Museum of Latin American Art

Museum of Latin American Art review

MoLAA might be located on land that once housed the Balboa Amusement Producing Company, the most productive silent film studio of its day, but history is conspicuous by its absence: from the building in which it's housed to the art contained within it, this is a forward-thinking enterprise. Founded in 1996, MoLAA was expanded in 2007 by architect Manuel Rosen, whose eye-catching additions to the museum more than doubled its total exhibition space and added a tidy sculpture garden.

The core of the permanent collection is in the Long Gallery, with work by one artist from every Latin American country. A little more captioning detail would be useful, especially since the majority of the artists will be unfamiliar, but plenty of the pieces speak for themselves: look out, in particular, for El Salvadorean artist César Menéndez's slightly mysterious Canción al Silencio ('Song to Silence'). A range of temporary shows and a programme of special events provide added interest; as does the Viva Café, which offers Latino interpretations of American classics (chicken caesar salad with black beans and a chipotle-tinged vinaigrette). A nice day out.