Museum Hosts Re-Opening in Glendale

Glendale, CA- (NewMediaWire) - April 08, 2024 – It became an iconic moment in martial arts history as the Martial Arts History Museum, the first and only one of its kind in the world, re-opened in its new and significantly larger location in the city of Glendale, CA.

After closing its doors in late 2023, five months later, the museum re-opened on April 6, 2024, in a new facility that is four times the size of its previous Burbank building. Michael Matsuda, president and founder of the museum, spearheaded the transition to the larger structure and designed the new location. “My crew of great people like Robin Price, Bill Weber, and my wife Karen, spent nearly every day there constructing stronger walls, making places for the new exhibits, and designing the new sections. It was a challenge but we did it and just in time,” notes Michael Matsuda.

The museum isn’t just a place about martial arts history, it is also a place to enlighten others about Asian and other cultures and how martial arts played a unique role in each country’s development.

Martial arts and museum fans enjoyed the unique timelines that adorned the walls in several sections of the location. Countries such as China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, Africa, and even Hawaii are represented in the museum.

The uniforms of many of the pioneers of the art such as Gene LeBell, Tino Tuiolosega, Fumio Demura, Bill Ryusaki, Richard Bustillo, Tak Kubota, Cynthia Rothrock, George Chung, Ralph Castro, and more line the museum walls.

The addition of the Ninja section which was donated by Mark Grove became a focal point for many young viewers.

“This is our 25th year for the museum. I had a plan and it never changed. I pushed and pushed and finally, we have taken a giant leap forward into a whole new world. I can’t wait to push even further,” says Matsuda. "I see this as a huge stepping stone to an even bigger place."

The museum is now big enough for school tours and larger events. The museum theater, whose naming rights are up for grabs, can now host 122 people comfortably. New on their horizon is the Native American, Hispanic, Scottish, and Women Warriors section.

According to Matsuda, the museum is planning for a large grand opening in a couple of months. He didn’t want the doors open without telling the public especially the martial arts community so he launched a soft-opening instead, for now.

For information on the museum, visit their site on MAmuseum.com. The museum is a non-profit charity organization and is available for donations and grants.