IMMERSE – DISCOVER - CELEBRATE
MOLAA is an inclusive destination to learn and expand horizons.
Reimagining a Cultural Institution for the Future
The Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA) is a meeting place, welcoming human connections to discover, celebrate and build a more just society for all communities and generations.
Headquartered in Long Beach, California—home to one of the most important ports in the nation—MOLAA represents artists from 33 countries across Latin America and Latino artists globally.
Under the leadership of Dr. Lourdes I. Ramos, MOLAA has launched a landmark campaign to bring a transformative expansion to life, designed by Enrique Norten of TEN Arquitectos.
The New MOLAA: A Transformative Cultural Vision
This is your opportunity to build on a legacy.
The new MOLAA will be a cultural destination museum where modern and contemporary art opens worlds, enriches lives, and brings new opportunities and visibility to local and international communities.
MOLAA is advancing a bold capital campaign to transform its campus into a next-generation cultural institution—open, accessible, and community-centered.
A Legacy of Cultural Leadership
Founded in 1996, MOLAA has built a 30-year legacy as a pioneering institution advancing Latin American and Latino art in the United States.
Only museum in the United States Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) exclusively dedicated to modern and contemporary Latin American and Latino art
Over 250 national and international exhibitions
Permanent collection of over 1,600 works of art from 33 countries
Recognized leader in research, arts publications and education
Since its inception 3,000,000 visitors
500+ educators engaged annually
Serving under-resourced schools and communities across Southern California
Over 200 alliances around the world including Getty Foundation, Smithsonian, IVAN, La Fundación Antoni Tàpies, and MAPFRE Foundation
Latino Museum Research & Fellowship Consortium, for graduate and postdoctoral scholars in American Latino, Latin American, and Chicanx studies with four‑university academic consortium (UCI, CSULB, UCLA, USC), strengthening cross‑institutional research, cohort‑based learning, and sustained collaboration between higher education and the museum sector
Advanced large‑scale collection digitization initiatives, expanding global access to MOLAA’s holdings while supporting preservation, comparative research, virtual exhibitions, and academic use
“We are not just expanding a museum. We are shaping the future of how Latin American and Latino art is experienced and studied.”
Why This Moment Matters
Latin American and Latino communities are among the most influential cultural forces shaping the global landscape today—yet the institutions that represent them have not grown at the same pace. MOLAA is uniquely positioned to lead this next chapter.
The Expansion Project
A First-of-Its-Kind Experience
25,000 sq ft open-access collection
Immersive + architectural
Global uniqueness
Education
MOLAA’s expansion builds upon its flagship education program, APRENDE (Learn), designed to address inequities in arts education and expand access for socio-economically disadvantaged children and families.
The Arte Vivo program will further extend this impact by supporting:
K–12 educators and their studentS
Museum educators and teaching artists
Community-based organizations
Schools lacking access to arts education resources
Future Impact Post Expansion
Exponential growth and visibility of the MOLAA collection and research
Expanded capacity to serve more students
Increased access to culturally relevant arts education programs
Scalable digital learning tools reaching regional and national audiences
Strengthened pipeline of artists, educators, and cultural leaders
A Catalyst for Cultural and Economic Impact
““This is an $85 million opportunity to build the global home for Latin American and Latino art at a moment when the world is finally paying attention.””
An Invitation to Lead
This is a defining opportunity to invest in:
A global cultural institution
Future generations of artists and leaders
Infrastructure that strengthens communities