MAAA 1976–2025 Understanding Where We've Been
The Museum of African American Art (MAAA) in Los Angeles is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1976 by noted artist, art historian, author, and educator Dr. Samella Lewis. The museum educates visitors of all ages and identities about the arts through the lens of African American culture. In addition to preserving and sharing its important permanent collection and archives, MAAA welcomes all visitors with free admission, serves as an important community gathering space, and creates educational experiences for students, families, and lifelong learners.
One of the museum’s earliest exhibit spaces after its founding was called "The Gallery of the Museum of African American Art," and it was located at 5271 W Pico Boulevard in Los Angeles. MAAA next operated in a retail strip mall space at 2617 Lincoln Boulevard, Suite 207, in Santa Monica, where the museum's archives indicate exhibitions were held from 1982 through 1984. During those years, the museum was sometimes referred to as "The Museum of African American Art of Santa Monica" in exhibition materials. An IRS nonprofit tax-exempt determination letter shows that by 1980 the museum had accepted a permanent donated space on the third floor of the historic Streamline Moderne style building at 4005 Crenshaw Boulevard in Los Angeles, which originally opened as the May Company department store in 1947 and operated most recently as Macy's Baldwin Hills Store #520. It appears that MAAA had moved all of its operations and exhibitions over to 4005 Crenshaw Blvd 3rd Floor by sometime in 1984.
Having remained in the same location on the third floor at 4005 Crenshaw Boulevard since the early 1980s, MAAA became a cultural landmark over the decades by continuing to serve the community through previous changes in the building's ownership and branding — from the original May Company (1947–1993) to Robinson's-May (1993–2005) to Macy's (2006–2023). Aside from the founding May Company department store that operated the building for 58 years, the Museum of African American Art is the longest continuous occupant of the historic building at 4005 Crenshaw Boulevard, with 45 years documented at the address (from 1980 to present).
A detailed history of the May Company building at 4005 Crenshaw Boulevard is provided in the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza Historic Resource Report by Christopher A. Joseph & Associates (July 2009), and the Museum of African American Art is referenced on page 10. The historical significance of the Museum of African American Art at Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza is referenced on pages 211 and 216 of the African American History of Los Angeles historic context statement published by the City of Los Angeles, Department of City Planning, Office of Historic Resources (February 2018). The Museum of African American Art is included on the permanent Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza Historical Marker located on Crenshaw Boulevard, just northwest of the intersection at Crenshaw and Martin Luther King Jr Boulevards. In addition, the Museum of African American Art has been designated among the Cultural Treasures of South LA as part of the Promise Zone Arts South LA initiative of the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.
In August 2021, Macy's sold the building at 4005 Crenshaw to Harridge Development Group, the same company that had already purchased the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza. Macy's leased the building back from the new owners to continue operating the Macy’s Baldwin Hills Store #520. Then in January 2023, Macy’s announced it would shut down its retail operations at the Baldwin Hills location by the end of March 2023.
The Museum of African American Art had been in communication with the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza Partnership since shortly after their August 2021 purchase of the historic 1947 May Company building where the museum has occupied its donated space on the third floor for more than four decades. As an iconic and essential cultural art venue in Los Angeles, the nonprofit Museum of African American Art was invited by the BHCP Partnership to remain part of Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, as an important component of the BHCP Partnership's planned community benefits.
MAAA worked with the BHCP Partnership to identify a temporary exhibit space inside Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza on Level 2, Suite 283, across from TJ Maxx, which will allow the museum to continue with planned exhibitions and programs within our nonprofit mission during the renovation period. In these times of rapid transformation in our community, the Museum of African American Art remains committed to sustaining and evolving an accessible space where visitors of all backgrounds can continue to experience FREE exhibitions featuring artwork from the MAAA permanent collection and talented local artists.
One of the museum’s earliest exhibit spaces after its founding was called "The Gallery of the Museum of African American Art," and it was located at 5271 W Pico Boulevard in Los Angeles. MAAA next operated in a retail strip mall space at 2617 Lincoln Boulevard, Suite 207, in Santa Monica, where the museum's archives indicate exhibitions were held from 1982 through 1984. During those years, the museum was sometimes referred to as "The Museum of African American Art of Santa Monica" in exhibition materials. An IRS nonprofit tax-exempt determination letter shows that by 1980 the museum had accepted a permanent donated space on the third floor of the historic Streamline Moderne style building at 4005 Crenshaw Boulevard in Los Angeles, which originally opened as the May Company department store in 1947 and operated most recently as Macy's Baldwin Hills Store #520. It appears that MAAA had moved all of its operations and exhibitions over to 4005 Crenshaw Blvd 3rd Floor by sometime in 1984.
Having remained in the same location on the third floor at 4005 Crenshaw Boulevard since the early 1980s, MAAA became a cultural landmark over the decades by continuing to serve the community through previous changes in the building's ownership and branding — from the original May Company (1947–1993) to Robinson's-May (1993–2005) to Macy's (2006–2023). Aside from the founding May Company department store that operated the building for 58 years, the Museum of African American Art is the longest continuous occupant of the historic building at 4005 Crenshaw Boulevard, with 45 years documented at the address (from 1980 to present).
A detailed history of the May Company building at 4005 Crenshaw Boulevard is provided in the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza Historic Resource Report by Christopher A. Joseph & Associates (July 2009), and the Museum of African American Art is referenced on page 10. The historical significance of the Museum of African American Art at Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza is referenced on pages 211 and 216 of the African American History of Los Angeles historic context statement published by the City of Los Angeles, Department of City Planning, Office of Historic Resources (February 2018). The Museum of African American Art is included on the permanent Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza Historical Marker located on Crenshaw Boulevard, just northwest of the intersection at Crenshaw and Martin Luther King Jr Boulevards. In addition, the Museum of African American Art has been designated among the Cultural Treasures of South LA as part of the Promise Zone Arts South LA initiative of the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.
In August 2021, Macy's sold the building at 4005 Crenshaw to Harridge Development Group, the same company that had already purchased the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza. Macy's leased the building back from the new owners to continue operating the Macy’s Baldwin Hills Store #520. Then in January 2023, Macy’s announced it would shut down its retail operations at the Baldwin Hills location by the end of March 2023.
The Museum of African American Art had been in communication with the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza Partnership since shortly after their August 2021 purchase of the historic 1947 May Company building where the museum has occupied its donated space on the third floor for more than four decades. As an iconic and essential cultural art venue in Los Angeles, the nonprofit Museum of African American Art was invited by the BHCP Partnership to remain part of Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, as an important component of the BHCP Partnership's planned community benefits.
MAAA worked with the BHCP Partnership to identify a temporary exhibit space inside Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza on Level 2, Suite 283, across from TJ Maxx, which will allow the museum to continue with planned exhibitions and programs within our nonprofit mission during the renovation period. In these times of rapid transformation in our community, the Museum of African American Art remains committed to sustaining and evolving an accessible space where visitors of all backgrounds can continue to experience FREE exhibitions featuring artwork from the MAAA permanent collection and talented local artists.
SITE PLAN – 2025 Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza
Visit the Los Angeles City Planning Case Information & Documents page for detailed information about approved redevelopment plans for Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, case number DIR-2024-6250-PR-HCA.
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