California African American Museum

I was excited to share this experience with my son. When we arrived, we were told that we can only take photos in the lobby and hardedge area… Most of the displays in the museum were offensive. My son learned how to say «Sheeit» from a display that played Two Chains, I’m different.
There was a confederate flag that hung above a flag of Africa with red, white and blue jail bars…
I was really embarrassed, this is not African American Culture!!!
If the museum was not free, I would have demanded my money back. Who is approving this offensive art?

I haven’t been here in a few years. It’s not a very big museum, but well worth visiting, nonetheless. The décor has an elegant feeling to it and is unbelievably gorgeous to view. The art is of high quality, in my opinion. I enjoy looking at, and reading about, the various sculptures. The graffiti-​type art is presented well and displays great talent from various artists. This museum is definitely worth the trip and very informational.

I went to this museum in March 2015 because I have always been interested in black history, and wanted to learn more. I had also heard that this was the best museum on the matter in Los Angeles.
Unfortunately, I have to say that I was pretty disappointed. The museum is actually pretty small and the exhibitions aren’t very large either. We went through the museum much faster than I thought we would and finally went to the Science Center. Some of the art and photography that they offer is pretty interesting, but this museum would be much better if it had a lot more historical exhibitions.
Admission to this museum is free, which is a very good thing, but the parking is paid and it will cost you $ 10. The museum also seems to offer different exhibitions at different times of the year.
Overall, my experience with the California African American Museum was rather negative and I would recommend it only as a backup option. Feel free to message me for any additional details that you may need!

Lovely space. I was able to catch the Flash Tag exhibition which consisted of painted artwork from a group of extremely skillful graffiti artists. With only 3 days allotted to them, they transformed an otherwise empty gallery into beautiful allegories, portraits, and simply epic displays of raw talent. I feel blessed to have been able to be in the presence of these artists that were capable of manifesting such a synergistic effect which I’m sure was felt by everyone in attendance that day. I loved speaking with these men and hearing them discuss the finer details of their work.
A second gallery included photographs in remembrance of the 50^th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Photos from the marches in Selma, Alabama provided visitors with a look back in time to «Bloody Sunday» which occurred on March 7, 1965 drawing national attention to the illegal segregation tactics that remained a problem throughout the South. Pictures were not allowed to be taken by visitors, so I stayed even longer trying to hold on to the faces and stories that were temporarily fixed to those walls. I cannot wait for the opportunity to return to this museum to see what else they have behind their closed doors.

Excellent!!! Very inspiring!!! Very classy and amazing décor. This is such a great museum and it was the perfect place for a press conference regarding the Release of the Freedmens Bureau records!
I will definitely go back to see more!!!

While on my quest for eliminating boredom for my daughter during summer break, I decided to take her and my mom to the museums in Exposition Park. We started first with CAAM and needless to say it was a great experience.
The museum is not as large as is the other museums located nearby but it packed some great and interesting exhibits. My favorite was the Flash Tag exhibit. Graffiti artists were given the challenge of rendering art on the gallery walls using brushes instead of aerosol paints. The outcome was nothing short of amazing.
(P.S. I was told this was the only exhibit in the museum that visitors could photograph)
If you haven’t visited here before, put it on your To-​Do List. If you have visited here before, be sure to come visit again! Exhibits are constantly changing and you are bound to expereince something new :)
Admission: FREE
Parking: $ 10 cash
Hours: Tues-​Sat 10am-​5pm, Sun 11am-​5pm

The California African American Museum is drop dead unbelievable. The quality of the art is world class. The spacious open feeling of the lobby is fabulous. The quality of the presentation of the art in each of the four galleries is fabulous. The the first one called Visibly Invisible is just a knock out. It is all about albinism in Tanzania and in Jamaica and to a lesser degree in the United States. The people are discriminated against because they are albino. It is gripping touching and incredibly informative. The prejudice and literal hacking away of body parts for sale to witch doctors is beyond shocking to learn that this is happening on earth today. Beyond words for sure.
The next gallery Curvature: Lines and Shapes is a quite interesting style. Several of my artist friends I would like to come see this one. I will be encouraging them to this location as soon as possible. The art is a bit abstract here for me, but of great quality. I enjoyed it very much.
The next gallery show was titled Lookin’ Back In Front Of Me had selected pieces of art from the works of Mark Steven Greenfield. He was a director of the Watts Towers Museum Arts Center. Asa supporter of the arts and local artists for decades, his range of work is eye opening and wonderful. The next gallery had even more incredible history and art of Los Angeles. All I can say at this time is that I was overwhelmed at the quality of this gallery and the art therein.
Oh yes. It’s free. Triple WOW.

The view of the city from here is amazing, and the building is one of Richard Meier’s greatest architectural masterpieces, Those are worth the trip. The gardens are also spectacular, and some of the contemporary at is worth seeing. This is an essential component to any CA visit. Bring a lunch.

I love target Sundays! The best target sundays are when they have dance performers and my absolute favorite is the 4^th of July one. We were able to enjoy the show and not have to worry about finding a spot to watch the fireworks because they have their own private lawn so when the show was over we went to the lawn just in time for the fireworks. Always a pleasure when I go to CAAM.

We used to love this place a few years back, but after recently visiting in Sept 2014, I agree, just not as intriguing and interesting as previously was to us, not enough interesting artifacts and antiquities on display, but still a nice place, I guess.
What also disappointed us, was after traveling all the way down for CAAM’s Caribbean Day this year, as we enjoy live music etc, The 2 Host’s were very nice and entertaining, but the event hardly had any real Caribbean music, mostly very slow, and very, very mellow Latin Jazz mostly. The Last Latin Band was good and at least more uptempo.
The overhead tarp was a nice classy touch over audience, as it was very hot that day!
However, there were many sound and feedback noises, no sound rehearsals were done by any of the bands obviously, DJ was very limited in Caribbean music as well, other speakers promoting their books etc, just went on a bit too long.
What could have been a great event, but due to lack of management, just ended up being pretty mediocre, and kind of boring, as people kept leaving mostly throughout.
Still a nice place to visit, just hope management makes much needed improvements!

The one thing I love about the CAAM is that the exhibits are always changing. Sometimes you’ll go and the exhibits are great and sometimes you go and they’re like, meh. Overall, my experience has been that the exhibits are ever changing so it’s good to go regularly. Not every week but probably a couple times a year.
The CAAM doesn’t charge admission and they rely on grants and donations to survive. I think that’s why they might not have huge exhibits because they don’t rely on admission like the other museums in Expo Park.
I think this is a place you should take your family to learn the real story about Black History. The history books don’t cover it all and having one month to celebrate isn’t even time to celebrate, learn, and understand the rich culture.

Completely disappointed with this place. The art wad beautiful but that is it. No artifacts, replicas, or anything else like that. After all the years of slavery and the civil rights movement there should be a lot more in this museum. I highly suggest they change their name to African American Art Museum as another Unilocaler suggested.

For any museum, the design of a building is crucial to showing off the art inside. Unfortunately, the CAAM is a place that seems better suited to receptions than art. The expansive lobby is brightly lit but the galleries are so incredibly dark.
I came here to see one piece: Elizabeth Catlett’s wood sculpture, El Ambrazo (The Embrace) in the exhibition ‘The Legacy of the Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company’. All of her sculptures, even those political in tone, are sensuous because she avoided complexity purposely to highlight the material itself, whether stone or wood. This is no exception: the highly polished wood surface of the two figures embracing each other draws the viewer in to their simple facial features.
As I wandered through another exhibition, ‘African-​American Self Taught Artists from the South’, I lingered at a painting by Purvis Young. ‘Angels Watching Over the City’ reminded me of Jean-​Michel Baquiat. Would I ever see this painting anywhere else in Los Angeles? In spite of the shortcomings of this museum’s building, the CAAM is an important space to present artists that would not normally receive attention from better trafficked venues.
CAAM does itself no favors because photography is not permitted. It should reconsider that policy to let social media help it spread the word about the good things happening here. (As of this writing, there are a number of photos on Unilocal that have nothing to do with this museum. That doesn’t help, either.)

I am extremely disappointed in the «CAAM». I had a horrific and disgraceful (first-​time) and last time, there. I visited CAAM a day before MLK Day, in nourishment of receiving some native African (american) culture, and I did not receive any of that. Instead, I received and witnessed blatant disrespect to the African American community, with some of the exhibits they chose to display, such as exploring «black gay males» and «locked up black males». I don’t wanna see or hear that ****. Instead, how about you display some African jewels, musical instruments, native African clothing (not talking about vendors) and other historic and significant items from the African-​American scholars who have contributed to who we are as intelligent people in America. This establishment should have the potential to be a million, if not, billion dollar establishment of fine art, and culture. Instead, I walked into this organization noticing how cheap and «just put together» the place is. Not even close to one million, or $ 100,000.
The event that I attended was a tribute to MLK and Nelson Mandela. I was disgusted by the PR team or individual in charge of reaching publics for the event, the event planner, and everyone in charge of overseeing this event (graphic designing of flyer, meeting to finalize event, etc.) everyone involved, and who identifies with the African-​American community failed this event completely.
The reason why we are seemingly failing as a community is because there are not enough professional African Americans in working positions, to be able to handle a tedious task such as promoting an event, and a tribute to African-​Americans during such a sacred day.
I came to this museum for the MLK & Nelson Mandela event, getting a dose of every other culture, besides my own. That was the biggest problem. I did not necessarily go there wanting a dose of Korean culture, or Native American Namaste lessons, I totally would have just went to my bikrim yoga class for that. It’s not that I am being discriminatory towards other cultures, it’s just that, on this day, and at the African-​American museum (key-​word) it should have been mostly and strictly about our culture and the legacy of a Great African American man, and South African man.
I could go on. Overall, I am not satisfied. Whoever they are having throw events, especially events pertaining to a day of legacy in the African American community, should find someone who is knowledgable about OUR culture, and OUR history. (Sorry, Pedro) Because 85% of what they putting on in that museum from what I can tell is not African American culture, and if it is, they not bringing positivity and promoting empowerment in our community, as much as they should. It’s almost like another uncle-​tom establishment. I’m so over it, all I can do is finish my higher education, to contribute to a much needed change and inner-​community communication of our values.
Also, CAAM volunteers should chill with how they are side-​line approaching guest in the museum. I got all my pictures, anyway.

To be honest, I believe I was expecting something… different.
Maybe if it was called the California African American Museum of ART than that would be a more accurate description.
I saw so many typos on the placards that describe the actual exhibit, it wasnt funny.
I arrived a lil after 4:00, they told me it closed at 5:00, so I began rushing so that I could see everything. I still finished before 5:00 and was like… thats it?
Its just mainly a bunch of pictures made by or pictures of African americans… I was hoping for more artifacts, or physical things from our history.
But if you are into ART then this place would probably be 4 – 5 stars.
Oh and the student workers kept buzzing around me like I was a hobo on Rodeo avenue, about to steal something. Not, the helpful can I explain something to you kinda way, but the im watching you to make sure you dont steal anything and make sure your out of here by 5:00 kinda way.

Not kid friendly. More Art Gallery, less Museum. We came with a large group for a tour. Unfortunately our 2 tour guides knew very little about history and even less about art. We were rushed through hearing their own opinions and feelings of the art pieces. I may have enjoyed it more if I had walked though at my own pace without their commentary. Oh… And absolutely no picture taking! :(

I like this little museum. It’s gotten better over the years, but it’s sometimes still a hit and miss for me.
For the museum that represents my African diaspora, sometimes I am enthralled at the exhibits and displays, and sometimes I am disgusted that they missed so much. Sigh. Nevertheless, I appreciate the efforts.
Thanks to Target for supporting free events, I discovered they have series of educational events for the community. Yay! Films, political discussions, craftworks, etc.
Gotta keep visiting to see what’s new.

This is not a museum, more like an art gallery. No gift shop. Staff is friendly. I took away no historical or cultural observations. For an AA museum in Los Angeles youd think theyd have permanent exhibitions on rap music, maybe AA’s in film, maybe something about slavery, the Watts race riots, the 1992 riots, a larger exhibit about the founding settlers which were of African descent, the population boom after WWII, the role of the zoot suits riots on other major cities where AAs were targeted for wearing zoot suits, and while not as positive but still historical, information about the predominately African American gangs that were formed in Los Angles in the early 1970s. Shame, there is enough space and has a lot of potential to be a great great museum.

We are not makers of history. We are made by history — Martin Luther King, Jr.
The little museum that everyone forgets about in Exposition Park may be the most needed museum given the current situation in our country and the increasing coarseness and ignorance of history. 12 reviews on Unilocal compared to hundreds for the other two museums in Exposition Park illustrates how people always neglect to visit CAAM.
I visited first years ago for a Jackie Robinson exhibit as he was a big idol to me growing up (as a lifetime Dodger fan). The current exhibits including a variety of African-​American artwork from various periods and a permanent exhibit, the Gallery of Discovery, that is a sobering collection of art, displays such as a recreated slave cabin, photographs and voices of former slaves from the National Archive. When one argues for American Exceptionalism, never forget that this country was built upon the backs of layers and layers of blood and tears from multiple generations of people whose forced misery will always be a stain on our country’s soul (And that goes for all the other groups that were exploited).
Obviously as a Caucasian I will never truly understand… I can emphasize… but I will never 100% «get it». Hopefully more people will come here and at least try.
Highly recommended.

*** CAAM is more mature than CSC. ***
There are about 5 themed galleries here.
We walked all of them. Themes were on:
African Artifacts, Dance Theater of Harlem,
Harlem of the West (Fillmore District of SF),
Ideas of Tomorrow, and a modernistic show
on the slavery trade (most interesting imho).
These galleries require much reading in
order to capture the full essence of them,
so I’d recommend 2hrs to walk and study.
I really enjoyed Toni Scott’s modernistic
sculptures. They are beautiful yet really
disturbing. I couldn’t stop staring at them.
*** Free and open to the public daily. ***