11 Best Museums in Los Angeles
Where to Discover Los Angeles History, Art, and Culture?
The best museums in Los Angeles take pride of place in a city otherwise known for all things modern, shiny, and new. Fittingly for this sunny SoCal city, many museums have extensive outdoor exhibits in parks or on the hillside.
The mighty Hollywood entertainment industry is well-represented at the likes of the Hollywood Museum and the Grammy Museum, while places like the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles and the Getty Center take you back through time to see ancient works of art and learn about the birth of stars. And no, not those posing on the red carpets at award shows. Here are the best museums to check out on your next visit to Los Angeles.
1. Battleship USS Iowa Museum
Famed WWII naval ship known as “The Big Stick”
Good for: Families, History, Photo
Delve into maritime history at the USS Iowa Museum, situated in an iconic US Navy ship that served through WWII and then the Korean and Cold War years. Set on the Los Angeles waterfront, this ship-turned-museum offers exhibits and interactive experiences that highlight its historic moments.
Explore the ship on a self-guided tour using the museum’s tour app. You could also join a guided group tour to learn more about the battleship’s sailors and adventures during its nearly 50 years of active duty. The museum appeals to curious kids and adults, with great views of the waterfront to enjoy from the ship’s decks. Expect to spend at least an hour to complete the tour and see all the exhibits. Read more
Location: 250 S Harbor Blvd, San Pedro, CA 90731, United States
Open: Daily from 10 am to 5 pm
Phone: +1 877-446-9261
Battleship USS Iowa Museum
2. Grammy Museum
Hours of musical magic
Good for: Couples, Families, History
The Grammy Museum is a celebration of music of all forms, featuring exhibits and interactive experiences set over 4 floors within the LA Live entertainment complex in downtown Los Angeles. Immerse yourself in decades of music culture.
While the Grammy awards offered by the same organization honor the stars of the music recording industry, the museum offers a broader look into music, from the technology of recording to the creative process of songwriting. It also hosts numerous special exhibits, movies, workshops, and live performances in the 200-seat Clive Davis Theater throughout the year. Before going inside, check out the sidewalks around LA Live, which are embedded with bronze disks honoring past Grammy award winners. Read more
Location: 800 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90015, United States
Open: Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm, Sunday–Monday and Wednesday–Friday from 11.00 am to 5.00 pm (closed on Tuesdays)
Phone: +1 213-725-5700
Grammy Museum
3. Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Includes a dazzling Urban Light exhibit
Good for: Couples, Families, History
Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) offers a huge showcase of local and international artworks, with more than 120,000 pieces housed in 5 buildings. Its diverse collection spans the globe and covers thousands of years, ranging from ancient Asian and Latin American objects to cutting-edge contemporary artists. It also has one of the world’s largest collections of Islamic art. Visit after dark to see the Urban Light sculpture in its full glory.
LACMA is in Hancock Park, about halfway between Downtown Los Angeles and Santa Monica. Visitors here could easily extend their day of exploring the city’s historical places by making a stop at the La Brea Tar Pits fossil excavation site and museum right next door. Read more
Location: 5905 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036, United States
Open: Monday–Tuesday and Thursday from 11 am to 6 pm, Friday from 11 am to 8 pm, Saturday–Sunday from 10 am to 7 pm (closed on Wednesdays)
Phone: +1 323-857-6000
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
4. Petersen Automotive Museum
Celebrating classic automobiles and LA car culture
Good for: Families, History, Photo
Petersen Automotive Museum is a true magnet for motorheads, with hundreds of vehicles and automotive exhibits on display over 3 floors. The building itself even evokes an aura of a sleek hot-rod vehicle with its façade of flowing ribbons of steel.
Step inside to find automobiles from vintage vehicles to modern supercars, and even ones that once had a life zooming around LA’s freeways and the Hollywood Hills with a celebrity at the wheel. Among the exhibits are “Hollywood dream machines,” vehicles that have featured in movies like Back to the Future and Blade Runner. You can also see high-performance Porsche race cars and snazzy Italian motorcycles from the swinging sixties. Read more
Location: 6060 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036, United States
Open: Daily from 10 am to 6 pm
Phone: +1 323-930-2277
Petersen Automotive Museum
5. The Hollywood Museum
A star-studded collection of movie memorabilia
Good for: Families, History, Photo
The Hollywood Museum is a must-visit for movie fans, with more than 10,000 mementoes and images on display. You’ll find props from popular TV shows like Star Trek, alongside hundreds of costumes, vintage movie posters, and some personal artifacts of the stars.
The museum’s hosted many exhibits over the years, including a “superhero” display and those celebrating the life and work of iconic stars like Marilyn Monroe. Head downstairs to the Dungeon of Doom to see creepy movie props like Hannibal Lecter’s jail cell and set pieces from The Exorcist, Psycho, The Mummy, and other Hollywood thrillers. The museum is just short walk from the TCL Chinese Theater, famous for its forecourt marked with the handprints of numerous Hollywood stars.
Location: 1660 Highland Ave, Hollywood, CA 90028, United States
Open: Wednesday–Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm (closed on Mondays and Tuesdays)
Phone: +1 323-464-7776
The Hollywood Museum
6. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
Some 35 million specimens to take you back through time
Good for: Couples, Families, History
The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles is most famous for its Dinosaur Hall, but there’s plenty more in its collection to keep curious minds busy for hours on end. Delve into billions of years of planetary history by exploring the museum’s Nature Gardens, Age of Mammals, Gem and Mineral Hall, and other exhibits. Submerge yourself in a whale experience at the Otis Booth Pavilion, with the giant skeleton of a fin whale dangling inside a 6-story glass cube.
Back at the Dinosaur Hall, visitors are sure to linger with its thought-provoking tableau of dinosaur fossils, including 3 fearsome-looking T-Rex skeletons. Those wanting a full exploration of the museum can expect to spend a whole day here. Read more
Location: 900 Exposition Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90007, United States
Open: Daily from 9.30 am to 5 pm
Phone: +1 213-763-3466
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
7. Getty Center
A sprawling center of art and impressive architecture
Good for: Budget, Families, History
The Getty Center is an enormous haven for art in Los Angeles. Its main hilltop complex hosts the Getty Conservation Institute, the Harold M. Williams Auditorium, the Getty Research Institute, the J. Paul Getty Museum, and nearly 90 acres of landscaped gardens. It’s free of charge to enter, but be sure to book a place in advance.
The center is a showcase of the vast and diverse art collection of the late J. Paul Getty, including ancient artifacts, medieval sculptures, 17th-century Baroque art, and hundreds of photographs. It’s a great destination for families, with not only the gardens and galleries to explore but also free concerts every Friday night and interactive exhibits in the center’s Family Room. Read more
Location: 1200 Getty Center Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90049, United States
Open: Tuesday–Friday and Sunday from 10 am to 6.30 pm, Saturday from 10 am to 9 pm (closed on Mondays)
Phone: +1 310-440-7300
Getty Center
8. Hollyhock House
An American manor designed by one of the nation’s greatest architects
Good for: Couples, History, Photo
Hollyhock House is one of America’s most famous buildings and a UNESCO heritage site. The home was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, and it is now the centerpiece of the Barnsdall Art Park. Built in 1921, it’s a wonder of modern architecture, incorporating classical and Mayan themes.
Visiting the house, you can explore its many rooms and courtyards. Docents lead tours and provide insightful info on Wright’s work and its place in the American architectural canon, while explaining what makes the home so innovative and appealing. If you’re a fan of art and the LA sun, you don’t want to miss Hollyhock House and the surrounding art park. Read more
Location: 4800 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027, United States
Open: Thursday–Saturday from 11 am to 4 pm (closed on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays)
Phone: +1 323-913-4030
Hollyhock House
9. Griffith Observatory
A great way to see the city and its night sky
Good for: Couples, Families, Budget
Griffith Observatory is where Los Angeles stargazers of a different sort like to gather to search the night sky. Found in Griffith Park on the slope of Mount Hollywood, the observatory first opened in the 1930s. It’s free to enter and using the telescope is also complimentary for anyone who visits, though there’s a small fee to watch shows at Samuel Oschin Planetarium.
In addition to enjoying the great sky and city views, you can check out a short movie on the history of the Griffith Observatory in the Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon theater. If arriving in the daytime, you could take some time to explore the hiking trails in the surrounding park, which are also free to access. Read more
Location: 2800 E Observatory Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90027, United States
Open: Tuesday–Friday from noon to 10 pm, Saturday–Sunday from 10 am to 10 pm (closed on Mondays)
Phone: +1 213-473-0800
Griffith Observatory
10. Barnsdall Art Park
Community arts center with fabulous city views
Good for: Couples, History, Photo
Barnsdall Art Park was first conceived in the early 1900s as a theater company by Aline Barnsdall, who later donated the park on Olive Hill to the city of Los Angeles to be used as an accessible center for the arts. The park’s buildings were built by renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright and his son. The structures remain fine examples of his ground-breaking modernist designs.
These days, the park is host to many art classes, theater productions, seminars, and exhibits throughout the year. The best times to visit are on Fridays, when the park hosts wine tastings in the garden, and Sundays, when you can enjoy free family art workshops.
Location: 4800 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027, United States
Open: Daily from 6 am to 10 pm
Barnsdall Art Park
11. Autry Museum of the American West
A celebration of cowboy culture and life in the Old West
Good for: Families, History, Photo
The Autry Museum of the American West in Griffith Park, named after its co-founder and famous “singing cowboy” Gene Autry, features some 50,000 Wild West-themed pieces of art and artifacts. You have a chance to explore the museum’s Western movie and TV memorabilia, as well as an authentic-looking sedan and a full replica of a Western town movie set.
Several events and activities are held throughout the year, so be sure to check the museum’s schedule before you arrive to see if there’s a festival, lecture, or art workshop you could join.
Location: Griffith Park, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles, CA 90027, United States
Open: Tuesday–Friday from 10 am to 4 pm, Saturday–Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm (closed on Mondays)
Phone: +1 323-667-2000
Autry Museum of the American West
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