The Tattoo Heritage Project in Long Beach

The Tattoo Heritage Project, which will establish the first dedicated tattoo museum in the United States right here in Long Beach, aspires to weave together a local legacy of sailors, ink, and artistry that has changed the way the world and its people look.

Proposed by a group of visionary tattoo artists, including local legend Kari Barba, their dream is to create a sanctuary of tattoo culture housed on the iconic Queen Mary.

The museum would not only be charged with protecting and presenting the artform’s history but pushing forward its future by preserving artifacts and creating an immersive experience that stretches beyond static displays and includes unique exhibits that get to the very heart and skin of the matter.

“I see some of the museum being a type of tour, whether it be Long Beach or Hawaii or Japan, you’d explore those areas, learn about their traditions and how it contributed to the style of tattoos they developed." - Kari Barba, a renowned artist and owner of Long Beach’s Outer Limits Tattoo

Outer Limits, the nation’s oldest continuously operated tattoo shop, actually houses its own mini museum space featuring vintage artifacts and artwork that could end up on the Queen Mary as could many other items currently in the hands of private collectors who make up the project’s board of directors and are looking for a space to share them with the public.

CREDIT: Jaime Barba

Still, the Tattoo Heritage Project wants the museum's concept to stretch beyond static displays to employ unique exhibits designed to explore tattooing's evolution while appreciating diverse artistic styles that connect to tattooing's universal language. Here, the exhibits will become not just a historic ship, but a living canvas, where every tattoo tells a story, and every story finds its place in history.

CREDIT: Outer Limits Tattoo

"One thing I’d like to explore is having pillars with people standing on them as live statues, all tattooed," said Kari Barba. "They’d be able to interact with people, they could talk about the styles of their tattoos and the stories behind them. You can have current artists come and display their art and talk about it, there’s a lot of ways you can go. I think it will be a really incredible, unique experience."

Long Beach’s Arts, Culture, and Tourism Committee thought as much when they gave their enthusiastic support to the concept after hearing a presentation by members of the Tattoo Heritage Project. Projections for when the proposed 10,000-square-foot museum would open range from 2025 to 2028, before the Summer Olympics.

Whenever it opens, the museum will invariably showcase Long Beach’s part in tattooing’s tale, since the city’s place as a tattooing hub dates back to the early 1900s. In that period, sailors and artists alike were drawn to The Pike, the vibrant district that was part amusement park, part melting pot of creativity and culture, and home to some of the world's finest tattoo artists for decades.

CREDIT: Outer Limits Tattoo

“The Pike itself, of course, will be a part of this since the style developed there of black and gray tattooing caught on and has now become so huge.” - Barba

As plans unfold and collaborations deepen, the Tattoo Heritage Project envisions the museum as more of a pilgrimage site for tattoo aficionados worldwide. A testament to perseverance and artistry, a meeting place to unite generations under one roof, honoring the pioneers who shaped tattoo culture and inspiring new heights of creativity for those yet to come.

CREDIT: Outer Limits Tattoo

“With all the artifacts and people who are available, with having the Queen Mary as a potential site and having big events like the World Cup and Olympics coming up to bring people from around the world to experience it, this just seems like the perfect time and place for this,” Barba said.

CREDIT: LA28

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About the Author

Steve Lowery

Steve Lowery is a longtime local. Over the years he has written for the Los Angeles Times, ESPN, and others. If you're looking for the hidden gems of Long Beach, Steve is your go-to.