Even as the art world in Los Angeles has grown more vital over the last decade, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles has often appeared to be on life support — struggling with financial problems and leadership turnover. Now the institution is betting its future on Klaus Biesenbach, the charismatic — sometimes controversial — director of MoMA PS1 in Queens, who will become its next director. It is the third time the museum, known as MOCA, has picked a leader from New York.

“He’s exceptional,” said Catherine Opie, who serves on the museum’s board, citing in particular Mr. Biesenbach’s strong relationship with artists. “One of the things MOCA has always prided itself on is being the artists’ museum.”

Although he feels strongly attached to MoMA — where he started in 1995 as a curator at PS1 (then called P.S. 1 Center for Contemporary Art) and also serves as MoMA’s chief curator at large — Mr. Biesenbach, 52, said he is excited to begin this next chapter on the West Coast.

“It’s a huge opportunity,” he said in a telephone interview. His start date has yet to be determined.