Japanese American National Museum

In an architecturally acclaimed modern building in Little Tokyo, this soaring pavilion -- designed by renowned architect Gyo Obata -- is a private nonprofit institute created to document and celebrate the history of the Japanese in America. The permanent and rotating exhibits chronicle Japanese life in the United States, highlighting distinctive aspects of Japanese-American culture ranging from the internment-camp experience during the early years of World War II to the lives of Japanese Americans in Hawaii. The experience is made even more poignant by the personal accounts of the docents, some of whom are elderly Japanese-American citizens who were interred in these camps during the war. It's a very popular museum, attracting more than 150,000 annual visitors. Tip: Don't miss the museum store, which carries excellent gift items ranging from teapots to cool origami sets.

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