What's New: Long Beach Attractions

Long Beach’s many and varied cultural/educational spaces are buzzing with fresh energy this fall, offering a wide range of new exhibits and events for all ages. From historic ranchos and contemporary art to ocean wonders and cultural festivals, there’s something for every curious mind. Whether you’re drawn to hands-on history, innovative art, or immersive nature experiences, these local institutions invite you to explore and celebrate.

Aquarium of the Pacific

The Aquarium of the Pacific (100 Aquarium Way) hosts a lineup of cultural festivals, including the Moompetam American Indian Festival (Sept. 13-14), Southeast Asia Day (Oct. 12), and the Autumn Festival (Nov. 15-16) celebrating Asian cultures. These lively events feature music, dance, storytelling, and art from diverse communities. In addition to the festivities, visitors can enjoy the Aquarium’s stunning wildlife exhibits—jellies, otters, and more—including the Stars of the Sea exhibition, a dazzling new addition for 2025.

Robin Riggs

CAROLYN CAMPAGNA KLEEFELD CONTEMPORARY ART MUSEUM

This fall, the Carolyn Campagna Kleefeld Contemporary Art Museum at Cal State Long Beach (1250 Bellflower Blvd) reopens in September with multiple exhibitions: Solastalgia, exploring eco-grief through multimedia works by nine artists; Emergence of the Kelp Deer, a luminous photographic installation by Christine Nguyen, and Species in Danger from Jennifer Celio, featuring graphite portraits of endangered local wildlife and their cultural threats.

LONG BEACH MUSEUM OF ART & LBMA DOWNTOWN

The California Effect at the Long Beach Museum of Art (2300 E Ocean) features inventive, handcrafted books by members of the California Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers, reflecting on the state's outsized impact on culture, environment, and design. From sculptural bindings to letterpress prints, the exhibition celebrates the book as both object and idea. On view Oct. 4 to March 8, 2026, at the museum known for its bold exhibitions and stunning oceanfront setting.

LBMA Downtown (356 E 3rd Street) presents The Mother Series by beloved local artist Slater Barron, the first exhibition of Barron’s work since her passing in 2020. Curated in collaboration with family and close friends, the show features iconic lint works—including her famed lint Sushi Rolls—alongside watercolors and sculptural pieces. This thoughtful selection from her estate celebrates Barron’s deeply personal vision, inventive spirit, and pioneering use of unconventional materials to explore themes of motherhood, memory, and identity.

MUSEUM OF LATIN AMERICAN ART

This fall, the Museum of Latin American Art (628 Alamitos Ave) presents the 2025 CIFO Grants & Commissions Program exhibition, showcasing bold new works by seven award-winning artists from five Latin American countries. On view October 19 through March 2026, the exhibit features innovative pieces from emerging voices and established figures, highlighting the dynamic and diverse perspectives shaping contemporary Latin American art today.

Credit: MOLAA

PACIFIC ISLAND ETHNIC ART MUSEUM

The Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum's (695 Alamitos Ave) newest exhibition is Our Bodies Are Memories of Our Bodies: Siapo ma Solo Abstractions and Poems, featuring siapo (Samoan barkcloth) abstractions and poetry by Fa’afafine, non-binary Samoan artist Dan Taulapapa McMullin. Through ink on cloth and English-language solo poems rooted in Samoan worldview, McMullin explores the body as an archive of memory, ancestry and place. This immersive exhibition honors the cycles of Pacific memory and identity across time.

RANCHO LOS CERRITOS

Rancho Los Cerritos is presenting the Water/Ways exhibit through Nov. 9. Water/Ways is a Smithsonian exhibition examining the essential role of water in our lives. The exhibit complements the Rancho’s forward-thinking conservation projects, showcasing innovations like permeable surfaces, rain gardens, and a 22,000-gallon cistern that reuses 95% of rainfall.

RANCHO LOS ALAMITOS

As we approach the holidays, Rancho Los Alamitos (6400 E Bixby Hill Rd) gives a glimpse of this festive time through a historical lens. Rancho Voices, held this year on December 4 and 5, is the Rancho's annual holiday event that recreates a Bixby family Christmas party of the early 1900s, when the adobe would host the ranch’s community of workers, families, and friends. Attendees can tour the historic home, learn stories from the past from docents, and enjoy light refreshments.

About the Author

Steve Lowery

Steve Lowery is a longtime local. Over the years he has written for the Los Angeles Times, ESPN, and others. If you're looking for the hidden gems of Long Beach, Steve is your go-to.