Long Beach Museum of Art

I attended the "After Dark" event for The Art of Food exhibit and was very underwhelmed. The exhibit itself was quite boring. I didn’t realize it would take such a modern and minimalist approach, especially since the advertisements featured a colorful, lush painting on the cover art. Most of the pieces were modern works—like those by Warhol and Lichtenstein—which I don’t particularly care for. The "After Dark" party was disappointing. The staff outnumbered the guests, and for a $20 ticket, I expected at least a complimentary wine pour. At 9:50 I was asked to leave because I was the only person left... 10 minutes before closing time. Overall, I found the experience lacking and probably won’t attend special events here again.

A really nice art museum. The Keith Haring exhibit was really cool with a handful of items and work I’ve never seen before. The staff were super nice to chat with and friendly. The museum has an upper patio that overlooks the ocean as well!

Gorgeous views and a wonderful restaurant on the property. We were a little underwhelmed by this museum. If we didn’t receive half off from eating at the Claire’s restaurant we would have been disappointed. It was cool to see so much of Keith Haring’s work up close.

Very nice small museum with a beautiful view of the ocean. Loved seeing Keith Harings artworks. On the basement floor they show local school children's art which I think is pretty nice. Half price on Fridays!

Nice little museum with the view of the ocean. There are 3 floors in this museum, they have exhibits of artists from local area. Wonderful installation outside, look beautiful day and night time. I have the honor to volunteer for the installation. Thanks LBMA for having me. Parking is free and it’s outside of the museum. So make sure to check the google map before you come. There is a little restaurant for you to enjoy the ocean breeze and beautiful view as well.

Great little gallery to visit. 2 floors of art and displays. We went on a Friday and it was half price! $6. Get there just before opening to take advantage of the free car park to the side. Keith Haring exhibition was well worth it.

There are places to eat brunch and beverages outside the Museum. We have go to the opening hours Friday and can sit without the Waiting. The employees are very kind and ocean view is so beautiful. Food was so delicious. We didn't see the museum because the child was so sleepy. I want to see the inside of the museum next time.

We had our wedding 4/12/25 and it was perfect! We came across LBMA very early in our search for venues. We fell in love but ultimately decided to keep looking so we could find something more affordable. After months of looking, it turns out that the prices were pretty average for what we were looking for. We saw LBMA again and knew we had to book it. From the first email to our goodbyes the night of the wedding, everything was excellent. We were planning from New York which made things a little more stressful but with LBMA, the stress melted away. They answered all of our *MANY* questions for the 9ish months leading up to our big day. The whole team was amazing to communicate with. The responses were fast and detailed. Gabrielle was our day-of coordinator and we also worked with Andrii. The food from Claire's, their on-site catering, was amazing. During our tasting, it was hard to choose the food because it was all delicious. We thought it was awesome that our guests could go in the museum during cocktail hour. The location is gorgeous so our photos turned out better than we could have imagined. The day-of went very smoothly from our point of view. Lots of behind the scenes stuff to make it a wonderful experience for us. The guests raved, saying our wedding was beautiful and fun while complimenting the food. If we could do it all again, we don't think we would change anything! Highly recommend LBMA

Long Beach Museum of Art is a tiny little museum overlooking the shores of Long Beach (Ocean Blvd. location). I came to visit with my family to check out their Keith Haring exhibit. We actually went during an afternoon sunset event they had during the summer which including admission, a guided tour, a drink and light dinner. They also had a family art game/project. It was perfect for our family of two adults and two toddlers. Museum staff was very friendly and accommodating. We found neighborhood parking on Kennebec and walked over. I am looking forward to coming back again soon.

I went for the Keith Haring exhibit, and wholeheartedly enjoyed it! Took about an hour to go through the entire exhibit. Museum staff were very nice, and there weren't too many people around at about 3 pm on a Thursday. Parking wasn't too bad, we were able to find parking on the street not too far from the museum!

Very very small museum. Three rooms, one on each level. Go if they happen to feature an artist you are already interested in. Not much in terms of a permanent collection that I saw. You can do it in 30min.

A small art museum which typically has 2 or 3 exhibits which you can quickly browse or peruse depending on your interest. Reasonably priced, we stop in once or twice a year and combine with brunch and a stroll through the nearby neighborhoods filled with exquisite craftsman style homes.

My friend and I came here on a Saturday afternoon. The museum isn't too big, and I doubt we spent more than an hour looking at everything. We went during the Ed Templeton exhibit about the culture of skateboarding. The entire museum (at least what we saw) was dedicated to this exhibit. We thought it was interesting, but wished there had been a bit more to see.

A very cool and intimate museum. It's right by the beach which I thought was pretty neat. Their art exhibitions change throughout the year. I enjoyed the art located in the basement. All art was created by local high school students, they have so much talent. A small gift shop is located by the entrance. All employees were friendly and knowledgeable. Such a cool place to visit. I didn't get a chance to check out their cafe because it was closed off due to a private event. I would definitely recommend and will return when the next art work is displayed.

It was a small museum of 2 floors but beautiful and interesting art of Keith Haring. The 2 girls who were helping in the front desk were so nice and helpful of any questions.

3 floors of art, sculptures, drawings, paintings from established artists and student artists from the local community. Claire's is in the courtyard overlooking the ocean. Nice to go before or after going museum for brunch/lunch or snack. Very chill venue. $12 Gen Admin/ $10 student

The museum is well laid out with the artwork tastefully displayed showcasing a variety of objects of art. Wonderful exhibitions of artists from all over the world. One of the exhibit rooms has a great view of the ocean. The museum is easy to navigate, and it won't take you all day to go through it all. The staff are polite, attentive and knowledgable. The museum shop is small but has quite a few selections. Their restaurant Claire's Cafe is outdoors and first-rate with views of the Long Beach harbor. Good food and stunning views, the best view overlooking the beach.

Cute little museum of art. They had 2 displays at their gallery this week: Loveline and Kandansky. There's complimentary parking here and a small gift shop in the front. Lots of souvenirs and mini art pieces for sale. As well as jewelry and mugs. It's a cute little museum if you just want to drop by and look at the new pieces. Just 1 gallery upstairs and 1 downstairs. What I like about this place is their views of Long Beach! You can see the nice sandy beaches as well as listen to the waves.

This is a nice small local museum located by the beach. The exhibits here change often so every time you come it's something different. They have a parking lot next door or you can park on the street and walk over. There's a nice brunch restaurant on the premises with nice views of the beach and they also do weddings there. The museum is pretty small though and you can probably see everything in 15 minutes.

LBMA is a small contemporary art museum near downtown LB. They are located right on the waterfront. Parking is street only. The museum features contemporary painting, ceramics and photography. It may take about 45 minutes to tour the galleries. There is a restaurant on site too. So brunch and a museum exhibition is a nice was to spend the morning. Recommend.

The exhibits were on African American history, immigration and LGBTQ when I was there. It is a small museum and it will take an hour if you read everything. I had a nice experience.

Fantastic! I went with my mom. Got tickets online, staff were so friendly and helpful, exhibit (Tristan Eaton) was phenomenal. Not too big but two floors with a lot to see. Worth the price ($12) And the view is insane

This is such a beautiful local museum All the volunteers r welcoming & as much or as little as we can c here I appreciate it. I have always been an artist at heart but can hardly draw a circle. Keep up the good work LBMuseumofArt

The best part of this museum is the location. It is on Ocean with a perfect view. There is a small parking lot adjacent to the building. The architecture of the building is beautiful too. The actual art is pretty sparse. The Cafe is lovely for small bites.

My family attended a wedding here. Very beautiful location that has a view of the water. Lots of locations to take pictures in and around the museum. Best part was that we were able to enjoy the museum before the wedding started. Would come back again

TL;DR: This is the perfect wedding venue with world-class staff, 10/10, would recommend to everyone. The venue was very accommodating with all the COVID-induced date changes. Andrii and Giselle were very responsive and helpful--they are both really great individuals to work with, and made the entire wedding planning process feel very low stress, even during COVID times. They are so incredibly hospitable and friendly, and it was a joy to work with them over these past 2 years. They worked with us to host an event in as safe a manner as possible. The venue is incredibly organized and everyone works quite efficiently. On the day of the wedding, everything was exactly where it needed to be when it needed to be there - champagne was ready to go when we arrived in the bridal suite, while beers were on ice and waiting in the groom's suite. They worked seamlessly with our wedding planner, Aisha Harris, such that everyone was always on the same page and timeline management was top-notch. At some point between the ceremony and dinner, during our cocktail hour, the entire lawn area was flipped from being a ceremony space to being a dinner space. However, this occurred so smoothly and seamlessly that we did not even notice and were distracted by guests, appetizers, and beverages. We were so thankful that the site could accommodate our Pomeranian, Yukihiro, and allowed him to stay in the bridal suite after the ceremony. He was a focal point of our wedding and also the ring bearer, and they made it quite convenient for him to take a nap upstairs before we had our family drive him home. The site itself is stunning, and the lighting and view were absolutely perfect and memorable. In the late evening, with the light breeze, palm trees, crashing waves, and sunset backdrop, there are few locations in LA that can offer such an impactful and romantic atmosphere. We held our ceremony at 5:30 pm in August, which ended up being the perfect time of day, as the museum casts a nice shadow over the lawn and keeps guests cool in the summertime shade. After sunset, the existing overhead lighting of the outdoor space worked wonderfully with the DJ lighting. The chef on site at Claire's is a culinary genius and the food was PHENOMENAL - one of the best meals that we've ever had in Long Beach (and probably one that our guests will remember for the rest of their lives). It is a rare thing to dine like royalty at a wedding. Every single appetizer or side dish was polished and perfected to the same degree as the entrees (Chilean Sea Bass and Braised Short Rib). The cocktails, wine, and beer selection were impressive and garnered high praise from our guests - everyone found something that they enjoyed. The best choice we ever made was marrying each other, but the second-best choice we ever made was choosing this venue. I wholeheartedly recommend LBMA as the perfect venue for any event and have nothing but praise for those that worked so hard to make our wedding day perfect.

Located on Ocean Blvd. so if you don't find the museum all that great you can take a walk and enjoy the natural beauty of the area. Luckily we went on a Thursday after 3 pm so we got in free. If we had paid the usual $10 for and adult ticked I would have been severely disappointed with our experience. It is a small place and there were some interesting pieces in the displays we saw related to surfing downstairs and the pieces upstairs with some social commentary. The staff were friendly and there is a restaurant on the property with nice beach views and a grass area with branch sculpture structures. *half off all day on Fridays

Very nice place, limited exhibit. I liked the display of young students from the Long Beach area. I took my granddaughter there and she loved that part of the museum. The other 3 areas had good art displays, just not enough.

The Long Beach Museum of Art is a cultural gem by the sea. Stunning art collections, breathtaking views, and a serene atmosphere make every visit a delight!

Have never been here, despite having worked in Long Beach for years. Glad I got a chance to see it today. It is not a huge space, true, but there is a serenity here nonetheless, both inside the galleries (upstairs and downstairs) and outside in the garden area. The museum has an onsite restaurant, Claires, with an ocean view. Stunning on a day like today. The Lane Gallery has Oceanview in its name. As luck would have it, admission was free Thursday afternoon after 3pm (as of Feb 2020), but I would have paid the $10 (general admission - students and seniors reduced). Support your local artists! A hidden gem.

Awesome installation for the Tristan Eaton exhibits. $12 for adults or half off $6 if you purchase online for Fridays in advance. Free parking next door and a lovely ocean view Cafe. Support the arts & enjoy.

Cute! What a cute, picturesque museum! There were 3 featured artists when i visited, I really enjoyed the art. Would love to see local artists

My first Long Beach Museum of Art encounter was a bit lackluster. Free parking and free Friday admission was nice. But the staff was not welcoming at all when I had my two kiddos in tow. Place wasn't all that busy either. No smile. No wave. Nothing. Same when we left. The art for the silent auction the following days was interesting, but there wasn't much of it. The high school art section in the "Toyota Children's Gallery" was alright. Seems like a larger place from the outside, but fairly limited on the inside. #573 2017 Yelp Challenge 40/100

What a lovely venue to hold an event! I'm a professional musician, and somewhat jaded about locations, since we play all over SoCal, at least 100 events and concerts per year. But the event we played this past Saturday at the Long Beach Museum of Art was just so lovely that I had to write a review. The food was superb -- not just good, but excellent. My band shared in the guest's dinner of sea bass, and it could not have been more tasty -- fish, potatoes, veggies, everything! And working with Gabriella made the whole event move smoothly. Congrats to you, Gabriella, and you entire helpful staff.

Great guide Great exhibit and great lunch. Definitely we will be returning soon. Restaurant food delish and being outside with a water view added to the day

Used to be a top-notch institution in LB. Now they're charging $20 to see a muralist's work (LACMA charges $25 for the run of a huge museum of world-class artists. The Broad and MOCA are free). It also costs close to $100 to become a docent (membership + learning materials). Becoming more elitist by the day. It's too bad. Original building and setting are beautiful. Hopefully, they'll change direction and start showing more interesting work.

Ticket Price: $12 Gift Shop: Reasonable Prices. I have been waiting for Tristan Eaton to showcase in California for YEARS. As a long time art enthusiast, who loves Graffiti, this exhibit was a MUST SEE. My partner and I arrived around 12:30 pm. However, because this is located right by the beach and has a spectacular view of it, THE PARKING IS TERRIBLE. You either find parking in between the homes/apartments or you're definitely in for a good walk. The parking inside of Long Beach Museum of Art is very limited. When you enter, you will immediately see that there are 2 levels to this museum. To your right, there's a small little gift shop and to your left, there are stairs & a limited edition Dunny. The employees were extremely friendly and informative throughout this exhibit. Once you enter, there's a HUGE installation room that provides you with tons of never before seen sketches that Tristan Eaton either painted or drew himself + his entire Dunny, KidRobot, Mini Clutters, Andy Warhol, etc. collection that he created over the years. In the middle they had a huge Dunny for people who were entering to write on. The Dunny's were my favorite part of this entire museums since I have been a long time fan of Tristan Eaton, Banksy, KidRobbot and Kaws. As you walk around the lower level, it then becomes like a maze that leads you right back to the entry of the museum. Upstairs of the museum is a bit smaller and quicker. Tristan Eaton had a small little section of his art launching into space via Tesla. I thought that was pretty cool. The most impressive part of the entire second level was the interactive art part: disk throwing, velcro puzzle, etc. + 3D glasses were provided for you to see the pop up art. If you're looking for a quick museum to breeze through in less than an hour or so, I definitely recommend this spot.

Long Beach museum of art has a beautiful location overlooking the shore, right way to Claire's at the museum. We went to see the Popov collection on display and were pleasantly surprised. I've been in Long Beach for almost 3 years and this is the first time I've been there actually. $7 for admission, there is a small exhibit of lots of local artists (wish there were more female artists). Also downstairs there is an area where they have their resident artist working on pieces. Very cool! When my friend and I went, there weren't any other people there. Just us, which was nice. I imagine it's like that always, although we went during the week. I always look up at the flags in front of the museum to see who is on display, I'm sure I'll be back!

Super nice museum! The upstairs area was closed when we went a couple weeks ago but not sure if it's reopened. Walks in are welcome! Tons of really nice art and they do have auctions :)

So many quibbles in reviews about the size ôf this museum. Go Thursday after 3 when it's free. (Friday is now half priçe only) but Î hope they restore the bençh which offers à magnificeñt harbor view. Îts removal diminishes the museum's unique flavor. We wènt for the "Matisse Dràwings Curated by Ellsworth Kelly" show on display through Śeptember 3. Consider that this would be a extensive show in any gallery. Will charm the lover of a well executed lînear drawing. It doesnt surprise me that the Katonah Museum was part of its tour. Śweet çonnection. Ànd Ellsworth Kelly was a sweet man.

Went a couple of weeks ago and really enjoyed my time. I wish they had more gift shop selections, but it was a good exhibit, with close street parking with a restaurant you have to try and reserve ahead right next door.

The Valet staff (Best Valet Company) at the museum damaged my car and both museum and Valet company are denying that they damaged my car and aren't willing to take care of the repair. The valet company hires inexperienced college students to drive cars. I'm not even sure these people have their drivers License. So upsetting that the museum won't take my calls or call back and same with the valet company !!! Shame on you Long Beach museum of Art and Best Valet Company!!! I really hope you can fix this as I really enjoyed the museum and grounds and all the people their (besides the valet company).

I stumbled upon this museum when I was exploring Long Beach solo. Luckily I came in on a Friday, which is their free day. It's a pretty small museum so I was done looking around in about an hour, but in the words of a basic girl, "Everything was very Instagrammable." You could easily spend two hours or more here if you're trying for that perfect shot for your new profile pic. The museum seemed tightly curated, displaying thought-provoking pieces that are still "accessible" to normal people like you and me. For example, there was a hanging yarn art piece in the lobby. It's colors mimicked the spectrum of light. Simple, yet magnificent. There was also a short CGI film upstairs of a tadpole quickly evolving into a man. Creepy but I couldn't stop watching. In another room, you could actually rub the artwork and it would emit nature sounds. Pretty cool! The docents were also very friendly and knowledgeable about the art pieces. Definitely worth a stop on their Friday Free days!

The galleries going on right now are fantastic! Super bright colors & fun to analyze the meaning behind them. There were two stories of exhibits and a beautiful view of the ocean from the top. The guy at the front desk also went above and beyond for us by drawing a map of nearby roads and restaurants. Highly recommend!!

Only 3.5 stars!?!? This ain't no LACMA but my experience here was pretty enjoyable. Parking: Street parking or valet parking. It can easily be packed so come early. Art: We went here on a Night at the Museum special and the art was pretty much my cup of tea: street art with a touch of abstract. The music was classical and the scenery was awesome. Overall: 4 stars. Can't really complain for what it had. The live music was pretty pleasant, the scenery of the ocean was nice, service was customer-friendly, and the art was eye pleasing. I wouldn't mind coming back here again. For those desiring a unique feel Long Beach feel, I would recommend looking into this museum. Tips: * Look into their membership for event specials

(Pre-COVID Review) -- I love visiting this museum on Thursday evenings when they have free admission after 3pm. It's great that they have free admission hours to be inclusive of people in the community who may not be able to afford admission. It's relaxing to sit at the restaurant outside -- Claire's at the Museum -- for happy hour and take in the beach views before walking around the exhibits. There is a small parking lot with free parking down one block from the museum (look for tall yellow flags). Or you can look for street parking, which can be pretty limited depending on the time of day. You can try parking at the park a few blocks away too. Can't wait to come back to LBMA when it's considered safe again.

The crew and I came out to Long Beach Museum of Art to check out Vitality and Verve exhibit. It's an exhibit of urban and street art. If you can appreciate street art, it worth checking out thru October 25, 2015. The museum itself is quite small compared to other museums in LA. There's two buildings both historic homes built in 1912 of American Craftsman architecture. One building contains a restaurant, Claire's, which was closed due to a wedding. The rear side of the buildings are the grounds facing the ocean which was also used for the ceremony. Pretty cool museum for it's size. Admission is $7. The only permanent pieces I noticed are located surrounding the exterior of the buildings. Worth a visit but check out their website to know what exhibits are being shown.

All the MOCA locations in LA combine got NOTHING on this museum. I don't know much about art, but I thoroughly enough this place. It is a small little historical house that was transformed into this artistic gem. Please note that there are two houses: one is a restaurant called claire's which I do also recommend to dine at and the second house is the art gallery. Also, if you dine at claire's they give you free (4) admissions to the museum. How great is that? Maybe its just me and my personal preferences but when people say art this is what I was hoping to see (not those places that makes me pay $$$$$$ to look at a canvas that has a dot in a middle of it that has some symbolical meaning behind it). We came during the Vitality and Verve exhibit, which i really enjoy! Parking wise, we parked across the streets in the neighborhood. There are also a meter parking lot by the water, which is just down the hill from the museum. Their hours are a bit off and they occasionally closed for private events so for those who want to come visit and doesn't live by I would check their website or give them a call.

Such a strange place. There is a reason I had never heard of this "museum". It's tiny and there is hardly anything there. They didn't charge as apparently something was closed..? I would have wanted my money back if they had charged. We were hoping to get an hour or two of entertainment but where underwhelmed and done after less than an hour and that was after staring for way too long at some of the strange items in the sparsely populated "museum". There was a wedding in preparation and it was clear this place mostly exists as a venue and because of the restaurant. That made more sense. We left and went to the aquarium instead and were glad we did. Would not recommend. If you want to spend an afternoon looking at art you can find better places to do it. If you want to eat a nice lunch with a view, sure, dine there and maybe look around after.

The view of Long Beach and the ocean from this venue is gorgeous and, even in December, it was perfect for an outdoor wedding. Giselle and Andrii were so helpful during rescheduling our 2020 wedding and were so supportive and available to talk through the planning process. The food was amazing and we heard lots of compliments on the food! Our guests enjoyed going through the art gallery during cocktail hour and complimented the beautiful sunset. We are so happy with our choice to get married here and an added plus is we can visit our venue anytime to see the art exhibits or eat at their restaurant!

I love coming here when they have special exhibits. Especially during the Vitality and Verve which comes around every summer. The quality of the artists work always amazes me. This is a very small museum and usually doesn't have much to look at when there aren't special exhibits. But it beats driving all the way to LA or OC and being stuck in that ridiculous traffic. I would suggest you take a look at their website before visiting. Since it is a very small museum it doesn't really take too long to see everything. And you can always grab a bite to eat next door at Claire's.

Really small, but cute museum that looks like it was an older house at one time, but well maintained and nestled between a restaurant. Went on a Saturday with the kiddos and we had a good experience. Yep, it was free that Saturday to my suprise so that made it better. Parking located on the street no meters. Lots of cool art pieces that attracted the eye. Down stairs they had childrens artwork on display which I fell in love with. We bought a melted and molded multi color star crayola which was cool. There are other little trinquets that can also be purchased. Customer service was great. We were greeted upon arrival and thanked as we left. Oh.!! Did I mention the water is located right behind the museum so if you decide to eat at the restaurant you have a beautiful view.

Long Beach Art museum is very small, more like an art gallery. The actual building is very cute, cozy, charming, it has a great location on Ocean Ave. If you come from downtown Long Beach, you'll see their parking lot first (free), then you'll walk to the museum. It's alongside the ocean, so it offers beautiful views, great photo opportunities. I would suggest to visit the museum on its free days (Fridays) or afternoons (free on Thursdays from 3pm-8pm) if it fits your schedule. Don't expect to spend more than an hour, so if you need a quick activity in the area, this could be perfect. Otherwise, it costs $7 to visit (don't know if it's worth it). Check their site for the entire schedule. They highlight contemporary art, interesting pieces. They have mostly temporary exhibits on display. Go to their 2nd floor to enjoy more art and a beautiful view of the ocean. They also have events, so check their site for updates. The staff is very nice. We also explored their outdoor area, which has some nice sculptures in their gardens. There's a cute outdoor cafe over there as well, with an ocean view and a beautiful fountain. A waiter working at the cafe came to us and offered to take our picture. That was so nice of him. Didn't try their cafe, but it could be a very nice place to have a nice outdoor meal. So check out this gem in Long Beach.

First thing first the venue By Far So Beautiful! My Husband & I had our wedding here. Everything came out beautiful & more. I always wish I could go back & do it over & over again! Andrii was amazing in helping us pick out everything we wanted for our big day. From the set up to the food.. Everything was perfect! Second thing is the Restaurant they have set up I believe Thursday-Sunday... Claire's. Delicious! We got the edge view so we were able to see the ocean & all. The food was Good the service was Great. We definitely stop by here often just for the view & the museum they have too. Museum is small but a lot of interesting things to look at. My Husband & I always look forward to going back.

We went yesterday and were disappointed overall. The venue is really pretty - looks like an old house with a newer added pavilion - but the house is small and used primarily as a restaurant, and the two-story pavilion can't hold much in the way of art. On display was a selection of the museum's acquisitions which I admit, just weren't up my street. Abstract paintings, ceramic sculptures and artist books under glass so you couldn't see what was inside them. Upstairs was better, with an interesting (if uneven, quality-wise) show of work by a Russian artist who combines Russian religious icons with superhero imagery. We were done with the place in probably fifteen minutes. Not really worth going out of our way to visit. Of course, if there had been different work on exhibit, we might have spent longer. The best thing seems to be the neighborhood (full of gorgeous Craftsman style homes) and the outdoor seating at the restaurant that's right on the water. We didn't try the food, but even if it's so-so, the atmosphere might make the expenditure worth it.

This museum is great. Honestly the negative reviews are ridiculous, people are so entitled. To the person that wasn't even charged an entrance fee and yet still felt the need to leave a 2 star review...get over yourself. I've been to museums all over the world, my mother works at SFMOMA- you don't judge a museum on quantity or 'hrs of entertainment' sheesh, its not a theme park. Its a small space, but they showcase lovely art collections and its a really beautiful location. I actually love the size, the shows are unique and very interesting as well as inexpensive. It's NOT a whole day event, but rather an easy hour to cruise the galleries and then if you like you can grab lunch at Claires and enjoy the view. If you want more art then a short drive over to the MOLAA and you can easily spend the second half of your day there. Bam full long beach art day. Frankly I'll take that over being stuck in LA traffic, paying for parking, waiting in ridiculous lines, maneuvering through swaths of instagrammers and seeing a bunch of hokey art collections that are intended to decorate the backgrounds of people's selfies. There's a lot of great things about the LA art scene, there's a lot of crap about it too. The Long Beach art museum is a quaint relief.

You may have read that the Long Beach Museum of Art is in financial trouble. It's unfortunate because this is a great little space. Actually, it's a tiny space even though it occupies two floors. Room for the permanent collection is limited -- your home may have more space -- so it's difficult to grasp the extent and quality of the collection. However, I've seen a few wonderful temporary exhibitions here and one on display now, 'David Simon: Dark Forest', features 15 incredibly detailed busts and male and female nudes in patinated bronze. The patination gives the bronze a fresh clay appearance that adds life and depth to each figure. This is an amazing small show in one dark second floor gallery with very low lighting that highlights and focuses your eyes directly on each piece with no distraction. I hope that financial difficulties will not doom the future of the Long Beach Museum of Art. Like I said, the space is very small; but, with the quality of its temporary exhibitions -- like the sculptures of Mr. Simon -- it would be a shame to see this place disappear.