Historical Society of Long Beach

The HSLB has a museum, archive, and research center located in Bixby Knolls. The HSLB houses more than 150,000 photographic images of Long Beach, thousands of documents, maps, works of art, architectural drawings, artifacts, and other materials that document the history of Long Beach. HSLB is home to the Cambodian Community History and Archive Project. Our newest museum exhibition is Olympics on the Golden Shore, which features many artifacts donated in response to a public call for Olympic memorabilia. Visitors can also view The Workers' Harbor--How Labor Built and Shaped the Port of Long Beach and Discovering Jenny: The Personal Collection of a State Senator. We're currently getting ready to hold the 29th annual Historic Cemetery Tour this October 25th. So far in 2025, we've held the Represented at Last! Civil Rights Panel Discussion and the Chicano Legacy Reception to honor last year's Centro de La Raza exhibition. We also published the official catalog for Centro de La Raza. We want to continue expanding our collections and program offerings to the community. Thanks to our members and donors, we are able to make Long Beach History accessible to the community for free. You can help us continue this work with your support and donations.

Testimonials

"It is a treasure trove of historical information. It makes you proud to be part of Long Beach."
-Ian Beavis

"I have learned a great deal about local history, the need for recording that history, and the importance of fostering community interest in your surroundings through my employment and continuing service to the Historical Society of Long Beach. The HSLB is the only cultural heritage group within our city that is collecting, preserving, and making available to researchers (i.e. YOU) the ongoing history of Long Beach."
-Brandon Werts

"Wow and Wow! As a member, I am impressed with the amount of work being done! Thank you for all you do."
-Rick Goldsmith

"The Historical Society is a great organization- they are dedicated to collecting and presenting an all-inclusive history of the city. Their photo collection is outstanding. Their exhibits are interesting, their historians are as knowledgeable and willing to spend time helping visitors find what they are looking for and to help them understand how the city grew and changed over the years."
-Roxanne P.

"The Historical Society of Long Beach is the home to the history of this old and colored city. Besides the varied exhibitions they put on during the course of the year, they host a great cemetery tour each year, bringing residents to life, and are home to an extensive archive. If you have some time, whether traveling through or living in the area, take some time and drop by."
-Titus Crockett

"HSLB is a wonderful place to work, do research, and learn. I look forward to coming back!"                                                                                                                        -Doug Pricer

Reactions to Centro de La Raza

Centro de La Raza: John A. Taboada Legacy Photo Collection 1970-1985was a truly special exhibit at our museum gallery. One of the central themes of this exhibit was community, and this sampling of community reactions prove how impactful this experience was for many. 

"I feel seen, I feel love for those who have always fought for our rights. It's great to see and to know que la lucha siempre a estado aqui y que nosotros lo vamos a continuar. . . not just for us, but for everyone.                                                                                                                                                                                                      -Melony

"I walked in today with my five year old son, and saw my mom, Ruth Torres, in a photo. It truly moved me to tears to see her recognized for her contribution to such a historical and important movement and history. I am so proud of the educator she was and still is and how much she truly loves to help others, even to this day. I will bring her for a visit soon. She will be honored to be acknowledged in this way. What an awesome exhibit."                                                                       -Joanna E.

Everything looks amazing here! You can tell the team put a lot of work & dedication into this exhibition! The panels are fun to look at, & the essays in the big binders are informative. Thank you all for your hard work."                                                                                                                                                                                 -Sandra C.

"An amazing exhibit that tells not only the history of our city but its soul as well. I loved the display of Chicano history, and how it's been a struggle trying to gain support for our people within the education system. I hope to leave my own mark someday as a 1st gen student."                                                                                  -Max