I think this is my favorite art gallery of all time, and it's gate kept for a good reason. The literal entrance is modeled after ancient Chinese palace gates, how's that for gate keeping? Anyway, for those not in the know, Chen Art Gallery is tucked away in the Sunrider office building. You have to call to make an appointment and parking is free on the street. But it's all free so book away! Anyway, once you're in, there's a heavy emphasis on no phones or photography, and you'll discover why once you step foot inside. Holly was an amazing tour guide and knows her Chinese history really well, better than most of us probably. Anyway, where to even start? There's 15 rooms of artifacts from all dynasties of China, as young as Qing dynasty up to the 19th century to as old as 3000BC. And you'll be seeing things from authentic thrones to lavish silk embroideries to beautiful jade to sculptures to ceramics to gold, gold and more gold. Everything is carefully curated and honestly, if photos got out, big museums might hound them to borrow their exhibits hah! Anyway, you will be blown away by the sheer proportion of this lowkey museum/art gallery and by the sheer quantity AND quality of everything in here. This is a must visit and I'm very lucky to live so close by cause I hope to visit again in the future. Props to Dr. Chen for having such good taste and literally paying for all of this! read more

Amazing historical art , well worth the time spent. The docent was well informed and provided amazing insights into the history and values of these incredible art pieces read more

What a hidden gem. There is so much to see and learn. Holly is so knowledgeable and friendly.

I was in LA for a day and a half and really wanted to see this collection. After leaving a voice message, I thought it wouldn't be possible since it was such a short notice, but Holly called me back and said I could join the next tour. I am so glad I did!!! Holly is very knowledgeable and explained everything so thoroughly and with such enthusiasm! I will definitely return with my family next time I'm down in LA. Thank you once again, Holly! read more

I have been to this gallery 6 times. I have been with my watercolor group. I have taken my granddaughter that is studying in China. It's so educational read more

Such a great time. The docent Holly,knew everything! She took all questions. No picture taking was allowed but so much to see and look at! I saw things that were 5000 years old! The art was beautiful as well. read more

If you are ever near Torrance or Manhattan Beach, California, Chen Art Gallery is a must stop. It is a hidden gem and even some locals don't know of its existence. The museum features a beautiful array of Asian art. You will find collections from 500 BC, there is Chinese furniture, Jade, jewelry, pottery, paintings, Buddhist art and sculptures and other art and and so many artifacts. You need to make a reservation to see the museum, it is free, yes free. It is not open all the time, they will open for you and the tour guide is all smiles and so informative, and parking is free as well. Chens' is a stunning place. Go there. read more

Great Collection of Artwork. Take a tour yourself. Great place for school field trips.

Elusive gem of a collection, containing high caliber, well-preserved artifacts of Chinese history from 3000BC to the Qing dynasty. Allison led the tour with great pace, detail and knowledge. The gallery does not allow phone usage or taking of pictures, so it's probably not suited for social media, but this policy cultivates a more immersive experience. read more

An incredible collection...would rather see more Asian or other historic art of non-European cultures or just have a shorter tour than see the additional (European) art exhibits displayed at the end. The main Asian collection is really the cannot-miss, must-see, do-before-you-die draw. read more

2018 YELP CHALLENGE: 69/100 What a perfect little gem in Torrance!!!! Dr. Tei-Fu Chen graciously shares his enormous collection of ancient Chinese artworks for FREE inside the SUNRIDER INTERNATIONAL building: Buddhist sculptures, intricately decorated bowls and vases, iridescent jade, and detailed Chinese furniture that overweight Emperors sat on. Yet another fun thing to do in Torrance! Thank you Allison for the tour. Quick Tips: -Near the busy intersection of Western and Carson. Parking is accessible from Abalone (adjacent to Wadatsumi) -Open Tuesdays-Sundays from 10am to 4pm -Call ahead to make an appointment! They usually have 2 per day: Morning (10am) and Afternoon (2pm) -Tours are about 1 1/2 hours -NO cellphones, No photography. Don't worry, you'll survive. -Mini Picasso and Matisse exhibits!!!!! -Grab lunch at Mitsuwa Marketplace afterwards! I'm still trying to process everything. I GOTTA COME BACK. read more

Chen Art Gallery - Art Galleries Near Me - Torrance, California

Excellent Chinese museum. Amazing collection of ancient artifacts. Well worth visiting.

Okay this is a HIDDEN GEM of the Southbay. I honestly didn't even know this place existed right in Torrance of all places until my Dad mentioned it to me when he found in a brochure the Torrance Museum was handing out. First and foremost, this museum is FREE!! You do have to keep in mind that you can't just walk in but have to schedule an appointment to see the museum because you get a private tour by a curator. Appointments are year round except the summer in which they are closed. Parking is street parking and simple and you just go into the Sunrider building and tell them you're here for the tour. You're then welcomed by the security guard and the curator brings you in through the security check (not as extensive as the TSA) but just don't bring any swiss army knives... Not the actual tour is pretty extensive. You get to go through all the rooms and the curator gives all the details of the history and background of the pieces. It's mostly items like pots, weapons, furniture, and various other 3-D items as opposed to paintings for the Chinese collection. The items go back way into history and it's pretty amazing it's all in this one collection. Dr. Chen is the one that collected all the pieces and welcomes all to see it. Even the Getty and LACMA try to borrow their pieces because some are so rare, but it all remains in this collection. The pretty nifty part is that there is a European collection that is on display that has works by Picasso, Matisse, and various others. The collection itself for the last 2 rooms (mainly the European collection) is shifting and can change in the next year. So I'd recommend going every year if you can to see the new collection because apparently once they swap it out, they might not bring it back again until 10-15 years later. Enjoy :) and read more

Chen Art Gallery - Updated each year - Art Galleries Near Me - Torrance, California

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Cordially invited here. My first time here months ago recently with my Imperial Royal blooded parents who are of the paternal Imperial Zhou Dynasty and the maternal Imperial Shang Dynasty. :) To see the various Dynasties in this museum was interesting especially the one particular glass wall showcase that has the most ancient jade in the world (5 or 6,000 BC) comes from both my Royal parents' bloodline eras was even more amazing. To me. Made me ponder, that showcase needs to be in my Royal home. Lol Thank you kindly to the lovely host who welcomed us and especially big kind thank you to my new greatly and lovely inside and out Japanese friend, Donna who invited us to this place because she knew it'd be perfect for my Royal Parents and I to see our Royal family's rare treasures in this museum. My Royal Dad (who is also a descendant of world famous chinese philosopher, Master Zhuang Zi) and is a famous virtuoso chinese calligrapher who won award in china and beat his two famous master calligraphy teachers (one Taiwanese and other is Mongolian) in ancient calligraphy was fascinatingly co hosting us since he knows all of China's history. Hehe so cute! :D read more

The security guard told us "whatever your expectations is, it will be 100% more." And he was right. We are blown away by the collection and the private tour given by Allison. Absolutely will visit again. Btw: the tour is for children 10 years or older. No seating so if you can't stand for 1.5 hours, you can bring small portable folding chairs. Since it is over an hour long, use restroom before hand. read more

This is hidden gem of a museum. Very friendly tour in a small group. Well worth a visit.

I have been here at least 3 times with different groups of my son's friends and my own friend group. It is an amazing collection of art by one person. And the private tour is always so good. I would pay a good amount of money for these tours. But, they do it for free. So generous of the company. The ladies that gave the tour were always so happy, and truly wanted us to learn arts and artifacts. Very educational for your group. Even though I went three time always, I always pick up something new. It's stunning. I can't wait to go back. The last time I called for reservations, they were in lockdown. Will try again soon. read more

My friends and I arranged to have a tour of this gallery today at 11 AM and boy were we treated to almost 2 hours of excellent art! The curation of the artifacts contained within this museum is exemplary! Allison, our docent, was supremely knowledgeable in not only the work itself but its acquisition and its meaning to the collector Dr. Chen. Several times she stopped us to let us know which pieces meant a great deal to him. The artifacts owned by the former Chinese emperors were quite intriguing. She let us in on some little known Chinese art history including the use of dragons with five fingers to indicate ownership by an emperor. I arranged this tour because I understood them to have a collection of Picasso prints; but after her excellent tour of the Chinese art, I looked at the Picassos with a different kind of lens. They were still extraordinary but at the same time the craftsmanship and artistic quality of the artifacts collecting this museum really made a lasting impact on me. This experience would not have been as informative as it was without this great docent! I am so pleased she was working today and could accommodate our group. She answered every question we had with a high degree of professionalism, courtesy, and intellect. It was a very educational afternoon and we're so happy we stopped in! read more

A nice private collection Asian artifacts including furniture, paintings, sculptures, clothes and pottery. The tour last about 90 minutes and was very informative. The tour guide offers a lot of knowledge and was very friendly. Its only Tuesday - Friday so most people will have to make special arrangements with work to make it. Otherwise, this is a great place to spend a few hours. The best thing, admission is FREE. You must call and arrange an appointment before you come! read more

Nestled within the Sunrider corporate building, Chen Art Gallery offers a vast variety of period pieces from the ancient royal Chinese dynasties. Themes are arranged within categories such as furniture of the imperial Ming Dynasty, Xing Dynasty, pottery, jade, paintings, bronze, cloisonne, calligraphy, snuff bottles, royal apparel, and religious (Buddha) artifacts. Some historical pieces date back as far as 3000 years ago, with various pieces over 500-700 BC. Dr. Chen's collection is elaborate, invaluable, and a museum worthy must see. His collection is a compilation of 40 yrs - in the making. With pieces on rotation for interesting viewing. Our curator was very friendly, educational, and personable. You can tell she truly enjoys her occupation. Tip: You must arrange for a complimentary, intimate, group tour. Unfortunately, they are only open during the business week during business hours, closed on major holidays. Tour is approximately 90 minutes. Only one negative - no pictures allowed. Sunrider specializes in health and beauty products, are have a huge market in Asia (Taiwan & China). His wife runs the company, as Mr Chen specializes in the product development and meticulous art purchasing. They are photographed with former presidents R. Reagan & B. Clinton. Also, there is a cute botanical garden with herbs, gazebo, koi pond at the next building over. Enjoy and plan ahead! read more

Another of my way overdue reviews. I just one to say this place is 'priceless' and I want to say thank you to the Mr. Chen for sharing his amazing collection. It is truly amazing. Now for you my Yelpers, this place is one you can go to and never tire of. The history, the depth of craftmanship, will truly have you wanting more and more and more. What makes this even greater is, coming here will only cost you your time. Admission is FREE... yes you read that right, there is no cost to tour this museum. On the day I toured (not setup by me, but with a ladies traveling group), we were also scheduled for free facials/mini makeovers, walk/stroll in the garden and sample product tasting. (I even came home with a goodie bag) My only disappointment for the day was I couldn't stay longer. I truly enjoyed myself and was pushed for time (being I only allocated a few hours for the event) and had to be clocked in. So my only suggestion is, if you are going to include or able to include the facials/makeover and tasting--do it but give it a full day of time. This is truly a hidden gem in the South Bay. ~~Ms. Shane~~ read more

Hidden gem! You need to make reservations ahead of time for a tour which lasts about an 90 minutes. The gallery houses the Chinese art collection of Dr. Chen and apparently covers 5000 years of Chinese history. Included are furniture, paintings, sculptures, porcelain, pottery, and much more. I don't know much about this type of art but I was impressed with what I saw. Our tour guide was great -very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. At the end of the tour we were led to a shop where we were served tea (Dr. Chen's company makes a variety of herbal products that are available for purchase). Admission is free! I don't recommend this tour for kids or people who can't stand for long periods of time (there is no seating during the tour). read more

A hidden gem in Torrance. It's an awesome private collection. Mr. Chen, the owner, has the heart to share it to the public for free which is cool. You just have to set an appointment. read more

This museum is absolutely INCREDIBLE! And FREE! You would never expect it, since it's in a business building in Torrance. The pieces are awe-inspiring, especially the Jade dragon that is 5,500 years old! In addition to amazing Chinese art there is also a wonderful collection of Picassos and Matisses. You get an awesome 2 hour guided tour by an expert, so you also learn a lot! read more

I didn't expect anything fabulous for Chinese art, outside China or Taiwan; but Chen's 17-room collections made my day.. The rare royal pieces and complete Lohan wood carvings just wowed is again and again.. Being here for 35+ years, I'm glad I came and saw it at last.. Best hidden treasure in town.. Highly recommended! read more

The best art gallery I've ever been too! So much to look at, our tour guide was the best and so nice. Will definitely recommend to others.

A Chinese culltural adventure---East meets West.... In January, during Chinese President Hu's visit to Washington ,D.C., our club decided to visit The Chen Art Gallery, a hidden treasure in Torrance. The Chen Art Gallery was created by Dr.Tei-Fu Chen. Dr. Chen has collected world-class artifacts for over 20 years... The Art Gallery is within The Sunrider Building where a great variety of herbal products may also be purchased. A special blend of tea is served after the tour.. Group Reservations are needed. Individuals may also make reservations. Admission is free. Holly was our "expert" tour guide on a walking tour that lasted about an hour. Many objects from the Qing and Ming dynasties, etc. were viewed, including some 3000 year old bronze vessels. Some other wonders observed were: a throne room, gilded Buddhist sculptures, wood-carved statues of Buddhist monks, a small terra cotta soldier with chariot-like cart, dried-ink containers, small snuff bottles painted from the inside, a Hanging Scroll with Landscape by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing dynasty. We enjoyed viewing different-colored jade objects ,and pottery horses... We especially enjoyed the artistry of the imperial porcelain. Many believe that the "blue" may have been imported from Thailand...And It took much patience before "rose" and other colors could be added to Chinese ceramics... You really need to be there to enjoy this cultural experience. Our large group certainly did. Many felt we should visit again with other friends so together we may more- fully take in all of its wonders An A+ experience !!! read more

An awesome collection of Asian antiquities - probably the best art museum in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County! You need to make an appointment, as it's inside Sunrider's headquarters. read more

This is truly a hidden gem. Our tour guide, Holly, was extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic. I can't believe I have lived in the South Bay my entire life and didn't know about this wonderful collection until recently. When we arrived, a Chinese couple also came for a tour. They were provided their own tour guide who spoke their language! read more

This is one of the best hidden gems that I have come across in Torrance, CA. When you walk into the Sunrider building, you wouldn't think there is a art gallery inside a corporate office. However, when you make a couple of turns down the hallway of the main floor, you are welcomed by a pair of Chinese lions and a beautiful gate. There were only five of us, so it felt like we had our own private tour. I was thoroughly impressed by Dr. Chen's collection and appreciate having him share his collection with the public. read more

Amazing collection of Chinese art/antiquities hidden in Torrance, CA. You will be surprised by what you'll see in this private collection.

This is a lovely, little known gem of a gallery. Entry is by appointment only during a fairly limited time window. The location is accessible and parking free. Guided tours only since it is a private collection and a security guard shadowed us unobtrusively. The collection is impressive and very well displayed. Careful attention has been given to grouping items chronologically and displaying with historical information to make the tour informative and user friendly. There are many items from Imperial collections that express great wealth, the finest craftsmanship, and historical significance. Since Chinese antiquities are zooming up in value and getting out of reach for most private collectors, Dr. Chen is beginning to collect European art like the 100 piece Picasso sketches just added to the gallery in a dedicated room. It takes a little advance planning to reserve a time, but well worth it! read more