What's New: Long Beach Attractions

Long Beach’s exceptional collection of art museums and spaces offer distinct experiences, from the nation’s only museum dedicated to modern Latin American art, to a 75-year-old landmark perched on an ocean bluff. Each has their own unique culture and vibe, and each has some terrific new exhibitions in store for 2025.

LONG BEACH MUSEUM OF ART

Overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the Long Beach Museum of Art (2300 E Ocean Blvd) is exhibiting The Art of Food: From the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation, offering both critical and playful takes on the role of food in our culture. The exhibition on view until August 31, 2025, features more than 100 works in a variety of mediums–drawings, paintings, sculptures, ceramics–created by such iconic postwar artists as Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, Roy Lichtenstein, David Hockney, John Baldessari, Ed Ruscha, and Jasper Johns.

Artwork: Sherrie Wolf, Histrionic Beauty Suite: Cherries/Mountain

Aquarium of the Pacific

The Aquarium of the Pacific (100 Aquarium Way), Southern California’s largest aquarium, presents “Stars of the Sea,” an incredible and ongoing exhibition that opens May 24, 2025. The exhibit will spotlight the delicate beauty, diversity and amazing powers of the sea star–from the deadly crown-of-thorns to the spider-like brittle star. Also, learn of the groundbreaking research, breeding programs and recovery efforts attempting to bring the sunflower sea star, the guardian of our kelp forests, back from the brink of extinction.

Robin Riggs

PACIFIC ISLAND ETHNIC ART MUSEUM

The Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum (695 Alamitos Ave), the only museum in the contiguous United States to focus on amplifying the collective wisdom of the Pacific Island peoples of Oceania, presents Kūkulu: Behold the Pillars of Mauna Kea. This installation features traditional arts, film, photos and music from the movement to protect the sacred mountain of Mauna Kea, the highest point on the island of Hawai’i. KŪKULU is a project of Mauna Kea Education and Awareness, whose purpose is to educate and raise awareness of the spiritual, historical, cultural, and environmental significance of Mauna Kea. This installation also shares how indigenous people of Turtle Island stand together to protect all sacred places. On Saturdays in May, visitors can view a portion of Standing Above the Clouds, a documentary about the movement. Kūkulu will be on view at PIEAM through September 28, 2025.

Art by Weshoyot Alvitre

COMPOUND

Compound (1395 Coronado Ave), the creative and cultural complex that offers contemporary art, wellness classes and community markets, ushers in its second year with Fay Ray: Puerperal (Feb. 15-Aug. 2025). Puerperal–which translates to "woman who has given birth”–invites the viewer to consider a postpartum aesthetic while reflecting on the intimacy of motherhood. The show will feature 15 to 20 works by Ray, including two- and three-dimensional monochromatic sculptures.

MUSEUM OF LATIN AMERICAN ART

The Museum of Latin American Art (628 Alamitos Ave) is exhibiting muralist Frank Romero’s “Pleasantville.” Created for the Academy Award nominated film Pleasantville, the large mural will be publicly conserved by MoLAA, in collaboration with Romero, throughout the first half of 2025. By inviting the public to witness the artistic conservation process, MoLAA hopes to demonstrate and share the importance of artwork conservation. The museum is also exhibiting Ironias Del Sur: Neo-Figuration from the Collection, featuring works from its permanent collection that use irony to make their point. These works channel visages into diverse thematic statements about politics and humanity, helping the viewer confront our complex world with a knowing smile.

CAROLYN CAMPAGNA KLEEFELD CONTEMPORARY ART MUSEUM

Located on the campus of Cal State Long Beach, the Kleefeld Contemporary Art Museum’s 11,000 square feet of display space is free to the public. INSIGHTS (May 21 – July 11) is the annual juried School of Art student exhibition. Undergraduate and graduate students are invited to submit up to three works for consideration. The exhibition is juried by School of Art faculty from their respective program areas: Animation, Ceramics, Drawing & Painting, Fiber, Graphic Design, Illustration, Metals & Jewelry, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture/4D, and Wood.

About the Author

Steve Lowery

Steve Lowery is a longtime local. Over the years he has written for the Los Angeles Times, ESPN, and others. If you're looking for the hidden gems of Long Beach, Steve is your go-to.