The best arts & culture spots in South Bay LA

“Swing by the Redondo Beach Historical Museum this week, a charming 1904 Queen Anne house packed with artifacts, photos, school annuals and stories that make the South Bay feel even more like home. Wander the exhibits, browse the gift shop for local-history goodies, and ask about group tours with your crew.”

From the South Bay LA newsletter, September 6, 2026

“Torrance Art Museum just kicked off Studio System, a month-long open studio where you can watch artists build new work and talk process, plus From a Greek Isle from Cycladic Arts, the CULTURIDE road trip doc, and a delightfully trippy Darel Carey hallway. Consider it your culture pit stop before the beach.”

From the South Bay LA newsletter, September 7, 2026

“Step into the golden age of steam at Lomita Railroad Museum, with a Southern Pacific steam locomotive, a 1910 Union Pacific caboose, a modern Santa Fe caboose, a 1923 Union Oil tank car, and a 1913 outside-braced wood boxcar. Easy this-weekend nostalgia for train nerds and the train-curious.”

From the South Bay LA newsletter, September 11, 2026

“Chen Art Gallery in Torrance quietly packs 5,000 years of Chinese art into immersive rooms, from a Qing imperial throne and Ming bedroom to jade, cloisonné and scholar’s treasures. It even detours into European delights like bronze statues, ornate clocks and Fabergé sparkle... because why not.”

From the South Bay LA newsletter, September 14, 2026