LA Museums: Top 5…! +
LA’s vastness hosts a good swath of museum locations. They’re not walkable but spread in the expanse of this city’s different division areas. They’re worth seeking out and all offer something particular. Here are my top 5 for first-time LA visitors especially.
1. LACMA
LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) is large. Yet the organization of the space is curated so that it feels splendid when you’re walking from one gallery to the next. It’s not overwhelming though there is a sure breadth of so much you’re exposed to. The open spaces and installations, sculptures, and building design throughout are on point.
Located downtown, the museum exists amidst 20 acres of land in the heart of LA. LACMA is home to a variety of artwork that covers work inclusive of many periods. One of the more contemporary expansions of LACMA includes the Broad Museum which is sometimes considered a separate entity and is the display and focus of contemporary work itself. Perhaps it’s the very contemporaryness of LA as a metropolis of its own design, but the works within the Broad have become staple identifiers of LA’s art scene.
LACMA also has temporary exhibitions by visiting artists from all over and it’s worth checking out what’s featured before you go. That being said, there’s a sure satisfaction in the scope of what’s consistently housed there.
Screenshot of ticket details from LACMA.org featured to the right.
2. Getty Villa
You’re not the only one who’s gotten confused about the two Getty’s. There are two and they’re different, in different locations, and differing feels amidst the artwork as well.
Getty Villa I put higher for the reason that I find it more enjoyable and more impactful, a concentration of a carefully designed space. It’s intimate, as opposed to both LACMA and the Getty Center which are multi-buildings that span thousands of years and countries.
The Villa is singular. It features Greek and Roman materials inclusive of sculptures and relics. The layout of the artwork within the house is complementary to its focus on symmetry in design. The outdoor curation of fountains and gardens in the courtyard is also a highlight and reflects the opulence of the time. The Getty Villa as opposed to the Center is also much more accessible which scores it points for visiting in my book.
Free for entry, you must reserve your slotted visitation ahead of time on their website.
3. Norton Simon
Norton Simon is a modest sized museum with only a few main galleries. The museum includes a serene outdoor garden, an always intriguing rotating feature exhibit, a succinct collection of Greats, and an under-chamber feature of Southeast Asian artwork. The chronology of this smallish museum is notably thoughtful about placements.
Open Thurs-Mon at noon to 5 PM or 7 PM.
4. Getty Center
The Getty Center overlooks LA and feels more like its own city rather than a museum.
With huge manicured gardens of varying types and origins, the buildings are brilliant white throughout the campus. Art begins from BC and spans the time forward. The mass of work that the center includes is worth spending most of a day here with a break to picnic on the green and get treats from one of the cafes, or the sit-down restaurant. The Center has a calendar of events that includes specific tours of the vast space.
To get to the Center you need to park and then take a scheduled tram up to the buildings and collection of works. Like the Villa, it’s free for entry but likewise requires entrance scheduling ahead of time. If you’re driving key to note is that GPS sometimes takes you to the wrong location, so read info from their site accordingly.
5. Hammer
An affiliate of UCLA, Hammer Museum is one of the more cutting-edge spaces of in-house provocative and international voices in artwork. The museum is known likewise for its European and American collections reflective of the museum’s founder. Hammer has a particularly interesting roster of events inclusive of screenings, relevant conversations, and compelling presentations.
Free for entry, the museum is easily accessible with parking on-site, and reservations for entrance are not required.
6. + Tanya Bonakdar Gallery
An additional rec, the small and mighty gallery in DTLA has a sister location in Chelsea as well. The program is contemporary and highlights multidimensional immersions and is inclusive to a range of mediums. There’s a deliverance of global perspective in addition to uplifting work.
What’s your favorite museum in LA?
