Historic Preservation

The Watts Towers Tour Guide Program offers visitors a unique and in-depth look at one of Los Angeles’ most iconic landmarks. Participants will be guided by knowledgeable tour guides through the towers, learning about the history, cultural significance, and artistic processes involved in their creation. The tour, which is the only way to gain access to the towers, will last approximately 30 minutes and highlight the life of Simon Rodia, the Italian immigrant who built the towers over a

33-year period, and the cultural and social context of the Watts neighborhood in which they stand. The tour also includes a visit to the Watts Towers Arts Center, where visitors can see rotating exhibitions of contemporary art and learn about the ongoing preservation efforts for the Towers. With this program, visitors will gain a greater appreciation for the Watts Towers as a masterpiece of folk art and a symbol of resilience and community spirit.

A narration of Chinese immigration to the U.S. with an emphasis on community settlement in Los Angeles. The exhibition is outlined into four distinct time periods, each period defined by a vital immigration law and event, accompanied by a brief description and a short personal story.

This is a recreation of a store housed in the Garnier Building in the 1890s. The Sun Wing Wo store opened in 1891 and remained in this building until 1948. The store was a multi-purpose space that showed how self-sufficient the Chinese were and had to be due to racism and discrimination while also being responsive to the needs of their community. Even though the store predominantly served the Chinese, people from every facet of society also came to purchase Chinese merchandise.

Experience a restored home and agricultural compound from 18th-century Japan that provides a glimpse into rural life 300 years ago. Built around 1700, this 3,000-square-foot residence was the center of village life in Marugame, Japan.

Check the website for ticket prices and advance reservations, which are required.

Spend an afternoon at a special collection of the LA County Library that encompasses academic materials, film, music, novels, magazines, and newspapers. The collection focuses on the Asian American Pacific Islander American experience, with core holdings in history, art, and culture. The center has over 100 titles on microfilm of historical Asian immigrant newspapers published in the US.

A permanent exhibition celebrating the growth and development of Chinese American enclaves from Downtown Los Angeles to the San Gabriel Valley.

Port Traits pays tribute to the work of late AGCC Studio Artists Scott Brown and Slobodan Dimitrov. The exhibition features a selection of paintings by Brown and his alias, Butcher John Henry (a collaboration with artist Logan Fox), in addition to black and white film photographs by Dimitrov. With over 25 years of history at the Center, Scott Brown and Slobodan Dimitrov will be remembered for their impact on the San Pedro community.

Scott Brown was a painter, photographer, and storyteller who grew up in Southern California. Scott was an active member of the South Bay arts community, participating regularly in the First Thursday art walk in Downtown San Pedro and other events around San Pedro and Palos Verdes. Brown’s colorful and uniquely stylized paintings captured the people and places in his life around San Pedro and beyond. Paintings by Scott Brown and his collaborative alias, Butcher John Henry, will be on view in Port Traits.

Slobodan Dimitrov was the unofficial photographer of the labor movement in the LA area for the past thirty years, a crucial period in its history. He was born in former Yugoslavia (present-day Serbia) and spent several years in France as a child before emigrating to Los Angeles. He became an AGCC Studio Artist in 1984, and he has spent much of his career documenting the labor movement in addition to San Pedro’s history and local artists. Port Traits will feature several bodies work by Dimitrov from his black and white film photography practice.

Port Traits will be on view in the AGCC galleries March 9th – April 6th, 2024, with open gallery hours Thursdays – Saturdays from 10am to 4pm. The exhibition will open with a free public reception on Saturday, March 9th from 3-5pm.

Support for the AGCC exhibitions program is provided by City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture, The Ahmanson Foundation, Norris Foundation, the Perenchio Foundation, and the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation.

About Angels Gate Cultural Center

Angels Gate Cultural Center (AGCC) emerged from a group of San Pedro artists in the 1970s that created art studios and exhibition space within the WWII era army barracks of Angels Gate Park near the Port of Los Angeles. Today, AGCC hosts over 50 artist studios in addition to a variety of programs to engage the diverse communities of the Los Angeles Harbor region, including arts education in local schools, community classes, cultural events, and exhibitions of contemporary art. More information about AGCC is available at angelsgateart.org

Listen to the calming sounds of water and take in the subdued palette of evergreen shrubbery embracing the Koi Pond. The garden features stone lanterns crafted of Okazaki stone over 200 years ago and a bonsai display maintained by the South Coast Bonsai Association.

Adults – $15, Seniors 65 and over and Students with ID – $11, Children (5 to 12 years) – $5, Foundation members and children under 4 – Free,

Entry on the third Tuesday of each month – Free.

Advance purchase is required to attend on Saturdays and Sundays.