▁of ▁American ▁and ▁European ▁contemporary ▁art ▁created ▁after ▁ 1 9 4 0 . ▁Since ▁the ▁museum ' s ▁in ception , ▁MO CA ' s ▁programming ▁has ▁been ▁defined ▁by ▁its ▁multi - dis cipl inary ▁approach ▁to ▁contemporary ▁art . ▁ ▁Found ing ▁ ▁In ▁a ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁political ▁fund ▁raising ▁event ▁at ▁the ▁B ever ly ▁Hills ▁Hotel , ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁Mayor ▁Tom ▁Brad ley , ▁Council man ▁Jo el ▁W ach s , ▁and ▁local ▁phil anth rop ist ▁Mar cia ▁Simon ▁We is man ▁happened ▁to ▁be ▁se ated ▁at ▁the ▁same ▁table . ▁Through out ▁the ▁evening , ▁We is man ▁passion ately ▁discussed ▁the ▁city ' s ▁need ▁for ▁a ▁contemporary ▁art ▁museum . ▁We is man ' s ▁brother , ▁N orton ▁Simon , ▁had ▁stepped ▁in ▁to ▁b ail ▁out ▁the ▁finan cially ▁a iling ▁Pas ad ena ▁Art ▁Museum ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁but ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁retain ▁its ▁focus ▁on ▁modern ▁art . ▁In ▁the ▁following ▁weeks , ▁the ▁Mayor ' s ▁Museum ▁Ad vis ory ▁Committee ▁was ▁organized . ▁The ▁committee , ▁led ▁by ▁William ▁A . ▁Nor ris , ▁set ▁about ▁creating ▁a ▁museum ▁from ▁scratch , ▁including ▁loc ating ▁funds , ▁trust ees , ▁direct ors , ▁cur ators , ▁a ▁gallery , ▁and ▁most ▁important ly ▁an ▁art ▁collection . ▁That ▁same ▁year , ▁We is man ▁and ▁five ▁other ▁key ▁local ▁collect ors ▁signed ▁an ▁agreement ▁where by ▁they ▁would ▁p