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LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes

Museum
In Los Angeles, California
0.6 mi from Route 66

LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes is a museum and cultural center devoted to Mexican American history in downtown Los Angeles, CA, less than a mile off the old road. It opened in April 2011 in two historic buildings and adds a large outdoor plaza, a stage, a garden of edible plants and a teaching kitchen. Its exhibitions look at the city's past, present and future through Mexican and Mexican American experience.

What is LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes?

LA Plaza is part museum, part community space. Inside the two historic buildings are two permanent exhibitions and two galleries for rotating shows. Outside, an open area of about 30,000 square feet holds a stage for performances and a garden planted with things to eat.

The complex also includes a teaching kitchen named LA Cocina de Gloria Molina, which doubles as a space for events. It is an unusual feature for a museum, and it means food and cooking sit alongside art and history as ways of telling the story.

History of LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes

LA Plaza opened its doors in April 2011. One of its two long-running exhibitions is titled L.A. Starts Here! It sets out to reshape public understanding of the role of Mexican Americans in the history of Los Angeles, offering a different view from the usual version of the city's story. The second permanent show has a Spanish title that translates roughly as Main Street: My Mexico in Los Angeles. The rotating galleries keep the conversation going with new displays about the city's past and future.

Visiting LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes: tips

Allow about an hour and a half, more if an event is running on the plaza. The site is listed as wheelchair accessible, and the outdoor plaza is a pleasant place to rest between museums.

The Chinese American Museum and the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles are both about 0.1 miles away, so a walking tour of all three fits easily into an afternoon.

Practical info

Address: 501 N Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone: +1 213-542-6200
Website: lapca.org
Hours: Wed–Sun 12–5
On site & nearby

Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated.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

Where to eat near LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes

All diners →

Diner & restaurant
Philippe's
Los Angeles, CA · 0.3 mi from LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes
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 · 6.3 mi from LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes
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 · 6.3 mi from LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes
Hollywood's oldest restaurant, operating on Hollywood Boulevard since 1919 and named for its two founders.