(Los Angeles County Museum of Art)
***LACMA Virtual Tour***
About LACMA
Address: 5905 Wilshire Bl., Los Angeles, CA , 90036
Phone: 323-857-6000
Hours: Thurs. & Fri. 11a-5p / Sat. & Sun. 10a-7p / Mon. & Tues. 11a-5p / Closed Weds.
Admission: It ranges from $16 for Seniors up to $25 for those residing outside of L.A. County. Check here for details: https://www.lacma.org/tickets
Website: https://www.lacma.org
When does LACMA offer free admission?
Basically, LACMA is free to all visitors on the 2nd Tuesday of each month and to L.A. County residents after 3p on weekdays (except closed on Weds). Its also free to all visitors on these holidays: MLK Day, Presidents Day, and Memorial Day
Are there more opportunities for free admission to LACMA based on special statuses?
Yes, the following special statuses or special days offer more opportunities for free admission to LACMA. This includes:
- One adult guest with child (17 and under), every day (when you sign up for NexGen, a free membership program for kids)
- Bank of America debit or credit card holders, first full weekend of every month
- SoCal Museums Annual Free-For-All Day, Saturday, February 2, 2019
- Professional Personal Care Attendant (PPCA) accompanying a paying visitor who requires such care. Complimentary admission for a PPCA may be requested at a LACMA Ticket Office.
- Members from 24 museums nationwide receive free general admission through the Reciprocal Membership Program.
- LACMA members every day and children under 17 every day.
Where can I park at LACMA and how much does it cost?
There are two parking lots near LACMA where you can park. One lot is called the Pritzker Parking Garage, 6006 W 6th St., Los Angeles, CA 90036. It is one block east of Fairfax.
A second lot is at the corner of Wilshire Bl. at Spaulding Avenue. Both charge $16, $8 after 7p entry. Prepay at pay station located in each parking lot. Both lots are accessible for the disabled.
Remember to check out our main L.A. Museum Guide page.
What’s in the regular collection at LACMA?
The regular collection at LACMA spans centuries, styles, geography and methods. It features its most popular installation, Urban Light (2008), by Chris Burden. Other notable works: Woman with Handkerchief (1937) by Pablo Picasso, Flower Day (1925) by Diego Rivera, Sous-Bois (1894) by Paul Cezzane, Cold Shoulder (1963) by Roy Lichtenstein. Artists in the collection include: Auguste Rodin, Ansel Adams, Erte, Paul Strand, Salvador Dali and just about every other artist you ever heard of (and thousands you haven’t).
What are the upcoming special exhibitions for LACMA?
TBD
What are other visitors are saying about LACMA?
Both the reviewers on Yelp and tripadvisor gave LACMA a 4.5 rating. Most visitors have mentioned that you need a number of hours to see many of the art works in the collection. Many folks say the highlights for them included seeing LACMA’s extensive collection of Picasso’s and Matisse’s. These are housed in the Ahmanson building, the heart and soul of the collection. It also includes Weeping Woman with Handkerchief, Monet’s pieces and Andy Warhol’s works. If you have limited time and can only visit one building, this is the one visitors highlighted the most.
The Hammer Building focuses on Asian Art including from China and Korea. The Chinese sculptures impressed those who came to tour this collection. There is also a Pavilion of Japanese Art which is three stories tall and has a lot of household objects such as tea sets, vases, bowls versus paintings. Also has the best restroom according to one visitor. The Art of the Americas building was popular with reviewers from Yelp and tripadvisor who wanted to focus on American Art as well as Latin American Art during their visit. If you are interested in contemporary art, the Broad Contemporary Building is the place to see current pieces including the long-visiting and extremely popular Rain Room. Bing Center is where you’ll find the LACMA museum cafe and their theater where LACMA hosts various film showings on a variety of topics for visitors.
And most everyone who visited mentioned seeing the outdoor installation, Urban Lights by Chris Burden. This is a must especially at sunset as the lights turn on. This might be the most popular single piece of art work at any museum in L.A.
Many patrons recommended walking under another outdoor piece by Michael Heizer. Levitated Mass, Heizer’s installation, is a giant bolder suspended above visitors’ heads and took quite a feat to move over a decade ago to its permanent site at LACMA. Some see it as a tribute to the timeless forces that built our beautiful planet and others view it as a representation of the fragility of our lives and the fact a large boulder aka meteor or climate change could wipe out life as we know it.
Both Urban Lights and Levitated Mass seem to be everyone’s favorite spots to take pictures, many that end up as Facebook cover photos.
Other mentioned not to miss LACMA’s extensive exterior and interior sculptures.
The biggest negatives mentioned by visitors was the cost of admission combined with the cost of parking making it one of the more expensive museum visits in L.A. (except if you go during times the museum is free). Others mentioned construction in the various areas at different times being an issue in that they felt they didn’t get to see as much as they’d like to.
Where should I eat when visiting LACMA?
Coffee and Milk Cafe at the museum has basic coffee, drinks and snacks.
LACMA Cafe has burgers, fries, shakes and other basic American faire provided by the noted Patina Group.
Ray’s & Stark Bar at LACMA goes beyond museum cafe food and includes a full bar. Menu items include sea bass, steak, salads and pizzas.
What other attractions are near LACMA?
- Petersen Automotive Museum
- La Brea Tar Pits
- Farmer’s Market and the Grove
About Petersen Automotive Museum, 6060 Wilshire Bl., Los Angeles, CA 90036.
Within a couple of blocks of LACMA is the Petersen Automotive Museum. If you’d love to take a sentimental tour through the history of automotive design, this is a must see stop on your itinerary. The over 300 vehicles in the 10,000 plus square feet space takes you on a journey through time from when vehicles were as big as boats, all chrome and fins. Famous cars from movies are also featured be it Herbie Love Bug or the car from the movie Cars.
About La Brea Tar Pits, 5801 Wilshire Bl., Los Angeles, CA 90036.
La Brea Tar Pits is adjacent to LACMA and the perfect spot to bone up (no pun intended) on your archeological history. Mammoths and dinosaurs were trapped here for thousands of years in what became Wilshire Bl. (the street that fronts the museum) until they were excavated and put on display for all who have wondered what it was like when these giant beasts roamed the Earth.w
About Farmers Market and the Grove, 6333 W 3rd St., Los Angeles, CA 90036
The iconic Original Farmers Market is where you can buy and enjoy a variety of foods and produce and sits right next door to the famous Grove shopping mall. Parking is available off La Brea next to the Farmers Market and you can literally walk from the Market to the Grove.
Muy bonito