Museum of Latin American Art   

628 Alamitos Ave
Long Beach, CA 90802
562-437-1689
www.molaa.org

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Known by its acronym MoLAA, the museum is touted as the only institution in the western U.S. devoted exclusively to contemporary Latin American art. It's the brainchild of Dr. Robert Gumbiner, founder of FHP International Corporation (the well known HMO), a man who has traveled extensively in Latin America since the 1960s while passionately collecting the region's art. His principal interest has been in representational pieces which reflect Latin American culture, traditions and rituals. The museum opened on November 1, 1996 in the now burgeoning East Village Arts District of Long Beach. It occupies the Hippodrome, a building dating to the late 1920s whose vaulted ceilings echoed for 40 years with the clatter of roller skates. Before the Hippodrome was built, the site was occupied by the Balboa Amusement Producing Company, one of the world's most prolific silent film studios. The museum's mission is to enlighten the public to post-World War II Latin American art via a solid permanent collection as well as compelling temporary exhibitions and programs. It aims to be as much a hub for culture as a museum, and even features a restaurant, ViVa, where visitors can sample authentically prepared Latin American dishes. The museum sponsors trips, presents cabaret shows and lectures, and has a small park, an artist's registry, a gift shop and a research library. As to the collection itself, the pieces represent the last 50-plus years of art from Mexico, Central and South America and the Spanish-speaking Caribbean. The permanent collection includes pieces by Mexican artists Rufino Tamayo (1899-1991), Maximino Javier (b. 1950) and Alfredo Castaneda (b. 1938), while temporary exhibitions have featured Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, as well as lesser-known contemporary artists from across Latin America. -- Ross M. Levine