In 2016, we opened our interpretive exhibition, Defining Courage, to the public. Located in the heart of downtown Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo historic district, this exhibition explores the concept of courage through the lives of the young Japanese Americans of WWII, and asks modern visitors to act with similar courage in their own lives.

Exhibition Hours

Monday – Thursday: CLOSED
Friday: 12:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Saturday - Sunday: 11:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Directions

355 E. 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Located in historic Little Tokyo in downtown Los Angeles, the Defining Courage exhibition is located near the cross streets of Central Avenue and 1st Street.

The metro station in Little Tokyo/Arts District offers direct access to the Defining Courage Exhibition and Monument. Find your nearest metro station here!

Admission

General Admission: $10
Seniors (62+ years): $5
Students (with valid ID): $5
Free for children 5 and under, GFBNEC members, and veterans and active-duty military (as well as up to 5 family members of active-duty military personnel between May 16 and September 7, 2026)

About the exhibit

The Defining Courage exhibition is one of a kind in its dynamic, hands-on, and experience-based approach, engaging visitors through participatory learning experiences. These experiences teach the history of the Japanese American World War II story and its relevance to our lives today. This isn’t your typical history museum!

You will discover the courage of World War II soldiers, civilians, men, and women whose actions have meaning today. You will ponder over choices to be made, feel the triumph of challenges overcome, and the heartbreak of lives lost. You will get to know ordinary people who became extraordinary heroes along the way. And in the process, you will re-think what courage means to you.

If you're interested in a guided group tour for your organization, please complete this form.

This exhibition was made possible in part through the generous support of a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior.

This exhibition received Federal financial assistance for the preservation and interpretation of US confinement sites where Japanese Americans were detained during World War II.

Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, the US Department of the Interior prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, or age in its federally funded assisted projects.

If you believe you have been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility as described above, or if you desire further information, please write to: Office of Equal Opportunity, National Park Service, 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20240.