selection and the donation of 1,000 acres of land from Irvine Co. 

Joan Irvine Smith also helped establish the Reeve-Irvine Research Center at UC Irvine, which is a spinal cord injury research center named for actor Christopher Reeve, who was paralyzed after a riding accident.

Additionally, she assisted in founding The Irvine Museum on the UC Irvine campus, which is a collection of art that represents the history and culture of California. The museum was established in 1992 by Athalie Richardson Irvine Clarke, Joan Irvine Smith, and James Irvine Swinden to promote appreciation for California’s art. Here, visitors will encounter more than 1,300 works including paintings, drawings and sketches. These works are included in the museum specifically because the works and the artists in the collection were inspired by the Golden State’s surroundings, including light, tones and general color palette. 

Joan Irvine Smith herself was a lifelong naturalist and environmental preservationist who assembled a collection of art that captured scenes of California’s undeveloped landscapes and seascapes.