The undisputed entertainment capital of the world, Los Angeles has more museums and theatres than any other city in the United States. Experience the city’s essential and eclectic mix of arts, from world-renowned galleries and music institutions, to some new players on the scene.
The Broad
Located near the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Museum of Contemporary Art, this new contemporary art museum features more than 2000 works of contemporary art, including pieces by Andy Warhol, and is among the most prominent holdings of post-war and contemporary art worldwide.
221 S Grand Ave. Admission free with advance time-entry tickets.
Roy Lichtenstein Installation © Bruce Damonte. Courtesy of The Broad & Diller Scofidio + Renfro.
Getty Center
Run by one of the world’s largest arts organisations, the folk at the Getty Center are dedicated to preserving the world’s cultural heritage. The J. Paul Getty Museum has two venues – the Getty Center in Brentwood and the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades. Among the artworks on display at the Center is Vincent Van Gogh’s painting Irises. There are daily tours of both impressive collections. While there’s no admission cost, advance reservations are recommended.
N Sepulveda Blvd & Getty Center Dr and 17985 Pacific Coast Hwy, Pacific Palisades. Admission for the Getty Centre is free and admission for the Getty Villa is free with advance time-entry ticket.
Barbara Kruger (Hello/Goodbye) Exhibition © Brian Forrest. Courtesy of the Getty Center.
The Grammy Museum at LA Live
This interactive, educational museum is devoted to the history and winners of the Grammy Awards. It features a fascinating collection of historical music artefacts including costumes and instruments, handwritten lyrics, records, and audio/video recordings from America’s most famous with exhibits such as Michael Jackson, The Supremes, Frank Sinatra and The Texas Blues of Stevie Ray Vaughan.
800 W Olympic Bvld. Admission is USD$12.95 for adults.
LA ART TIP: An easy way to experience the art scene in Los Angeles like a connoisseur is with a private customised tour of the area’s galleries and museums led by Art Muse Los Angeles.
The Wende Museum
The Wende Museum also opened its collection, including 10 pieces of the Berlin Wall, in a newer, larger location, near Culver Boulevard and Overland Avenue in Culver City, in 2014. The collections focus on preservation of cultural, political artefacts and documentary materials and personal artefacts and histories of the Cold War.
5741 Buckingham Parkway, Culver City. Admission is free.
Painting Collection at The Wende Museum. Courtesy of The Wende Museum.
Museum of Contemporary Art
The three-venue MOCA has its headquarters in Downtown, along with The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA in Little Tokyo and MOCA Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood. MOCA’s collection includes more than 6,800 works of American and European contemporary art created after 1940 covering abstract expressionism, pop art, minimalism, conceptual art, and postmodernism. You will need a couple of days in LA to cover the three galleries and the entire collection.
250 S Grand Avenue. Admission for both downtown locations is USD$12 for adults.
MOCA entrance © Marissa Roth. Courtesy of Museum of Contemporary Art.
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
The largest art museum in the West Coast of the United States, LACMA draws nearly a million visitors every year, showcasing more than 150,000 masterworks from art’s ancient history to things altogether more contemporary and now. The size and scope of this collection means you may need more than one visit. Live jazz concerts are held on Friday nights from April to November each year, a tradition that has run for more than 20 years.
5905 Wilshire Blvd. Admission is USD$15 for adults.
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Museum of Neon Art
This MONA features a permanent collection of vintage neon signs, along with changing exhibitions of contemporary neon art and kinetic art every six months. It is the only museum in the world devoted exclusively to art in electric media. The new MONA facility has a classroom where visitors can watch skilled neon craftspeople making the neon tubes and join classes to learn this fascinating art form.
216 S Brand Blvd, Glendale. Admission is USD$8 for adults.
Hammer Museum
Admission is free at the Hammer Museum, where the arts is a priority and programs include a dynamic series of exhibitions, lectures, symposia, film series, readings, and live performances. Permanent collections include one of America’s finest collections of works on paper, containing more than 45,000 prints, drawings, photographs, and artists’ books from the Renaissance to the present day.
10899 Wilshire Blvd. Admission is free.
Hammer Museum exterior © Elon Schoenholz. Courtesy of the Hammer Museum.
The Music Center
LA’s leading cultural institution, the four theatres of The Music Center include thefamous Walt Disney Concert Hall and historic Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, and are home to the Los Angeles Opera, Center Theatre Group, Los Angeles Master Chorale, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. The rooftop garden at the Walt Disney Concert Hall features lush landscaping and a Frank Gehry-designed fountain that pays tribute to the late Lillian Disney.
135 N Grand Avenue. Admission for exhibitions and public programs is free.
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion © Alex Pitt. Courtesy of The Music Center.
Hollywood Bowl Museum
From the first performance of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra in 1922, to The Beatles in the 60s, to the present day, the Hollywood Bowl has been an LA institution, providing a showcase for the world’s greatest performers. The on-site museum features photographs, audio and video recordings, memorabilia and artifacts showcasing its history. Book tickets in advance to see a world-class show.
2301 N Highland Ave. Admission is free before concerts.
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