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Italian American Museum of Los Angeles, California

Museum
In Los Angeles, California
0.6 mi from Route 66

Downtown's Italian American Museum of Los Angeles sits in Los Angeles, CA, less than a mile off the old road, within El Pueblo de Los Ángeles, the city's historical monument area. It tells the story of Italians and Italian Americans in Southern California and across the country. Opened in 2016, it was the first museum of its kind in the region and makes a compact, easy stop.

What is Italian American Museum of Los Angeles?

The museum occupies about 6,000 square feet. A permanent exhibition covers the Italian American experience, while temporary shows, arts and cultural programs and educational resources add to it, so there is often something new to see on a return visit. The exhibits cover both the Los Angeles area and the wider United States.

Its setting is part of the draw. El Pueblo is the city's historic core, and the museum shares the area with other cultural institutions, including museums devoted to Chinese American and Mexican American history. That makes it easy to see several in one visit and compare how different groups made a home in Los Angeles.

History of Italian American Museum of Los Angeles

The organization behind the museum dates to 1988, and the museum itself opened in 2016. No earlier museum in Southern California had been devoted to Italian Americans. Its focus goes beyond the past: exhibits look at the contributions Italian Americans continue to make, both in the Los Angeles area and nationwide. That link between old stories and present-day life runs through the whole museum.

Visiting Italian American Museum of Los Angeles: tips

An hour is usually enough. Restrooms are on site, the museum is listed as wheelchair accessible, and it welcomes children.

The Chinese American Museum and LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes are each only about 0.1 miles away, so plan a short walking loop through all three. Together they give a sense of how many communities shaped Los Angeles, the city Route 66 travelers were heading for.

Practical info

Address: 644 N Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone: +1 213-485-8432
Website: italianhall.org
Hours: Tue–Sun 10–3
On site & nearby

Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated. Suggest a fix

Where to eat near Italian American Museum of Los Angeles

All diners →

Diner & restaurant
Philippe's
Los Angeles, CA · 0.2 mi from Italian American Museum of Los Angeles
A downtown Los Angeles restaurant running since 1908 that claims to have invented the French dip sandwich.
Diner & restaurant
Pink's Hot Dogs
Los Angeles, CA · 6.4 mi from Italian American Museum of Los Angeles
A Los Angeles hot dog stand on North La Brea Avenue, serving since 1939 at the edge of Hollywood.
Diner & restaurant
Musso & Frank Grill
Los Angeles, CA · 6.4 mi from Italian American Museum of Los Angeles
Hollywood's oldest restaurant, operating on Hollywood Boulevard since 1919 and named for its two founders.