Are you planning a trip to Los Angeles, or thinking of spending a few days in the California city during your road trip in the States? Then you may be wondering: what is there to see in Los Angeles besides the mansions of Hollywood stars?
We are used to associating other American cities with museum art, exhibitions and displays. However, Los Angeles has more to offer on this front than you might think. There are numerous museums and art centers that we can visit during our stay in the City of Angels, as well as being very varied in type. In this article, we have selected the ones that we think are the best museums in Los Angeles, and from which we suggest you choose the ones that best suit your preferences.
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Griffith Observatory
The Los Angeles Astronomical Observatory is not just a place of science, and it is certainly not a place that only astronomers enter. Inside the large building, which itself stands out for its shape and location, we find a number of opportunities to pay a visit or discover something new about space.
First of all, there is the planetarium, which not only shows the features of the solar system and all of the surrounding space, but also hosts live presentations to delve into various topics about the cosmos, and it does so using the centerpiece of the observatory: the Zeiss star projector. This is a digital projection system on an aluminum dome, making the planetarium a real space theater with 290 seats.
Lectures, exhibitions, and sky observation with telescopes are some of the events held inside the building, while around it, don’t forget to take a tour of Griffith Park. The latter is the largest urban, wooded municipal park in the United States: in addition to being full of trails, it offers bicycle rentals, horseback riding and numerous other activities.
Read the article dedicated to Griffith Observatory
Here are some organized tours to visit it.Private, detailed tour of the observatory
Citywide tour that includes a stop at the observatory
Getty Center
Looking for an art museum in every city you visit? Well, in Los Angeles you cannot miss the Getty Center. Located in a lovely natural setting, it houses works that range widely in both their genre and historical period. From ancient art to Post-Impressionism through the Renaissance, all alternating between paintings and sculptures and manuscripts, furniture and photographs. In addition, the Getty Center regularly hosts major works on loan from other museums, so it almost always has something new to show its visitors.
The Getty Center is located atop a hill to the northwest of the city, from where, among other things, there is a splendid view of Los Angeles, in particular the area from Beverly Hills to Santa Monica.
You can find all the details about the museum and how to visit it in our dedicated article.
Read the article dedicated to the Getty Center
Getty Villa
Did you know that before the Getty Center, the respective museum was housed in the Malibu residence of Mr. J.P. Getty? Archaeological artifacts and valuable works of art were accumulated here for years. Since the Getty Center opened in 1997, the mansion has become a museum dedicated to Greek, Etruscan and Roman cultures. In addition to its contents, it is the villa itself that is worth seeing: inspired by the Villa of the Papyri in Herculaneum, it looks like a residence with ancient features, which makes it even more interesting to visit, since it houses artifacts from centuries past.
If you are interested in a guided tour of the area, from Santa Monica to Malibu, admiring the homes of the stars and visiting the Getty Villa you can check out the link below.
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
LACMA is a large and diverse museum, housing a large collection but also alternating temporary exhibitions and events in its halls. Here you can see examples of contemporary Latin American art, as well as jewelry from the Boardman collection, Greek ceramics and Islamic art from today’s Middle East, evidence of 20th-century fashion and Korean portraits. In short, the variety is such that there is something for every taste. Also, don’t forget to walk past the museum at night: you will be amazed at Chris Burden’s creation “Urban Light,” an installation of 202 restored street lamps from the 1920s and 1930s.
Read the article dedicated to LACMA
Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles
MOCA also offers its visitors both an extensive permanent collection and a variety of temporary exhibitions. Unlike the previous one, however, everything this museum focuses on contemporary art. More than 6,800 works make up this huge collection, and the museum is constantly changing its exhibitions, so be sure to check in advance on the official website what there is to see on the days you will be in Los Angeles.
The Broad
Modern art takes center stage in The Broad‘s collection: more than 2,000 pieces now make up this small private collection that has been growing since the 1980s into a full-fledged museum in 2015. In addition to the works on display, the structure of this museum is particularly interesting. A honeycomb roof wraps around the entire building, allowing light to filter inside, thus creating a truly unique atmosphere.
California Science Center
Especially if you are traveling with children, you will be aware that the United States has no shortage of interactive museums where you can learn while having fun. The California Science Center is one of them, and it does not leave visitors disappointed. The highlight of the museum is undoubtedly the Space Shuttle Endeavour: a space shuttle that took off for 25 missions, spending a total of 299 days in space. In addition to the shuttle, the museum is set up with several permanent exhibits, such as “Air and Space” about space, “Ecosystems” about the connection between living things, which houses live animals, “World of Life” illustrating the life processes of plants and animals, and “Creative World” focusing on scientific experiments and inventions.
Keep in mind that admission to this museum is included in the Go Los Angeles Pass – if you plan to visit several of the museums included in the pass, you might save a few dollars.
More info on the Go Los Angeles Pass
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles
Without a doubt, America’s most famous natural history museum is the one in New York City, yet its west coast cousin is not to be ignored either. Whether you are looking for dinosaur skeletons or an insect zoo, the halls of the Natural History Museum will fascinate you, whether you are an adult or a child. Like the California Science Center, this is also an educational museum, designed not just as an exhibit but as a place where children especially can learn something.
Again, admission to this museum is included in the Go Los Angeles Pass: if you intend to visit several of the museums included in the pass, you might save a few dollars.
Read our guide to the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles
Petersen Automotive Museum
Are you a car nut and can’t resist engines? If the answer is yes, then be sure to visit the Petersen Automotive Museum during your stay in Los Angeles! It is one of the largest automotive museums in the world and is truly amazing for fans of the genre. Although when it opened in 1994 it was housed inside the Natural History Museum, today the exhibit is much larger and has a four-story building all for itself.
Starting on the ground floor with classic cars and the history of the automobile in America, it goes up to the floor devoted to exhibits, part permanent exhibit and part temporary. Going up further, one comes to the floor dedicated to children, where even older children are fascinated by the Hot Wheels track that flanks the educational exhibits. Finally, the top floor is used for conference rooms and the bar. Among the most curious cars on display at the Petersen are the ones from the film industry, including the Bat Mobile.
Admission is $19.95, and you can purchase it online.
Madame Tussauds in Hollywood
In the middle of Hollywood we find the world’s most famous wax museum, which now has numerous locations in Europe, America and Asia. Even in Los Angeles, Madame Tussauds does not fail to impress with the care used to create the characters.
From movie legends with E.T. to modern-day Hollywood stars, from Marvel superheroes to music’s biggest stars, each wax statue is a true work of art, and one people are often amazed at how similar they are to their flesh-and-blood counterparts. Do you want to take a picture with one of your stars, but have not been able to meet them on the streets of Los Angeles? Well, maybe their statue won’t deny you a selfie!
Below are some options for purchasing tickets, which are often on special offer, with a slight savings compared to buying a ticket locally.
In addition, admission to this museum is included in some Cumulative Passes: if you plan to visit several museums included in the same pass, you might save a few dollars.
USS Iowa Museum
Where do warships go when they are no longer in use? Well, some are saved from decommissioning and become actual museums. This is the case of the aircraft carrier Midway in San Diego, as well as the battleship USS Iowa moored along the Los Angeles coast. Having served in both World War II and the Korean War, today this jewel of the U.S. Navy is open to the public to be explored and to offer visitors a taste of what it is like to live for months aboard a military ship.
The ticket price is $22.95, but below are some channels where you can purchase them at a discounted price.
In addition, admission to this museum is included in some Cumulative Passes: if you plan to visit several museums included in the same pass, you might save a few dollars.
Hollywood Museum
If you’re a movie buff and that’s one of the reasons you included Los Angeles as one of your stops on your trip to the States, definitely include The Hollywood Museum on your city itinerary. It houses the largest collection of Hollywood memorabilia in the world: more than 10 thousand pieces including costumes, props, photographs, scripts and more. Want to see Hannibal Lecter’s cell or Marilyn Monroe’s dress live? This is the museum for you!
The Hollywood Museum is located in the neighborhood of the same name, to be exact in the historic Max Factor Building, the building where Max Factor, the king of Hollywood make-up, brought to life the stage looks of some of the biggest movie stars.
Heritage Square Museum
What did California look like in the late 19th century as it began its life as an independent state? And how did the small town El Pueblo de Los Angeles transform into the great metropolis we see today? Visiting this museum provides an opportunity to delve into a piece of American history, particularly California history, while better understanding the local culture and its evolution. Buildings with nineteenth-century features and period clothing are some of the things that will help you enter history at the Heritage Square Museum.
NB: If you are a history buff and are looking for other symbolic places to include in your California itinerary, don’t miss San Diego’s Old Town!
The Heritage Square Museum is located in Montecito Heights, at the end of the background-free Homer Street. The museum is open exclusively on weekends, Friday through Sunday.
