The Museum of Contemporary Religious Art (MOCRA) at Saint Louis University is closing to the public on May 31, 2025, after more than three decades of operation. Its final exhibition, 'Liminal,' features works from 47 artists, many drawn from the museum's permanent collection. The closure, announced last year, is due to university budget cuts, and the collection will be integrated into exhibits at SLU's Museum of Art.
The closure marks the end of a unique institution widely regarded as the first museum in the United States dedicated to contemporary religious art. Founded in 1993, MOCRA carved out a significant niche by fostering dialogue between faith and contemporary art through over 80 exhibitions, addressing themes like AIDS, racial injustice, and migration. Its focused collection of about 600 works served as a steady, dedicated locus for this intersection, a role distinct from larger museums that only occasionally explored the theme.