Top 5 Can’t Miss
- Chris Burden’s iconic “Urban Light” installation welcomes you to the expanding Los Angeles County Museum of Art, an L.A. landmark.
- You’ll feel transported to a bucolic Italian estate at the Getty Villa Museum, which features fragrant gardens and classical sculptures.
- The Broad is an homage to contemporary art, displaying recognizable works by the likes of Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat.
- Film buffs will find legendary movie memorabilia at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, like the Jaws shark and Dorothy’s ruby slippers.
- The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County exhibits millions of specimens up to 4.5 billion years old.
Los Angeles has so much more to offer culture-wise beyond movies and music—it actually has more museums per capita than any other city in the United States, including Washington, D.C., and New York City. Part of the magic of L.A. is its stunning diversity, which equates to an exciting mix of subjects and art forms. From Miracle Mile’s Museum Row to Downtown and beyond, there are museums in L.A. showcasing everything from cutting-edge art and contemporary craft to classic cars and Hollywood history. Many even offer free admission.
And more institutions are being built all the time, like the futuristic-looking Lucas Museum of Narrative Art (expected in fall 2026), founded by legendary film director George Lucas. “Its focus is around the art of visual storytelling,” says L.A.-based creative director and cultural strategist Maritza Lerman Yoes. We tapped Lerman Yoes and other local experts for their top museum recommendations in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)
Courtesy of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
“LACMA is the quintessential Los Angeles museum,” says Lerman Yoes, who was its first social media manager. Located along the stretch of Wilshire Boulevard in Miracle Mile known as Museum Row, the attraction features both a permanent collection and traveling art exhibitions. All are open even as construction continues on a Peter Zumthor–designed expansion dubbed the David Geffen Galleries, expected to open in spring 2026. Many people go just for Chris Burden’s outdoor public installation, “Urban Light,” which includes more than 200 vintage street lamps in neat rows. Lerman Yoes calls LACMA “a recognizable beacon of the Los Angeles art world.”
Getty Villa Museum
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There is truly nothing else like this classical homage to Greek and Roman antiquities on a hilltop in Pacific Palisades. Lerman Yoes loves bringing out-of-towners to see the museum’s transportive landscaping and views. She recommends “sitting and reading a book beside the ancient Roman–inspired fountain.” Admission is free, but only with a timed-entry ticket reserved in advance.
The Broad
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Lerman Yoes describes The Broad as the “Broadway of the L.A. art scene—all the biggest hits are showcased here.” Some of the names displayed at this contemporary museum are Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol, Cindy Sherman, Barbara Kruger, and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Joyce Louie, director of hotel operations at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, says “no visit is complete without experiencing Yayoi Kusama’s ‘Infinity Mirror Rooms’ … for that must-have selfie.” It’s also one of the best free things to do in L.A.
Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
Joshua White
This Renzo Piano–designed cathedral is dedicated to all things movie magic. An institution created by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures has something that speaks to film aficionados of every stripe. There are, quite literally, millions of movie-related objects in the collection, including the Jaws shark and Dorothy’s ruby slippers. Permanent and temporary exhibitions delve into the art of moviemaking, director spotlights, avant-garde filmmakers, and other aspects of the filmmaking world. Because of its film screening series, the museum is one of the coolest places in Los Angeles to catch a flick, too.
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
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Among the city’s oldest institutions and one of the largest natural history museums in the American West, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is the place to see fantastical fossils and skeletons. The millions of specimens and artifacts on display stretch across a timeline of some 4.5 billion years. There’s also a 75,000-square-foot indoor-outdoor wing containing a theater, coffee shop, welcome center, and gallery. It’s fun and fascinating for visitors of all ages.
MOCA Grand Avenue and The Geffen Contemporary
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Long the preeminent art institution in Downtown L.A., The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) actually comprises two distinctive locations, the main building on Grand Avenue and The Geffen Contemporary in Little Tokyo. The institution, established in 1979, houses a collection of almost 8,000 works. “It’s the only artist-founded museum in L.A., which is rad,” says Lerman Yoes, noting that it excels at “community-driven programming and exhibitions.” General admission is free. Beyond the compelling, barrier-breaking shows, Lerman Yoes adds, “The Geffen location in Little Tokyo has, in recent years, hosted some of the city’s best and most raunchy, fun parties.”
The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens
Courtesy of The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens
“The Huntington is a museum that does not feel like a museum,” says Louie, whose favorite displays there are Thomas Gainsborough’s “The Blue Boy” and the famous Gutenberg Bible. “For me, The Huntington is like going to Disney World when I was a kid and trying every ‘country’ in Epcot—there is the Australian Garden, Japanese Garden, Jungle Garden … even the Shakespeare Garden.” She adds that the adjoining library has an archive of her favorite writer, Octavia Butler.
Getty Center
Courtesy of The Getty Center
“There is no museum more beautiful than the Getty,” says Lerman Yoes, who especially loves the Robert Irwin–designed Central Garden occupying 134,000 square feet of the property. The Getty’s permanent collection includes pre-20th-century European paintings and decorative artists, plus 19th- and 20th-century American photography and sculpture. Art is the highlight, but there’s no arguing that the museum’s privileged perch—and the fun tram ride up to it—is a compelling reason to visit. Plus, admission is free.
Petersen Automotive Museum
Courtesy of the Petersen Automotive Museum
Part of Museum Row, this can’t-miss, over 300,000-square-foot building houses one of the world’s largest automotive collections. “The Petersen is wildly cool, and you don’t even need to be a motorhead to enjoy it,” Lerman Yoes says. Louie agrees: “In addition to classic cars featured in iconic movies like Batman and first-generation Ferraris, there’s also a fun racing simulation so you can channel your inner Lewis Hamilton.”
MAK Center for Art and Architecture at the Schindler House
VALERIE MACON / AFP via Getty Images
Conrad Los Angeles concierge Oliver Metz calls this contemporary and experimental haven of multidisciplinary art and architecture “a true hidden gem in West Hollywood.” He recommends visiting the MAK Center to see “a wonderful example of modern Bauhaus-inspired architecture.” The house was built in 1922 and designed by famed architect R.M. Schindler.
Grammy Museum
Courtesy of the Recording Academy Grammy Museum
Music is the foundation of the Grammy Museum—specifically, music history and musicians, bands, and artists who have won Grammy Awards over the years, from Michael Jackson to Taylor Swift. Located within L.A. Live, a sports and entertainment complex in Downtown L.A., it offers immersive experiences as well as exhibits of artifacts, costumes, videos, records, and handwritten lyrics.
Japanese American National Museum
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With a mission to share the Japanese American experience and further promote understanding and appreciation of the diversity in America, this museum in Downtown L.A.’s Little Tokyo neighborhood is housed in a former Buddhist temple and a pavilion designed by Gyo Obata. Beautiful and educational exhibitions range from photography to painting to multimedia cultural displays. The main pavilion is closed until late 2026 for renovations, but pop-up exhibits and programs will be taking place around the city and beyond during the hiatus.
Hammer Museum
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Lerman Yoes describes the Hammer Museum as “an artist’s art museum, with a keen eye for emerging art and exceptional cultural programming.” Affiliated with and close to the University of California campus, it has a “free for good” admission policy. It’s an exciting place for those with some knowledge of contemporary L.A. art and a curiosity to learn more.
La Brea Tar Pits & Museum
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When traveling with kids, it should be a no-brainer to visit these “bubbling tar ponds” that Metz describes as “a little window into the times of sabertooth tigers and mammoths.” The compelling outdoor portion of the La Brea Tar Pits focuses on the Ice Age, with excellent family-friendly programming around climate change, extinct wildlife, excavations, and more. “I love it because it really gives you an impression of how the area around Los Angeles looked in prehistoric times.”
Craft Contemporary
Josh Schaedel
Across from the La Brea Tar Pits, this dynamic museum is a friendly, colorful place to ogle and experience all styles of craft and creative expression. The unique exhibits often showcase emerging designers and artists whose work might not typically be in a museum, making it all the more intriguing. There are frequent artist-led workshops for both adults and families (think: ceramics classes, block printing, and other hands-on activities).
Museum of Tolerance
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With an experiential exhibit on Anne Frank and a robust schedule of motivational speaking engagements, film screenings, tours, and workshops, this important museum is the only one of its kind in the world. Part of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Jewish human rights organization, the Museum of Tolerance showcases historical and contemporary exhibits that aim to tackle and reverse discrimination and prejudice in all forms and contexts, as well as help visitors understand the Holocaust.
California Science Center
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Another destination perfect for families with children—especially those obsessed with space—is the California Science Center, where admission to the permanent galleries is always free. Incredibly hands-on, the vast center’s entire goal is to stimulate curiosity, and it does so beautifully with a motion simulator, real aircraft on display, interactive exhibits, and an IMAX theater.
The Hollywood Museum
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Situated in the historic Max Factor Building, this only-in-Hollywood attraction is filled with costumes, memorabilia, film props, and more. The vivid retrospective of L.A.’s history in film includes exhibitions focused on iconic movies, celebrities, and genres, as well as outfits that once belonged to Jean Harlow and Marilyn Monroe.
Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
Jeff McLane/ICA LA
Formerly the Santa Monica Museum of Art, but now in Downtown L.A.’s lively Arts District, the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA LA) is an always-free museum where you’re bound to see “something new and experimental,” Lerman Yoes says. The institution doesn’t collect work like many other art museums. Instead, it aims to support and showcase L.A.’s ever-diverse creative community.
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