While looking up art museums in Long Beach, the first that caught my eye was the Museum of Latin…read moreAmerican Art (MOLAA), but LBMA Downtown was the second that caught my eye since it wasn't too far from MOLAA. While I don't have a keen interest in the arts, I do appreciate good artwork shown around the city. You won't find great artwork here compared to MOLAA, but the free admission does make it worth stopping by if only for a few minutes. You can find this museum on the southwest corner of 3rd and Elm. This is *not* to be confused with LBMA, minus the Downtown. LBMA is on Ocean Blvd, and the lone staff member inside the museum was happy enough to tell me more about that museum. He was roaming about the floor before my arrival, but after my arrival, he sat at the front table with some flyers advertising their featured artists. He handed me a couple of them as well as a pin of one of these artists. The second floor was closed off to visitors, so I only had access to the first floor. And the first floor wasn't even a whole lot that I felt silly about asking if there was even a map for the museum. For such a small size, a map would have been of minimal use, and if the exhibitions change every now and then, it certainly wouldn't be of any use after the fact! I thought the artwork here paled in comparison to the ones at MOLAA, where general admission is $15, so you definitely want to keep in mind the tradeoff. Quantity wise, there is also less, but on the flip side, I can see a special event happening here with an abundance of floor space that could be used for serving wine and food. Maybe throw in a mariachi band as well for a more festive atmosphere? lol There are restrooms in the rear of the museum as well as a water fountain. The women's restroom door was initially open, and I saw a portrait inside that I *almost* walked in thinking it was another gallery! In regards to parking, I parked at one of the City Place parking garages that provide 2 hours of free parking. There are three garages that are located about 2-3 blocks west of the museum. I parked in Lot B, but Lot C is a little closer to the museum. Otherwise, your best bet would be metered parking if you really don't want to walk that far. LBMA Downtown is definitely not the most interesting museum in Long Beach, and it's definitely not worth visiting if you have to pay even just $5 to see just a few pieces of artwork. But if you happen to be in the area and can afford a few minutes before your parking timer expires, then it's worth stopping by to see what they have inside. Based on what the staff member told me about LBMA on Ocean Blvd, I think it's fair to say LBMA Downtown could be a nice preview of what LBMA has in store without having to pay the general admission fee at LBMA.

This museum was SO disappointing! The building is huge so I figured it would be able to house large…read morescale exhibits. Inside there were four gallery rooms for exhibits but the rooms, although fairly spacious, severely lacked art. I mean, the walls were very bare and I felt like they didn't have enough inventory to fill up the wall space. It was weird. Here you have this massive building and barely any art worth viewing. It was ridiculous. The entire experience was pretty lame and left me feeling unsatisfied. I should have known better when their website wasn't allowing patrons to purchase tickets online. The entire museum feels and looks mismanaged to me. It's such a waste of a good building, I honestly don't know how these folks keep the lights on because the exhibits are laughable. One thing I will say, the Guillermo Bert exhibit is definitely worth checking out but that's the only interesting art MOLAA has to offer right now. The people who run this museum need to get it together because the Cheech in Riverside is amazing and a true inspiration to Latin American artists everywhere. Sorry MOLAA, I'll never come back and I'll never recommend this place to anyone.

Attended the opening reception for their current exhibition featuring 3 artists: Mercedes Gertz,…read moreGuillermo Bert and Arturo Romero. The event was well attended and had a nice spread. Even got a key chain and pin for being a Friend member. Mercedes pieces were more focused on women and seemed very personal. It evoked an emotional reaction utilizing a lot of clothing. Guillermo's pieces were varied and utilized different media. QR codes were woven into tapestries. It was just a shame that they didn't work for me. His 3D cut life sized sculptures featured working people. His led masks were captivating. There was definitely a political tone in the pieces. Arturo's pieces were few but impactful. Blurred faces evoked some mystery. It felt dark too. Collectively a great show. They're free on Sundays so there's no reason for you to skip it.

This museum is in a really nice location. It's right next to the beach and you can't beat that. I…read morebought my tickets online and they had a special for 50% off. There's also free parking next to the museum which is a plus. It was my first time at this museum and it's a pretty small museum. When I went, the second floor was closed because there was an event that night. I went to see the Robert Williams exhibit which is on the main floor and there was a lot to see. There's also a lower level with an exhibit for local high school artist which is cool. Although the museum was small I was there for almost an hour. I thought the description of the pieces were very detailed and helped me understand what I was looking at.

Love it here! There are two buildings. It's the building on the right…read more The computers were down on the Saturday I visited, so admission was free. Otherwise, general admission is $15 and admission for seniors is $10. I visited during the Robert Williams exhibit. Great, comprehensive collection of artwork, past and present. Paintings and sculpture, large and small. There's a small gift shop located immediately next to reception. The basement exhibit was artwork created by middle school, up and coming artists. The second floor was an exhibit surrounding paper and books. Although visitors are not allowed to go outdoors, awesome ocean view from the second floor window and patio. You can either take the stairs or elevator. Parking: I parked on the next block. Free, residential street parking.

great black-owned cultural hotspot where you can bring home both a rare book and a vintage tee from…read morethe same trip. owned by long beach natives with a keen eye for curation and community, you'll feel justified in shopping with play nice lbc. they also offer screenprinting services upon request (for the more entrepreneurially inclined among us), but for now, i'm satisfied with supporting a young business thru direct sales. parking is a slight challenge depending on the day, but you'll be glad you stopped by once you secure a spot!

Such an amazing spot to check out do some shopping and be creative at. Lots of fun vendors, cool…read morespots to take pictures & very creative minds here with all the crafts that are for sale. Very talented people for sure. Loved the handmade soaps, candles and clothing options to salsas and knitting crafts. One of my favorite was the VHS spot with the Hollywood Video feel and it brought back memories of when it did exist. They had some fun stations I'm sure you can register but they had a make your own art with broken glass and there was a few people there participating. It was such a cool concept & then we went to go grab a beer across to the brewery.

On one of the busiest days for Crafted, who own Port of Los Angeles Warehouse number nine, they…read moreshould have a lot more food trucks. They're running a craft fest and there is a ton of VW buses, which is super cool, but there's only two food vendors. They need more food trucks because the lines are obnoxious and it's taking forever to get food.

Cool place with great exhibits. Def put on the list of go to galleries. There's also some really…read morecool collector's comic and retro art in a smaller room of the gallery. Cool peeps as well.

Best vibe. Best art. Go for the opening night at the beginning of each month. Support local artists.read more

This place is so cool to just wander around and look at--especially if you love Halloween. Even if…read moreyou don't, it's worth a trip out just because of how unique it is. I've never seen anywhere like it. We go to warehouse 9 (the taphouse next to it) and my boys love making the walk over to Wanderkammer. It never seems to get old--there's always so much to look at! Highly recommend little adventure to this spot.

If you're hunting for a funky, artsy vibe where you can lose track of time wandering around, hit up…read morethis hidden gem. Tucked inside a couple of old shipping warehouses is a killer collection of eclectic shops that feels like stepping into a creative time capsule. Vintage VHS tapes? Classic movie posters? They've got you. Throw in art dealers, mineral shops, local jams and honey, and you've got a perfect mix of weird, wonderful, and wonderfully local. You'll drift from one quirky little shop to the next, completely entertained--and yeah, your wallet might end up a little lighter by the time you leave. Totally worth it. Go explore.

Hare & Trove is a South Bay gem for the unique gift giver! A super fun eclectic mix of fantastic…read moreoddities! If you are in San Pedro, it's a "Must Stop" destination! Also, their proprietor, Katie is a super amazing artist!