On Los Angeles’s South Side, the California African American Museum (CAAM) is an Exposition Park museum exploring African American cultural heritage and history, particularly in California and the western United States. Admission is free. Find it at 600 State Drive, then pair your visit with another Exposition Park stop.
- Location: 600 State Drive, Exposition Park, Los Angeles.
- Gallery hours: Open Tuesday to Sunday; closed Monday
- Admission: Free; reservations are not required.
- Transit: The Metro E Line serves the park at Expo Park/USC station.
Where is the California African American Museum?
CAAM is at 600 State Drive in Exposition Park, at the corner of Figueroa Street and Exposition Boulevard, just west of the 110 Freeway. The museum’s permanent collection includes more than 4,000 works of art, artifacts and historical documents, and the museum has a publicly accessible research library.
The park setting makes it easy to pair a museum visit with other cultural stops. The Natural History Museum and California Science Center are also in Exposition Park, alongside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and BMO Stadium. A guide to Exposition Park’s museums can help you plan a wider museum visit.
What are the museum hours, and are tickets free?
Admission, exhibitions, programs and events are free, and you do not need a reservation.
Opening hours
- Tuesday to Saturday: 10 AM–5 PM
- Sunday: 11 AM–5 PM
- Monday: closed
Last checked November 2026. Hours can change on holidays and for special events.
The museum is closed on Mondays except Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and it also closes on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Hours and access can be subject to change, so check the official site before you go.
For a more comfortable visit, leave large bags behind: CAAM asks visitors not to bring them because the bag check is closed. The galleries and facilities are wheelchair accessible, and wheelchairs are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Trained service dogs are permitted in public areas; emotional-support, comfort and therapy animals that do not qualify as ADA service animals are not allowed inside.
How do you get to CAAM from South Los Angeles?
From Regal Inn, drive to CAAM in about 8 minutes; the lot entrance is at 39th Street and Figueroa Street, which you can enter in a maps app or GPS.
According to CAAM’s directions page, Exposition Park parking costs $20 during the day and $24 after 5:00 p.m. Parking prices and arrangements can change, so check the official site before you go.
CAAM is also served by the Metro E Line at Expo Park/USC station. For bus or rail routes, use Metro’s trip-planning information; Metro’s route-information and general-service number is 1-800-266-6883.
Exposition Park’s E Line stations include Expo Park/USC and Expo/Vermont, both with ramps and level boarding. Accessible parking is available throughout the park; using an accessible stall requires a valid DMV-issued ADA parking permit.
What can you combine with a CAAM visit?
Make CAAM one stop in a day around Exposition Park, then choose another nearby museum if you have time.
The Natural History Museum and California Science Center have food-service options during their normal museum hours, and picnicking is allowed in the park. Exposition Park’s usual operating hours are 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., though hours may change on special-event days.
If you’re building a broader itinerary, this one-day Los Angeles itinerary offers another way to plan time around the area.
FAQs
Do you need tickets or a reservation for CAAM?
No. Admission is free, and reservations are not required.
Is CAAM open on Mondays?
Open Tuesday to Sunday; closed Monday. It also closes on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Is parking available at the museum?
Exposition Park has parking, with the CAAM lot entrance at 39th Street and Figueroa Street. Rates are $20 during the day and $24 after 5:00 p.m.; check the official site before you go for current details.