Some of the museums in Los Angeles California are among the most popular and important in the United States, such as the Museum of Natural History, the largest of its kind in western North America.
Let's know in this article the 15 best museums in Los Angeles, California.
1. Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, also known as LACMA, is a beautiful complex of 7 buildings with an impressive collection of 150 thousand works of different styles and periods, such as paintings, sculptures and ceramics, pieces from various stages of history .
In its eight hectares and several galleries you will find works by Robert Rauschenberg, Diego Rivera, Pablo Picasso, Jasper Johns and other great artists.
In addition to Greek, Roman, Egyptian, American, Latin American and other European works, Metropolis II by Chris Burden and the spiral sculpture by Richard Serra are on display.
Although half of LACMA will be under renovation until 2024, you can still enjoy their art in the other exhibition rooms.
The museum is at 5905 Wilshire Blvd., next to the Rancho La Brea tar pits. The ticket price for adults and seniors is $ 25 and $ 21, respectively, amounts that will be higher with temporary exhibitions.
Here you have more information about schedules and other LACMA matters.
2. Museum of Natural History
The Los Angeles Museum of Natural History is the largest museum of its kind in the state of California. Inside, a collection of animals from all over the planet awaits, both pre-Columbian pieces and the most popular ones such as dinosaur skeletons, including those of the Tyrannosaurus rex.
Other pieces exhibited are mammals from North America, Africa, and treasures from Latin American archeology. There are also exhibits of minerals, gems, the insect zoo, spider and butterfly pavilions, among other galleries. You will be able to see plants from other times and from different parts of the world.
The museum is on Blvd. Exposition 900. Admission for adults and seniors 62 and older is $ 14 and $ 11, respectively; students and young people between 13 and 17 years old also pay the latter amount. The price of admission for children 6 to 12 years is $ 6.
The hours are from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Enter here for more information.
3. Grammy Museum
Music has its place in Los Angeles with the Grammy Museum, a complex opened in 2008 to celebrate 50 years of the world's most recognized music awards.
Its attractions include handwritten lyrics to famous songs, original records, vintage musical instruments, costumes worn by award winners, and educational exhibits on Michael Jackson, Bob Marley, The Beatles, James Brown and many other artists.
You will be able to see and know how a song is made, from its recording to the making of an album cover.
The Grammy Museum is at 800 W Olympic Blvd. Its hours are Monday through Friday from 10:30 am to 6:30 pm, except on Tuesdays when it is closed.
Children between 6 and 17 years old, students and seniors, pay $ 13; adults, $ 15, while children under 5 are free.
Here you have more information.
4. The Broad
Contemporary art museum inaugurated in 2015 with nearly 2,000 collectibles, many of them from post-war and contemporary art.
The Broad's exhibit is organized chronologically. The work of Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg (1950s), Pop Art of the 1960s (including that of Roy Lichtenstein, Ed Ruscha and Andy Warhol) and you will also find representations of the 70s and 80s.
The modern structure of The Broad, opened by Eli and Edythe Broad, has three levels with a gallery, a conference room, the museum shop and a lobby with exhibits.
From the museum's app, located on Grand Avenue next to the Walt Disney Concert Hall, you can access the audios, videos and texts that describe the pieces that make up the collection.
Admission is free. For more information, click here.
5. Los Angeles Holocaust Museum
Museum founded by one of the Holocaust survivors to collect artifacts, documents, photographs and other objects from the most despicable period of the 20th century.
The general objective of this exhibition, built inside a public park, whose structure is integrated into the landscape, is to honor the more than 15 million victims of the genocide of Jews and educate new generations about what this period of the history.
Among the various rooms in the exhibit is one displaying the conveniences that people possessed before the war. In other galleries the Burning of Books, The Night of the Crystals, samples of the concentration camps and other evidence of the Holocaust are exposed.
Learn more about the Los Angeles Holocaust Museum here.
6. California Science Center
The California Science Center is a fantastic museum of interactive exhibits where science is learned through educational programs and movies shown in a movie theater. Its permanent exhibitions are free.
In addition to learning more about mankind's inventions and innovations, you will be able to see more than 100 sculptures made with LEGO pieces, one of the most special exhibitions.
Among the permanent exhibits are the different ecosystems, World of life, Creative world, Air and space exhibitions, attractions, shows and live demonstrations, among others.
The California Science Center works every day from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, except for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. General admission is free.
Here you will find more information.
7. Madame Tussauds Hollywood
Madame Tussauds, the world's best-known wax museum, has been based in Hollywood for 11 years.
The wax figures of many artists such as Michael Jackson, Justin Bieber, Ricky Martin, Jennifer Aniston, among many others from the Hollywood industry are exhibited.
Other attractions of the museum are Spirit of Hollywood, with figures of Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, Charlie Chaplin, among others; Making movies, where you will see Cameron Díaz, Jim Carrey and other actors behind the scenes.
There are also themes like Modern Classics with Sylvester Stallone, Patrick Swayze, John Travolta and Tom Hanks; Superheroes with Spiderman, Captain America, Thor, Iron Man and more characters from the world of Marvel.
The museum is at 6933 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028-6146. For more information visit their official website. Check the prices here.
8. Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art
The more than 6 thousand works of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles make it one of the most important in the United States.
Also known as MOCA, it has representations of contemporary American and European art, created from 1940.
One of its venues is the Moca Grand, with a classic look dating back to 1987 and where there are pieces made by American and European artists. It is adjacent to the Broad Museum and the Walt Disney Concert Hall.
The other venue is the MOCA Geffen, opened in 1983. It is one of the largest with sculptures of a good size and works by artists who, although they have little recognition, are very talented.
The last venue is the MOCA PDC, the newest of the three. It has been operating since 2000 with permanent presentations and pieces by artists who are beginning to emerge in the art world. It's at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood. This is the only one of the three venues with free admission.
9. Rancho La Brea
Rancho La Brea has evidence of the Ice Age and prehistoric Los Angeles animals that roamed this vast area of California millions of years ago.
Many of the bones on display have been extracted from tar pits found at the same site.
The George C. Page Museum is built in the tar pits that are part of Rancho La Brea, where in addition to knowing up to 650 plant and animal species, you will see bone structures of both tiny animals and impressive mammoths.
The ticket price is USD 15 per adult; students from 13 to 17 years old, USD 12; children from 3 to 12 years old, USD 7 and children under 3 years old are free
Rancho La Brea is at 5801 Wilshire Blvd.
10. Ripley’s, Believe it or not!
Museum of 11 themed galleries with more than 300 curious objects that belonged to Leroy Ripley, a collector, philanthropist and cartoonist who traveled the world in search of the strangest pieces.
Among the exhibits are the heads that were reduced by the Jíbaro Indians and the videos where they explain how it was made.
One of the biggest attractions is a robot made from parts of a car that is over 10 feet tall. You can also see 6-legged pigs and an authentic vampire hunting kit.
Admission for adults costs USD 26, while that for children between 4 and 15 years old is USD 15. Children under 4 years old do not pay.
The museum works every day from 10:00 am to 12:00 am. It is at 6680 Hollywood Blvd.
11. Getty Center
The structure of this museum is itself a work of art because of the travertine marble. Inside it has the private collection of the philanthropist J. Paul Getty, which includes sculptures and paintings from the Netherlands, Great Britain, Italy, France and Spain.
Artists exhibiting their works at the Getty Center, open since 1997, include Leonardo da Vinci, Van Gogh, El Greco, Rembrandt, Goya and Edvard Munch.
Another attraction of the place are its gardens with its fountains, natural ravine and streams. The beautiful views that surround the museum structure, which is perched on one of the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains, are also popular.
The Getty Center is at 1200 Getty Center Dr. Open Tuesday through Friday and Sunday, 10:00 am to 5:30 pm; Saturdays, from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm. Admission is free.
12. Getty Villa
The Getty Villa has more than 40,000 ancient pieces from Rome, Greece and the formerly known region of Etruria (now Tuscany).
In it you will see pieces that were created between the Stone Age and the final stage of the Roman Empire, which have been preserved in perfect condition despite the passage of time.
At least 1,200 of those works are on permanent display across 23 galleries, while the others are exchanged for temporary exhibitions in the remaining five galleries.
The museum is open every day, except Tuesdays, between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm. It's at 17985 Pacific Coast Hwy. Admission is free.
13. Hollywood Museum
Among the many collection pieces that you will find in the Hollywood Museum are those related to the birth of this film mecca, its classic films and the glamor evidenced in the makeup and clothing process.
Many of the 10,000 pieces are clothing items, such as a million dollar Marilyn Monroe dress. In the building there are three studios for women:
- For blondes;
- For brunettes;
- For redheads.
In the basement area, original props and costumes from more than 40 horror movies are on display, including Freddy Krueger, Dracula, Chucky, Vampira and Elvira.
On the main floor are Cary Grant's Rolls Royce, the makeup rooms that Max Factor restored, as well as the Art Deco lobby and the costumes and accessories used in Planet of the Apes.
The museum is at 1660 N Highland Ave, Hollywood, CA 90028. It works Wednesday through Sunday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.
14. Los Angeles Police Museum
This museum dedicated to the Los Angeles Police Department has vintage police vehicles, cells for various types of inmates, photo galleries, real bullet holes, uniforms and handcuffs of various styles.
There is also the display of items (including the shot car) used on February 28, the day of the North Hollywood shooting, where well-armed and armored bank robbers clashed with Los Angeles city police.
Throughout the complex, the importance of these uniforms in the development of the city is valued.
The Los Angeles Police Museum is in the Highland Park Police Station. Check the entrance prices here.
15. Autry Museum of the American West
A museum founded in 1988 with collectibles, exhibits, and public and educational programs, chronicling the history and culture of the American West.
It adds a total of 21 thousand pieces including sculptures, paintings, firearms, musical instruments and costumes.
American playwrights present new plays in the theater, Native Voices, to encourage the promotion of the history and culture of the western United States.
On display is American Progress, an iconic work by John Gast over 140 years old (1872). You can also learn about Native American art through its 238,000 pieces, which include baskets, fabrics, textiles, and ceramics.
The Autry Museum of the American West is opposite the city zoo, inside Griffith Park. For more information visit their official website.
Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History
It is the largest of the museums in the western United States, with an estimated nearly 3 million artifacts and specimens that have 4,500 years of history.
In terms of its exhibits, the Era of mammals stands out and since 2010 it has dedicated one of its rooms to dinosaurs. There is also room for pre-Columbian cultures and urban fauna typical of the state of California.
Exhibitions in Los Angeles California
The following museums feature interesting exhibits, so they are a great option when traveling to Los Angeles:
- Getty Villa;
- Brea Tar Pits;
- Hammer Museum;
- Hollywood Museum;
- Japanese American Museum;
- Battleship Uss Iowa Museum.
- California African American Museum;
- Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art;
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art;
Free museums
Free entry museums in Los Angeles, California are the California Science Center, Getty Center, Travel Town Museum, The Broad, Getty Villa, The Annenberg Space for Photography, The Hollywood Bowl Museum, and the Santa Monica Museum of Art.
What to do in Los Angeles
There are many things you can do in Los Angeles, California, among them we have the following:
Visit theme parks like Universal Studios or Six Flags Magic Mountain; know the famous Hollywood sign; take a tour of residential areas where movie celebrities live; know the Aquarium of the Pacific; visit museums and go shopping and the beach (Venice Beach, Santa Monica, Malibu).
Museums in Hollywood
- Hollyhock House;
- The Hollywood Museum;
- Ripley’s Believe It or Not !;
- Hollywood Wax Museum.
- Madame Tussauds Hollywood;
J. Paul Getty Museum
This museum has two locations: the Getty Villa, in Malibu and the Getty Center, in Los Angeles; between the two there are 6 thousand years of art and works by Michelangelo, Tina Modotti, among other famous artists are exhibited.
Los Angeles County Museum of Art Upcoming Events
Among the upcoming events we have:
- Modern Art (exhibition highlighting European and American art) - All Fall 2020 (ongoing).
- Vera Lutter: Museum in the Chamber (photographic exhibition of the museum in the last two years): from March 29 to August 9, 2020.
- Yoshitomo Nara (exhibition of paintings by this renowned Japanese artist): April 5 to August 23, 2020.
- Bill Viola - Slowly Turning Narrative (Art Presented in Video, Video Art): June 7 to September 20, 2020.
Cauleen Smith: Give It Or Leave It (Traveling Video, Film & Sculpture Exhibition): June 28, 2020 - March 14, 2021.
Click here for more events.
These are the 15 best museums in Los Angeles California. If you want to add another, leave us your comment.
