Everyone from Hollywood stars to LA intellectuals attended the 1932 unveiling of América Tropical, a rooftop mural by David Alfaro Siqueiros, one of Mexico’s great early 20th-century muralists. Depicting a crucified Native American in front of a Mayan pyramid, the artwork proved too provocative for some and it was subsequently whitewashed. Multimedia exhibits explore the artist, politics and artistry behind the mural, as well as its rehabilitation by the Getty Conservation Institute. Upstairs, a viewing platform grants a close-up view of the faded work.

The viewing platform is usually closed on rainy days.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Italian American Museum of Los Angeles

0.02 MILES

Aptly located inside Italian Hall – built in 1908 as a social hub for the area's Italian community – this small, interactive museum sheds light on the oft…

3. Olvera Street

0.03 MILES

The block-long, pedestrianized 'birthplace of Los Angeles' (circa 1781) may now be a festive Mexican marketplace with gaudy decorations and souvenir…

4. Avila Adobe

0.03 MILES

The oldest surviving house in LA was built in 1818 by wealthy ranchero and one-time LA mayor Francisco José Avila. After subsequent lives as a boarding…

5. La Placita

0.09 MILES

Founded as La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora la Reina de Los Ángeles (Our Lady the Queen of the Angels Church) in 1781, and now affectionately known as la…

6. Plaza Firehouse

0.14 MILES

The city’s oldest fire station (1884) is now a one-room museum filled with dusty old fire-fighting equipment and photographs.

7. Pico House

0.15 MILES

South of Old Plaza are a number of historic buildings, including the 1870 home of Pio Pico, California’s last Mexican governor. It was the city’s first…

8. LA Plaza

0.15 MILES

This museum offers snapshots of the Mexican–American experience in Los Angeles, from Spanish colonization in the late 18th century and the Mexican…