To think of Los Angeles, is to think about beaches, palm trees, and traffic. Although southern California has a lot to offer in those categories, consider opting for a cooler (literally) indoor itinerary. True Angelenos will tell you the best of the city is found in museums, so check out a list of our favorites below!
The Griffith Observatory
To visit a museum is to visit a space that displays works of the past. At the Griffith Observatory, you get the special opportunity to experience space in the now! The famous observatory located on Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park is home to a 12-inch refracting telescope, a planetarium, and several exhibits that give you insight into incredible astronomy. Best of all, admission is free to the public!
The Broad
If contemporary art is your wave, check out the architecturally fascinating building we know as The Broad. It has rotating exhibitions (including the exceedingly popular Infinity Mirrored Room by Yayoi Kusama) and over 2,000 works of postwar art. General admission tickets are free and released to the public on the 1st of every month for the following month. Demand is high, so make sure you reserve in advance here!
LACMA – Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Ever heard of Urban Light? The incredibly Instagram-worthy installation comprised of restored LA street lamps calls the Wilshire Boulevard entrance to the LACMA its home. Along with this memorable first impression, the museum is the largest of its kind in the western United States! Visit today to witness art exhibits ranging from ancient to contemporary, courses & workshops, film screenings, and concert series. Check out the full calendar of events here! Tickets are available online for $25 and are available every day of the week except Wednesdays.
La Brea Tar Pits & Museum
It’s not common to consider Los Angeles outside of its current state as an urban metropolis. Before the cars, the buildings, and the beaches, incredible animals like mammoths, dire wolves, and giant ground sloths graced this land. The La Brea Tar Pits currently protect 91 pits that exhibit these animal fossils dated back to the ice age! The pits are open like a public park so you can observe without paid admission. Check out the extensive collection of fossils in the museum on site since this area has been an excavation site for over 100 years!
Autry Museum of the American West
History is constantly romanticized in films seen all over the world. As a result, Gene Autry, the famous Texas singer, actor, & musician, sought to highlight the differences between the old west and images of the west portrayed in film. At the Autry Museum of the American West, you can find a wing dedicated to Hollywood’s depiction of historical events. The other wing of the museum seeks to demonstrate the true history of Native American art and culture before, during, and after it met with European influence. Drop by to discover a true lens of our past today!