Italian American Museum of Los Angeles IAMLA — Attraction in Los Angeles

I had a hard time rating this one. It felt like a 3, but I have a hard time five anything less than a 4 to a free museum! I mean... it's free! So I'm making a new rule, that unless there is something really bad, I can't give a FREE museum less than 4 stars for just not being extensive enough.

The building is awesome! It is a super old building with LOTS of history! It was even an old speakeasy during prohibition upstairs and you can see the door you used to knock on. Right now the museum is essentially one room. it's a beautiful room with some really nice displays... but it really needs to be larger. There is another area that was closed that it looked like they were getting ready to add another exhibit. If they open up that area, then I think that would do wonders for this museum. It just needs more. The staff was super friendly and very eager to give facts about the Italians. One was impressed at my son Rocco's name.

While I wouldn't make a day trip to the area JUST for this museum, this area is CERTAINLY worth a day trip! My toddler and I literally visited 6 museums! There are small museums all around here and almost all of them are free! Start your journey with a walk down Olvera Street! Catch the Avila Adobe, maybe have lunch or a snack. Then walk across the way and visit The Chinese American Museum, the Plaza Firehouse Museum and the new Gateway to Nature (which is a nature center full of things for kids to do). Then walk across the street to La Plaza De Culturasy Artes museum. Maybe poke your head into Our Lady of Angeles Church. I'm very Atheist, but this is historic as it's literally what named and started Los Angeles. Then continue down Main street and hit up the American Tropical Historical Museum and end with the Italian American Museum! There are a few other things in there too I think I missed. ...

“The First Italian Museum In Southern California”

Historical Information: The Italian American Museum of Los Angeles (Italian: "Museo Italo Americano di Los Angeles" and abbreviated IAMLA) is a museum located in downtown Los Angeles, California, California, United States and is part of the El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Monument.

It is dedicated to the history, experience and continuing contributions of Italian Americans and Italians in Southern California and the United States, and is the first such museum in Southern California.

The museum officially opened to the public with a Grand Opening back on Sunday, August 14, 2016.

To date, the museum has presented historical exhibits on Italians in Los Angeles, including Sunshine and Struggle and a variety of educational and cultural events.

Furthermore, the museum is now located in the Italian Hall, a historic building listed on the National Register of Historic Places constructed in 1908 to serve as the cultural center for the Italian community.

Located in what was once the core of the city's Italian enclave, the Italian Hall was the site of countless events such as weddings, meetings and concerts. Today, the Italian Hall is the oldest surviving structure from Los Angeles' little Italy.

During my visit, I saw many pictures, paintings, artifacts, including a lot of interactive exhibits whereby you touch the screen and can go page by page where they explain to you how the Italians made their way to the Los Angeles area, including viewing permanent exhibitions exploring the contributions of Italian Americans in Multiethnic Southern California.

It was well worth the wait for this museum to open and I am so glad that it did!

Thank you.

Sincerely yours,

Howard Paul...

I like how prideful this museum is. After visiting Chinese American museum and learning stories about repatriation of Mexican people, the cheerful and pride tone in this museum did lighten my heart a bit. (And can’t believe I got to follow Emma Goldman’s footsteps again.)

Koodoos to all immigrants!

I recommend going to this museum, as well as Chinese American Museum, American Tropical interpretive centre, La Plaza de cultural y arts. Visiting them one by one really helps me to understand different layers of...