Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in Long Beach
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and Long Beach is celebrating with special events and happenings. Explore the arts, cultural practices and lived experiences of people in the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities this month in Long Beach.
Long Beach Public Library
Long Beach Public Library is offering programming throughout May for people of all ages to explore Asian American and Pacific Islander culture. Events include crafting sessions, music and dance performances, storytimes for little ones, art workshops, author talks, and more. Highlighted events include a May 9 workshop to explore the history and importance of Filipino decorative arts, and the One Book, One Coast reading program with They Called Us Enemy by George Takei. The celebration culminates with the Festival of AAPI Books on July 11. For the full list of events, visit the LBPL calendar.
MUSEUM OF LATIN AMERICAN ART
The Museum of Latin American Art (628 Alamitos Ave) will celebrate AAPI and AAPI Latinx communities this month. Teaching artist Wesley Hayato Dugle will lead a two-part course exploring the rich history of painting miniatures and models and its connection to Japanese pop culture on May 16 and 17. The course will include formal instruction as well as access to MOLAA’s open art studio for self-guided work.
ART THEATRE OF LONG BEACH
Celebrate and explore AAPI heritage and culture by attending film screenings at the Art Theatre of Long Beach (2025 E 4th St) in May. On May 1, see a double feature of Night Patrol and Blood Diner with director Jackie Kong in attendance. Next, director Tony Nguyen will screen his documentary, Year of the Cat on May 20. Finally, the Art Theatre will present a new restoration of Once Were Warriors on May 22 to 28 and a Takashi Miike double feature of Audition and Once Missed Call on May 23. For show times, visit the Art Theatre’s website.
EARL BURNS MILLER JAPANESE GARDEN
The Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden (1250 Bellflower Blvd) on the campus of Cal State Long Beach offers the chance to connect with nature, find a moment of peace and calm, and learn about Japanese culture and principles of zen Buddhism expressed through the garden's design. Stroll the path to admire the landscape, stop by the zen garden and tea house, and feed the koi in the fish pond on your next visit. Admission is free with an online reservation. The garden also offers workshops, art classes, yoga and sound bathing, concerts, and more special events.
PACIFIC ISLAND ETHNIC ART MUSEUM
The Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum (695 Alamitos Ave) is the only museum in the contiguous United States to focus on amplifying the collective wisdom of the Pacific Island peoples of Oceania. Through a unique and exciting permanent collection, as well as educational programs and rotating exhibits, the museum seeks to reveal the unique kinship that exists between ancestor pieces, people, and their histories. Now on view through August 30, 2026, the exhibit "So We Leapt - Para I Hinanao-ta Mo’na" showcases photographs captured by Army photographer Frank Buchman between 1944 and 1946 in Guam. The photographs, curated and restored by Manny Crisostomo, are paired with portraits of WWII CHamoru survivors captured for “Hasso,” a passion project by California Superior Court Judge Johnny Cepeda Gogo, formerly of Sinajana.
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