There is no shortage of museums in Los Angeles, so it can be hard to decide which one to visit, especially if you are in Los Angeles for a weekend. The following is an overview of some of the best museums in Los Angeles to add to your itinerary. From art to history to science, there will be a museum for everyone in Los Angeles.
US Ghost Adventures is an awesome company that offers a variety of guided tours and haunted experiences across different cities in the United States. Visitors can learn the compelling history and stories of the paranormal and the city’s darker side. Make sure to check out the variety of tours offered in Los Angeles here. They are very affordable too!
Disclaimer: Thank you to the Academy Museum and the Grammy Museum for hosting me on my visit. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no cost to you!
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Transportation in Los Angeles
Many of the best things to do during winter in Los Angeles will require a car to get to, so I recommend renting a car or opt to take a Lyft or Uber. There is also the Metro to get around, which costs $1.75 per ride. However, it does not go to all of the sites included in this post.
Where to Stay in Los Angeles
TripAdvisor is a great place to start your hotel search. Search for the best Los Angeles hotels here!
Los Angeles can be a very expensive place to stay, so expect to pay a minimum of $150 per night. I recommend staying in the Downtown area as it does have a ton of amazing hotels right in the middle of everything.
Some of the best Los Angeles include the following. *means it is one of my favorites.
- Hilton Checkers Hotel
- The Westin Bonaventure Hotel*
- Hotel Figueroa
- Freehand Los Angeles
- Omni Los Angeles
- Intercontinental Los Angeles Downtown
- DoubleTree by Hilton Los Angeles Downtown
- Biltmore Los Angeles*
- The Hoxton, Downtown LA
GoCity Pass
GoCity offers a ton of different sightseeing passes for cities around the world. These passes allow you to visit the best of each city for one low price, rather than paying individually for each attraction. I have used it in several cities around the world and would recommend getting a GoCity pass! Check out the options for the Los Angeles GoCity pass here.
The Best Museums in Los Angeles to Visit
The Academy Museum
Cost: $25
Hours: Sun-Thurs: 10am-6pm, Fri-Sat: 10am-8pm
Location: Museum Row
The Academy Museum is one of the new museums in Los Angeles. It is dedicated to the art of filmmaking and motion pictures. It portrays the film industry’s history, science, and cultural impact. This museum is located on Museum Row near Beverly Hills. It costs $25 to get inside the museum.
The Academy Museum is housed across 7 floors. The top floor has temporary exhibits while the other floors house permanent collections. There are also two theaters that show a variety of films. Make sure not to miss the Dolby Family Terrace for views of Los Angeles and the Hollywood sign.
The Broad
Cost: Free
Hours: Tues-Thurs: 11am-8pm, Fri: 11am-5pm, Sat-Sun: 10am-6pm, Closed Mondays
Location: Downtown Los Angeles
The Broad is a contemporary art museum located in Downtown Los Angeles. Its unique shape will draw the visitor’s eye first. The museum is free to get into, but you need to reserve tickets online ahead of time. There are sometimes walk-up tickets available, but it is not guaranteed.
Inside the museum are over 2000 pieces from 200 artists including Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol. The main feature of the museum is Yayoi Kusama’s “Infinity Mirrored Room.” You will have to reserve separate free tickets inside the museum in order to view this exhibit.
Bowers Museum
Cost: $15
Hours: Tues-Sun: 10am-4pm
Location: Santa Ana
The Bowers Museum is technically located in Orange Country, but it is not too far away from the Los Angeles area. This art museum focuses on a lot of pre-Colombian, Native American, Oceania, and Asian art. It has a lot of unique collections, housing over 100,000 objects. They also frequently have some amazing special exhibits. Previous ones have included a Disney collection and the Terra Cotta Warriors.
California Science Center
Cost: Free
Hours: 10am-5pm
Location: Exposition Park
The California Science Center is a free museum located in Exposition Park in Los Angeles. The highlight of the museum is getting to see the Endeavor Spaceship. Other exhibits include a ton of hands-on activities for children. These include information about ecosystems, life, and other science-related topics.
You can also visit the Imax theater for an extra cost. At various points throughout the year are also some special exhibits you can pay for. Previous exhibits have included Titanic artifacts and Body Works.
The Grammy Museum
Cost: $18
Hours: Wednesday-Monday: 11am-5pm, Saturdays: 11am-6pm, Closed Tuesday
Location: Downtown Los Angeles
The Grammy Museum is one of the best museums in Los Angeles for any music lover. Located in the LA Live area of downtown next to the Crypto Arena, plan to spend a little over an hour visiting the museum. It goes through some of the history of music and the Grammys as well as covers the Latin Grammys. I enjoyed seeing the Michael Jackson jackets from the ages.
The exhibits are constantly rotating, so make sure to check the website for the most up-to-date information on the exhibits. Outside of the exhibits, the Grammy Museum hosts various events and shows throughout the year.
The Getty Villa
Cost: Free
Hours: 10am-5pm, Closed Tuesdays
Location: Malibu
The Getty Villa is one of the two museums that make up the Getty campus. This museum focuses on Ancient Greek and Roman art and has over 44,000 different artifacts in the collection. This location used to be a part of John Paul Getty’s home, hence the ornateness of the outside and rooms.
You will need to make a reservation ahead of time in order to get into the museum. These reservations are quite popular, so make sure to plan ahead of time. Reservations and entrance are free, but you may have to pay for parking. It is one of the best museums in Los Angeles for those who love Ancient art.
Holocaust Museum Los Angeles
Cost: Free
Hours: Thurs, Sat-Mon:10am-5pm, Fri: 10am-2pm
Location: La Brea
The Holocaust Museum Los Angeles is a great museum for those interested in learning more about the Holocaust. This museum is located next to the Grove and is free to get into. You can park at the Grove and the museum will validate your parking for a cheaper rate.
The museum has several exhibits about the history of the Holocaust, how it came to be, information about every concentration camp, and many artifacts. There is a ton of information. They even check out a digital guide for your use around the museum. You can easily spend 2-3 hours in the museum.
The Huntington
Cost: $25 (weekdays)/$29 (weekends)
Hours: 10am-5pm, Closed Tuesdays
Location: San Marino
The Huntington Library and Gardens is both a research institution, an art museum, and a botanical garden. It is one of the best museums in Los Angeles to visit for people who love the outdoors. Visitors can choose to wander the 120-acre complex and enjoy the various gardens such as the Chinese, Japanese, Desert, Rose Gardens, and more. Make sure not to miss the art collections, including a rare copy of the Gutenburg Bible. It has also been used as a filming location throughout the years.
La Brea Tar Pits
Cost: $15
Hours: 9:30am-5pm
Location: Museum Row
The La Brea Tar Pits is a unique museum as it preserves bones of ancient animals trapped in tar. The area is formed where tar meets asphalt, thus preserving anything inside of them. Visitors can learn about fossils and view some from the ice age. Visitors can also see live shows and watch scientists at work.
LACMA
Cost: $25
Hours: Mon, Tues, Thurs: 11am-6pm, Fri: 11am-8pm, Sat-Sun: 10am-7pm
Location: Museum Row
LACMA or the LA County Museum of Art is considered the largest art museum in the West. There are more than 150,000 works from ancient times to the present. You can easily spend several hours looking at the collections.
Currently, the museum has several buildings getting redone, but there are still several buildings open for viewing. Make sure not to miss the Diego Rivera murals and some of the temporary exhibits. It makes for one of the best museums in Los Angeles to visit for art lovers.
Other Best Museums in Los Angeles
- Getty Center Museum
- Natural History Museum of LA
- Medieval Torture Museum with Ghost Hunting
- Peterson Auto Museum
The Best Museums in Los Angeles Recommendations
- For Art Lovers: LACMA and the Getty
- For Ancient Art Lovers: The Getty Villa
- For Outdoor Lovers: The Huntington Library
- For Museum Lovers: The Grammy Museum
- For Movie Lovers: The Academy Museum
- For Science Lovers: The California Science Center
Outside of the best museums in Los Angeles, there are a ton of other fun and exciting things to do in Los Angeles. Make sure to check out the nightlife in Downtown Los Angeles and the uniqueness of Venice Beach.
