Wedged between the California Science Center and Natural History Museum in Exposition Park, the CAAM showcases African American contributions to California, the West and the world.

The California African American Museum opened its current 44,000-square-foot location for the 1984 Olympics. One of only four California state museums, CAAM looks at the contributions African-Americans have made to the world and, in particular, to California and the West. Through art, photographs and special exhibits, the museum offers a history from an (often overlooked) African American perspective. Past exhibits have included surveys of African-American artists in Los Angeles, personal histories of black Olympians and a photographic retrospective of Ray Charles. And while the museum does focus on educating visitors about the African American experience in America, CAAM also devotes itself to showcasing exhibits about international contemporary issues like the Rwanda genocide. Designed by African American architects Jack Haywood and Vincent Proby, the museum itself looks like a cross between an ancient temple and an Art Deco monument. Since its 2001 renovation the site has included three full-size exhibition galleries, a theater and a 14,000-square-foot sculpture court.