Published by Jeremy. Last Updated on August 21, 2024.
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The Latin American Cultural Center is part of an outreach initiative put on by the Latin American Studies Association that has called Pittsburgh home since the 1980s.
The group’s headquarters can be found in a beautiful and historic building right in the heart of Oakland, and features a modest exhibition space sharing the history and culture of Latin America, a theater space for performances, periodic temporary exhibitions, and more!
So while a visit to this one can be quite brief, if you are looking for a unique museum right in the heart of the city, don’t overlook this one!
A Quick Immersion Into All Things Latin America
The Latin American Cultural Center features two permanent exhibition rooms straddling a modest theater space in the center of the building right on Bigelow Boulevard.
The exhibit takes a holistic look at all things Latin America and the Caribbean with displays focusing on the history of the region during the early migration, cultures that developed, colonization and wars, the variety of the arts, architecture, and more throughout the centuries.
As you make your way through the museum, you’ll note that they do a very good job highlighting many countries in Latin America and showcase the likes of the mines of Potosi, Bolivia, the gorgeous Sanctuary of Las Lajas in Colombia, art from Frida Kahlo in Mexico, and so much more.
While the museum predominantly features text and image-based exhibits adorning the walls of the museum, each themed section showcases a few items on display, like fossils, art, musical instruments, and more in their respective sections.
That said, despite the museum covering a great cross-section of all things Latin America, a visit can be quite brief. Even with reading every piece of text found on-site, I was through the museum in under 20 minutes. However, for those who want to get even more out of the experience, plan a visit around when the museum hosts a temporary exhibition!
Plan a Visit Around a Temporary Exhibit
For those who want to get even more out of a visit to the Latin American Cultural Center, be sure to check if any temporary exhibitions are on display. These shows typically run about nine months out of the year (often September to late-Spring) and provide a great opportunity to see even more on your entry ticket.
Touring shows have included the likes of Maya Spirituality (2022-2023), Mexican Masks (2023-2024), and Haiti (2024-2025) to illustrate a few.
Unfortunately, during my first visit I was at the museum during the brief break between shows in the summer, and missed out on seeing a special exhibition. So be sure to check out the exhibition schedule on the Latin American Cultural Center’s website to see what may be showing now, or, worst case, very soon!
Overall, while the Latin American Cultural Center may be one of the smallest museum exhibits in Pittsburgh, it makes up for it by packing a lot of history into its modest space. By the time you leave you’ll have taken a quick look into the long history of Latin America all the way from early migration and settlements all the way through modern day growth, life, and the challenges facing the region.
While you’ll do well to visit during a touring show, those who are in need of a quick museum escape in the heart of Oakland should consider this one for a brief visit if open!
The Latin American Cultural Center is located at 4338 Bigelow Boulevard in Oakland.
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