This is a painting of a map of California showing historical missions, each detailed with accompanying artwork of the individual mission buildings. The map divides the coastal region of Alta California, with a decorative depiction of each mission placed alongside a timeline of their establishment dates. At the top, it reads "California Mission Studies by The Index of American Design W.P.A. Federal Art Project." Two columns frame the map with painted scrolls showcasing watercolors of the mission architecture, presented in chronological order. The map includes a compass rose, and at the bottom, are figures of a person dressed in traditional mission-era attire holding a pottery jar, beside a stylized depiction of the San Diego de Alcala mission, the first established in 1769.