The art museums in Long Beach offer two different ways to spend time with art: the Museum of Latin American Art focuses on modern and contemporary Latin American and Latinx work, while the Long Beach Museum of Art presents a broader range of American, European, California and contemporary art.
Their locations, collection focus, hours and admission can help you decide which to visit—or whether to plan time for both.
- Two museums: the Museum of Latin American Art and the Long Beach Museum of Art.
- Typical opening pattern: both museums open Wednesday through Sunday; the Long Beach Museum of Art is open Thursday through Sunday.
- Admission basics: general admission is $15 at each museum, with reduced or free admission for some visitors.
Which Long Beach Museums Focus on Art
Long Beach has two art museums with distinct collection focuses: one centers on Latin American and Latinx art, and the other ranges across several American and European traditions.
The Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA) presents modern and contemporary Latin American and Latinx art. Its collection includes more than 1,300 works representing more than 24 countries in the Americas, as well as Latino artists living in the United States. The museum was founded in Long Beach in 1996 by Dr. Robert Gumbiner.
The Long Beach Museum of Art (LBMA) covers American decorative arts, early 20th-century European art, California Modernism and contemporary art, including video. Its campus brings together the historic Elizabeth Milbank Anderson House, a carriage house, oceanfront gardens and an exhibition pavilion.
For a visit centered on Latin American and Latinx art, MOLAA is the more focused choice; LBMA offers a wider mix of periods and styles. The Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach also has a sculpture and events garden, inaugurated in 2006.
Museum of Latin American Art
The Museum of Latin American Art combines galleries, a garden and a store at 628 Alamitos Avenue, between 6th and 7th Streets.
MOLAA’s galleries, garden and store are open Wednesday through Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; the museum is closed Monday and Tuesday. General admission is $15. Students with valid ID and seniors pay $10, while children under 12 and members enter free. Admission is also free during MOLAA Free Sundays.
You can buy tickets online, which the museum encourages, or walk in. Free parking is available at the museum or on the street. For public transit, take the Metro Blue Line to 5th Street Station, then walk east on 6th Street toward Alamitos Avenue; the museum sits between 6th and 7th Streets.
The Robert Gumbiner Sculpture and Events Garden adds an outdoor element to a visit. Its presence alongside the galleries gives you a chance to include both the museum’s indoor art and garden in your plans.
Long Beach Museum of Art
The Long Beach Museum of Art sits at 2300 E Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90803, on a campus that includes historic buildings and oceanfront gardens.
LBMA Ocean is open Thursday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and closed Monday through Wednesday. General admission is $15; students and seniors pay $10. Members, children 12 and under, and LBUSD students enter free.
Free parking and EV charging stations are available in the museum’s parking lot on Ocean Boulevard, one block west of the main entrance. Metered beach parking is another option, with stairs leading from that area to the museum.
If you’re comparing the museum’s location and collection before you go, the Long Beach Museum of Art’s location and collections offer useful context for planning a visit.
Its exhibitions range from decorative arts to contemporary video, while the campus adds gardens and historic architecture to the setting. That mix makes LBMA a different kind of art visit from MOLAA’s collection focus.
Choosing by Location and Available Time
Choose between the museums by the art you want to see, then check each one’s opening days before setting your schedule.
MOLAA is at 628 Alamitos Avenue, and its published transit directions make it an option if you’re arriving on the Metro Blue Line: get off at 5th Street Station and walk east along 6th Street toward Alamitos Avenue.
LBMA is at 2300 E Ocean Blvd, on a campus with oceanfront gardens. From Inn at 50 Long Beach Convention Center, the walk to MOLAA is about 14 minutes, compared with about 26 minutes to LBMA.
If your schedule includes a Monday or Tuesday, neither museum is open. On Wednesday, MOLAA is open, while LBMA Ocean is closed; Thursday through Sunday, both are open, though their closing times differ. Allow for each museum’s own hours rather than assuming they share a schedule.
Admission is $15 general at both museums. MOLAA offers free admission during MOLAA Free Sundays, and LBMA lists free entry for members, children 12 and under, and LBUSD students.
The museums also have different transport details: MOLAA offers free parking at the museum or on the street, while LBMA has a free parking lot with EV charging and metered beach parking as an alternative.
Before you go: hours, prices and free-admission arrangements can change, so check the official site before you go.
FAQs
Which Long Beach art museum focuses on Latin American art?
The Museum of Latin American Art focuses on modern and contemporary Latin American and Latinx art, including work by Latino artists living in the United States.
Are there free museums in Long Beach?
Both museums offer free admission to some groups. MOLAA also has MOLAA Free Sundays; LBMA offers free admission to members, children 12 and under, and LBUSD students.
Can you visit both museums on the same day?
Both museums are open Thursday through Sunday, but their hours differ. Check their schedules and locations to decide whether both fit your plans.
Which museum is open on Wednesday?
MOLAA is open Wednesday through Sunday. LBMA Ocean is closed Wednesday and opens Thursday through Sunday.