Museums - California African American Museum

Chartered by the State of California in 1977, the California African American Museum was founded as the California Museum of Afro-American History and Culture. The current facility was opened for the Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games in 1984. In 2001 the museum temporarily closed its exhibition facilities for major infrastructure renovations and reopened in March 2003.
The museum focuses on African-American history, but it holds approximately 400 objects of traditional African sculpture. Nearly all were acquired through private donations from a variety of sources, including Cathryn M. Jones.
Most of the objects are masks, sculptures, and textiles from West and Central Africa. About twenty are on display and most of the rest are stored on-site and are accessible by appointment to qualified researchers.