The sprawling city of Los Angeles is famous as the world’s movie capital, but there is far more to see here than the Hollywood Sign. Beyond the celebrity mansions and film sets, the city’s best museums bring to life everything from art, science, aviation, and history to music and the movie business.

Adding a museum or two to your list of things to do in Los Angeles is highly recommended — especially since some of the city’s top museums are free to visit. You will quickly discover that LA’s commitment to culture, creativity, and education runs far deeper than the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Because Los Angeles is so spread out, you will likely need a car to reach many museums, though some of the best are clustered around Museum Row, the Mid-Wilshire stretch between Fairfax and La Brea, making it easy to visit more than one in a day. Other museum hotspots include Exposition Park southwest of downtown, as well as the stylish neighborhoods tucked against the Hollywood Hills.

Even when general admission is free, some of the city’s most popular museums require advance reservations or timed-entry tickets, so it is always worth checking museum websites before you go. If you would rather skip driving, rideshares and public transportation can also make getting around much easier.

Whether it is your first time in Los Angeles or you already know the city well, these are the museums worth adding to your itinerary — from film and music to history, art, automobiles, dinosaurs, and much more.

From the moment you board the hill-climbing tram, you know you are in for something special. Perched above the city in the Santa Monica Mountains, the Getty Center feels unlike any other museum in Southern California. Opened in 1997 after the J. Paul Getty Trust outgrew its original coastal home, the museum is now spread across a striking campus of travertine and white metal-clad pavilions, with sweeping gardens and panoramic views over Los Angeles.

Inside, you will find an impressive collection of European paintings, sculptures, drawings, illuminated manuscripts, photography, and decorative arts, alongside recognizable Impressionist works, ornate French furniture, and rotating exhibitions. Outside, the museum is just as memorable, with terraces, cactus gardens, and the famous 134,000-square-foot Central Garden, designed by Robert Irwin and filled with more than 500 varieties of plants.

Yes, the museum sits just above the busy 405 freeway and parking is not free, but you will likely forget all about that once you arrive. Admission is free, the setting is stunning, and the sunset views over the ocean are easily among the best in the city. If you can, stay until late afternoon and watch the light shift across the gardens and hills below.

For even more from the Getty collection, it is also worth visiting the nearby Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades, which displays ancient Greek and Roman art inside a Roman-inspired villa overlooking the Pacific.

What’s on: A look at how artists learned to draw between 1550 and 1850 through January 25, plus an exhibition celebrating the 40th anniversary of feminist art collective Guerrilla Girls.

Address: 1200 Getty Center Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90049

Opening hours: Tuesday–Friday and Sunday 10am–6:30pm; Saturday 10am–9pm; closed Monday

Pricing: Free admission; parking $25, after 3pm $15, after 6pm $10

Best for: art lovers, architecture fans, and panoramic sunset views over Los Angeles

The history of moviemaking finally has a permanent home in Los Angeles, and it is filled with exactly the sort of cinematic treasures you would expect from the people behind the Oscars. After decades in development, the Academy Museum has become one of the city’s most essential museum experiences, especially for anyone curious about the film industry that grew up beneath the Hollywood Hills.

Designed by Renzo Piano, the museum combines the former May Company department store with a striking globe-shaped theater building that now anchors the corner of Wilshire and Fairfax. Inside, three floors of exhibition space and a thousand-seat theater tell the story of cinema in a way that feels both expansive and personal, moving from the earliest motion pictures to today’s technological breakthroughs.

The objects on display rotate regularly, which means you might spot everything from C-3PO and the desk from The Godfather to props from Citizen Kane, costumes from iconic movies, and Judy Garland’s famous red slippers from The Wizard of Oz. The sole surviving shark from Jaws is also permanently on display, hanging above the escalators with its unmistakable grin.

The museum’s main Stories of Cinema exhibition highlights filmmakers from around the world while also confronting the industry’s long history of excluding diverse voices. There is even an Oscars Experience, where, for an additional fee, you can film your own mock acceptance speech while holding an Oscar statuette.

Because the museum sits right beside the Los Angeles County Museum of Art on Museum Row, it is easy to combine both into the same day. Just be prepared for pricey parking and reserve tickets in advance if you can.

What’s on: Jaws is being celebrated with the largest museum exhibition ever dedicated to the blockbuster’s 50th anniversary. Other highlights include a spotlight on the production design duo behind Barbie and Anna Karenina, plus “Director’s Inspiration: Bong Joon Ho,” the first exhibition dedicated to the Oscar-winning Bong Joon Ho.

Address: 6067 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Opening hours: Monday, Wednesday–Sunday 10am–6pm; closed Tuesday

Pricing: $25 general admission, seniors $19, students $15, free for visitors 17 and younger and California residents with an EBT card; Oscars Experience installation $10

Best for: film lovers, cinema history fans, and behind-the-scenes Hollywood storytelling

If there is one museum you should not miss in Los Angeles, it is LACMA — the largest art museum in the western United States and a true anchor of the city’s cultural landscape. Located on Museum Row along Wilshire Boulevard, it brings together more than 147,000 objects spanning 6,000 years of human creativity, from ancient civilizations to cutting-edge contemporary art.

Inside, the permanent collection includes major works by European masters such as Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse, alongside American icons like Roy Lichtenstein. You will also find important Latin American and Asian works, as well as Greek, Roman, and Etruscan artifacts. Rotating exhibitions often push into modern territory, exploring everything from digital art to immersive installation pieces.

But LACMA is just as famous for what sits outside as what is inside. The most recognizable is Urban Light, a glowing grid of 202 restored street lamps collected from across Los Angeles. Nearby, you will also find Levitated Mass — a 340-ton granite boulder suspended over a walkable trench, creating one of the city’s most surreal photo moments.

The museum campus is currently in transition, with the eastern section undergoing a major redesign known as the David Geffen Galleries, set to reshape how visitors move through the space. Even so, large portions of the museum remain open, including the Resnick Pavilion and BCAM, which continue to host strong contemporary and modern exhibitions.

Beyond its permanent collection, LACMA regularly brings in major special exhibitions, from immersive multisensory installations to deep dives into Impressionist collecting history and contemporary global art practices.

Because of its location, LACMA is also easy to pair with nearby attractions like the Petersen Automotive Museum and the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, making the whole area ideal for a full museum day.

Timed-entry tickets are strongly recommended, and Los Angeles County residents can often visit for free on weekday afternoons after 3pm. Always check availability before you go, as some time slots do sell out.

What’s on: A major new exhibition by Tavares Strachan brings immersive, multisensory installations to LACMA, alongside a new show exploring the museum’s history of collecting Impressionist works.

Address: 5905 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Opening hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 11am–6pm; Friday 11am–8pm; Saturday–Sunday 10am–7pm; closed Wednesday

Pricing: Los Angeles County residents $23 (seniors and students $19, 17 and under free; free after 3pm weekdays). Non-residents $28 (seniors and students $24, ages 3–17 $13, 2 and under free). Free every second Tuesday of the month.

Best for: world-class art lovers, modern and classical art fans, and outdoor installation photography.

Three words: Infinity Mirror Rooms. In the heart of downtown Los Angeles, The Broad is one of the city’s most popular contemporary art museums — a place where blockbuster modern art meets one of the most photographed immersive experiences in the world.

Founded by philanthropists Eli Broad and Edythe Broad, the museum houses a collection of more than 2,000 postwar and contemporary works, featuring major names like Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Cindy Sherman, Barbara Kruger, Jeff Koons, and Roy Lichtenstein.

The biggest draw for many visitors is still the work of Yayoi Kusama, especially the legendary Infinity Mirrored Room – The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away. Step inside and you are surrounded by endless reflections of light and space — a moment that feels suspended outside of reality. The museum also features a second Kusama room that offers a shorter, peek-in experience.

Beyond the headline installations, The Broad’s rotating exhibitions often spotlight major contemporary artists, including large-scale sculptural works and focused shows such as recent exhibitions dedicated to Robert Therrien and his iconic oversized furniture pieces.

The building itself is part of the experience. Designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, its distinctive “veil and vault” concept filters natural light through a honeycomb-like exterior while subtly revealing glimpses of the museum’s storage collection inside.

Outside, a quiet plaza with olive trees offers a calm contrast to the visual intensity inside, making it a nice pause point before or after your visit.

Because admission is free, the museum does require timed-entry reservations, and special exhibitions may carry an additional fee. It is one of the most accessible major art museums in the city, but also one of the most in-demand — so booking ahead is essential.

What’s on: A specially ticketed exhibition dedicated to the large-scale sculptures and drawings of Robert Therrien runs through April 5.

Address: 221 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Opening hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 11am–5pm; Thursday 11am–8pm; Saturday–Sunday 10am–6pm; closed Monday

Pricing: Free general admission with timed reservations; special exhibitions $15; parking $17

Best for: contemporary art lovers, immersive installations, and iconic modern art experiences.

Set within Exposition Park just south of downtown Los Angeles, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is one of the city’s oldest and most atmospheric cultural institutions — and still one of its most impressive. Opened in 1913, it was the first museum building in Los Angeles, and its original Beaux Arts structure still gives it the feeling of a grand European institution in the middle of Southern California.

That historic core now connects seamlessly with newer additions, including the Otis Booth Pavilion, where visitors are greeted by a towering 63-foot fin whale skeleton suspended in a dramatic glass atrium. The more recent NHM Commons extension expands the experience further, acting as a welcoming front porch to the museum and featuring a striking green-boned sauropod skeleton affectionately named “Gnatalie.”

Inside, the museum’s scale is hard to miss. More than 35 million specimens and artifacts are spread across fossil halls, gem and mineral galleries, and immersive diorama rooms that bring African and North American wildlife scenes to life with surprising detail. Highlights include the spectacular dinosaur and mammal fossil displays, the richly detailed diorama halls, and “Becoming L.A.”, which traces the region’s story from Indigenous history to the modern city.

Outside, the experience continues in the 3.5-acre nature gardens, where visitors can explore native ecosystems or simply take a break from the galleries. It is one of the few museums in the city where indoor and outdoor exploration feel so naturally connected.

The museum is also expanding its focus on interactive learning, with family-friendly spaces where kids can dig, explore, and engage directly with nature-based exhibits — making it as much a living science center as a traditional museum.

What’s on: A new immersive exhibition explores the world of cats, from sabertooths to modern-day kittens, alongside “Unearthed: Raw Beauty,” which showcases some of the rarest minerals, crystals, and gemstones ever discovered.

Address: 900 Exposition Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90007

Opening hours: Daily 9:30am–5pm

Pricing: $18 adults; $14 seniors and students; $7 children (3–17); free for children under 2, active military, California teachers, and members. Los Angeles County residents receive free admission weekdays from 3–5pm. Closed the first Tuesday of each month.

Best for: families, dinosaur lovers, and anyone curious about nature and Earth’s history.

Right next door to the Natural History Museum in Exposition Park, the California Science Center is one of Los Angeles’ most engaging hands-on museums — especially if you enjoy interactive exhibits, school-age learning, and a slightly nostalgic, ’90s-era design charm that still somehow works.

Inside, the permanent galleries explore life sciences, human innovation, ecosystems, and powered flight, with a strong focus on making science feel accessible and fun. There are discovery zones for younger children, but the museum really shines for visitors who want to actively engage with exhibits rather than just observe them.

One of its biggest draws has long been the Space Shuttle Endeavour, the final shuttle built for NASA’s Space Shuttle program. While it is currently off public display as it is being repositioned inside the under-construction Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, it remains the museum’s defining centerpiece and a major reason for its global reputation.

Even without the shuttle on full display, there is still plenty to explore. The museum regularly rotates in temporary exhibitions that mix science, history, and interactive learning, often designed with families and school groups in mind. Outdoors, visitors can also see the Lockheed A-12 Blackbird reconnaissance aircraft, which adds a striking aviation landmark to the museum grounds.

Across the experience, the focus is very much on interaction — from ecosystems and biology to physics and space exploration — making it one of the most active, participatory museums in the city.

What’s on: “GAME ON! Science, Sports & Play” explores the science behind sports in a highly interactive way, while “Dogs! A Science Tail” lets younger visitors experience the world through a dog’s perspective.

Address: 700 Exposition Park Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90037

Opening hours: Daily 10am–5pm

Pricing: General admission is free; special exhibitions and IMAX films are ticketed separately. Parking $20 (after 5pm $24)

Best for: families, hands-on learning, and interactive science and space exhibits

Spread across two distinct spaces in downtown Los Angeles, MOCA is where the city’s contemporary art conversation really takes shape. As the only artist-founded museum in Los Angeles, it is dedicated to post-1940 art — and to constantly redefining what contemporary art can be.

The main branch on Grand Avenue offers a more traditional museum setting, though “traditional” is relative here. Its galleries include everything from paintings and photography to rotating exhibitions that shift frequently, meaning no two visits feel the same. One of its more permanent highlights is a gallery of works by Mark Rothko, where the scale and color fields invite a slower, more reflective experience.

Just across the city in Little Tokyo, the Geffen Contemporary presents a very different atmosphere. Housed in a converted warehouse, it is designed for large-scale installations, experimental works, projections, and immersive exhibitions that often feel more like entering an art environment than a traditional gallery space.

Together, the two spaces create a full spectrum of contemporary art in Los Angeles — from quiet, meditative painting rooms to bold, conceptual installations that push the boundaries of form and material.

One of the museum’s strengths is its willingness to embrace challenging or unconventional work. For visitors already interested in contemporary art, it is one of the most rewarding institutions in the city. For others, it can feel abstract or experimental — but that tension is part of its identity.

What’s on: At the Geffen Contemporary, the exhibition “Monuments” examines the historical meaning of monument removal through decommissioned Confederate statues and contemporary works, offering a layered look at public memory and political change.

Address: MOCA Grand Avenue: 250 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012; Geffen Contemporary: 152 N Central Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Opening hours: MOCA Grand Avenue: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 11am–5pm; Thursday 11am–8pm; Saturday–Sunday 11am–6pm; closed Monday. Geffen Contemporary: Thursday–Sunday (hours vary by exhibition schedule)

Pricing: General admission is free with timed reservations required for MOCA Grand. Special exhibitions at the Geffen Contemporary typically $18 (seniors and students $10, ages 12 and under free). Free first Friday of each month.

Best for: contemporary art enthusiasts, experimental exhibitions, and evolving modern art collections

On Museum Row along Wilshire Boulevard, the Petersen Automotive Museum is where Los Angeles’ love affair with cars is put on full display. Housed in a striking building wrapped in flowing steel ribbons, it feels just as dynamic on the outside as the vehicles inside.

Originally located in a former department store, the museum underwent a major redesign in 2015, transforming it into a high-tech, immersive space dedicated to automotive history, design, and culture. Today, it showcases around 150 vehicles at any given time, spanning the earliest days of motoring to futuristic prototypes that look straight out of science fiction.

Inside, the focus moves beyond just cars as objects and instead tells the story of automobile culture itself — especially its deep roots in Southern California. You will find everything from Hollywood-famous vehicles and iconic movie cars from franchises like James Bond and Back to the Future to elegantly restored vintage classics and high-performance supercars.

The museum also leans into interactive and family-friendly experiences, including racing simulators and exhibits inspired by animated films like Cars, making it accessible to both serious car enthusiasts and younger visitors.

One of its most talked-about features sits beneath the main galleries: the Vault. This separately ticketed space holds hundreds of rare and unusual vehicles, including motorcycles, prototypes, and one-of-a-kind models from around the world, offering a deeper dive into automotive history for those who want more.

Across its exhibitions, the Petersen balances nostalgia, design, and innovation — from 1980s and 1990s culture-focused shows to contemporary explorations of electric and futuristic vehicles.

What’s on: “Legends of the Dirt” explores off-road motorsports, “Totally Awesome!” revisits the design and culture of 1980s and 1990s cars, and a special immersive installation by street artist Mr. Brainwash blends pop art with automotive design.

Address: 6060 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Opening hours: Daily 10am–6pm

Pricing: Adults $21 (with Vault $49); seniors $19 (with Vault $47); youth 12–17 $13; children 4–11 $12; under 4 free; Vault access requires separate ticket. Parking from $18 for the first two hours.

Best for: car enthusiasts, movie car fans, and anyone drawn to fast, iconic automotive design

Perched along the Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades, the Getty Villa is one of those rare places where the building itself feels like the main exhibit. Originally opened in 1974 by oil magnate J. Paul Getty, it was designed as a recreation of an ancient Roman villa — and it still carries that sense of stepping into another world entirely.

Today, the museum is dedicated to Mediterranean antiquities, with around 1,200 artifacts on display at any given time, spanning from roughly 6,500 BC to 500 AD. The collection focuses heavily on ancient Greece, Rome, and surrounding civilizations, making it a must-visit for anyone interested in classical history, mythology, or early art forms.

Even if you are not deeply into ancient artifacts, the experience still lands. The courtyards, colonnades, and manicured gardens are carefully designed to echo the architecture of antiquity, creating a calm, almost cinematic atmosphere that encourages you to slow down and wander.

Inside, galleries are arranged to feel like a journey through time, while outside, reflecting pools, statues, and landscaped gardens extend the experience into open air. It is the kind of place where you can easily spend a few unhurried hours without feeling rushed.

The Getty Villa also shares a unique relationship with the Getty Center — parking purchased at one site can often be used at the other on the same day, making it possible to combine both experiences if you plan carefully.

After surviving recent fire-related closures and months of restoration work, the villa has reopened with renewed attention on its exhibitions and grounds, including “The Kingdom of Pylos: Warrior-Princes of Ancient Greece,” which highlights powerful stories from the ancient world.

What’s on: “The Kingdom of Pylos: Warrior-Princes of Ancient Greece” explores ancient Greek history through rare artifacts and archaeological finds.

Address: 17985 Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272

Opening hours: Monday, Wednesday–Sunday 10am–5pm; closed Tuesday

Pricing: Free admission; parking $25 (after 3pm $15, after 6pm $10). Reservations required in advance.

Best for: antiquities lovers, architecture enthusiasts, and serene garden escapes

Perched high on Griffith Park, this hilltop landmark delivers one of the most unforgettable views in Los Angeles — especially at night, when the city spreads out below in a web of lights and the famous Hollywood Sign sits quietly in the distance.

But the view is only the beginning. Inside, the Griffith Observatory blends science, architecture, and history into one of the city’s most accessible cultural experiences. You will find exhibits on space and physics, a Foucault pendulum swinging beneath a richly painted dome, and a Tesla coil that regularly comes to life with dramatic bursts of electricity.

The building itself is part of the experience, crowned by murals such as those by Hugo Ballin in the central rotunda. It is a space that feels both educational and cinematic, designed to make you look up — both literally and mentally.

One of its biggest draws is the Samuel Oschin Planetarium, which hosts immersive space shows throughout the day (ticketed separately). Even without a show, however, the observatory remains highly engaging thanks to its hands-on exhibits and rotating public programming.

Outside, telescopes are often set up on the lawn for free public viewing, while the iconic 12-inch refracting telescope on the roof offers a more traditional stargazing experience when available. It is worth staying until late in the evening if you can, as the combination of city lights and night sky gives the entire site a different kind of energy.

The observatory is also known as one of the best free experiences in Los Angeles, making it especially popular with both visitors and locals. Parking can vary depending on crowds and nearby events, but shuttle and walking options from lower lots are commonly used.

What’s on: 2025 marks the 90th anniversary of Griffith Observatory, celebrated throughout the year with public star parties, guest lectures, and special astronomy programming.

Address: 2800 E Observatory Road, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Opening hours: Tuesday–Friday 12pm–10pm; Saturday–Sunday 10am–10pm; closed Monday

Pricing: Free admission; planetarium shows $10

Best for: budget travelers, stargazers, and fans of space and skyline views