Best Museums in LA

Learning is cool as hell, and these museums in Los Angeles prove that whether you’re exploring the ancient world, the wonders of the universe, or the depths of the human condition, museums aren’t just for school field trips.

From the moment you arrive, you’ll be transported back to the Ice Age, where woolly mammoths, sabertooth tigers, and giant sloths roamed the earth. The grounds and park surrounding the main building are what make this one of the best museums in Los Angeles because the tar pits aren’t ancient history like most fossil-based museums. Viscous black liquid bubbles up from the ground with orange cones placed near it so unsuspecting travelers don’t step in sticky puddles of goo. There are also multiple active excavation sites where you can watch archeologists release ancient specimens from their goopy prison. 

Inside the La Brea Tar Pits Museum, you can see these fossils identified, cleaned up, and displayed. They have skeletons of animals meticulously put back together, along with walls and walls of partial remains that show just how many different species have been uncovered. They also have one of the coolest gift shops ever, with fossils, adorable stuffed sabertooth tigers, and jewelry crafted from ancient bones.

Tip for Locals: 

The La Brea Tar Pits has free admission for locals Monday through Friday from 3-5, as well as free admission at any time for teachers, students, military members, and CA EBT card holders. The surrounding Hancock Park is a great place to bring the kids for the afternoon, where they can play alongside life-sized statues of Ice Age animals and explore the Pleistocene Garden with its ancient foliage. Just make sure your kids know not to step in tar, you don’t want that tracked back into your minivan.

Even if you’re not an art lover, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (aka LACMA) may look familiar. Its famous "Urban Light" sculpture by artist Chris Burden can be seen in multiple movies like “No Strings Attached” and “Valentine’s Day,” as well as a few commercials, including one for Guinness beer. Once you enter the museum, you’ll be met with an array of classic and contemporary art exhibits that are constantly rotated to feature new work. The art ranges in style, medium, and period, so every room features something new for guests to enjoy.

We get that perusing a quiet art gallery can be a snoozefest to some, which is totally valid. We think LACMA also knows that art museums aren't for everyone because they decided to liven things up a little with their live music series. Every Friday from May to October, Jazz at LACMA hosts some of the best jazz musicians in LA, and the best part is it’s completely free to enjoy. Other music series include Latin Sounds on Saturdays and their Classical Around Town concerts sprinkled throughout the month.

Tip For Locals: 

They have a fantastic Summer Art Camp for kids and early teens where they can try working with different art mediums to get their creative juices flowing. Programs range from photography, drawing fundamentals, and even a course on how to draw like a scientist.

Stargazing in LA? Despite the light pollution, it’s not only possible but utterly awe-inspiring at the Griffith Observatory. This famous hilltop landmark is one of the best museums in Los Angeles, filled with 60 unique exhibits that unlock the secrets of the universe for visitors. For anyone who has ever dreamed of going to space, this is an absolute do not miss. We recommend starting your visit at the Planetarium, which is an extra cost but totally worth it. The show will take you from the intergalactic to the microscopic through its star projector, digital projection, state-of-the-art dome, and live storytellers. This fantastic production will get you into the perfect mindset for exploring the rest of what the Observatory has to offer. If it isn’t already obvious, make sure to stay after it gets dark so you can observe the stars and other cosmic sights through their massive telescopes. 

Tip for Locals: 

Want more stargazing? The Observatory partners with the Los Angeles Astronomical Society, and they have a massive list of local groups on their site if you want to join one. They also put out a monthly Sky Report that includes any notable objects in the sky with information on how to observe them.

The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Garden offer visitors a three-in-one combo of culture unlike anywhere else in the city. Their library is one of the greatest research libraries in the world and will leave every bibliophile drooling. This massive hoard of knowledge houses over 12 million items dating back to the 11th century and spans every topic imaginable, from antique atlases to vintage science texts to medieval manuscripts. One of its standout pieces is the Ellesmere Chaucer, a beautifully illustrated, near-complete version of the “Canterbury Tales” from the 15th century. Two other remarkable texts include an original copy of Newton’s “Principia” from 1687, annotated by the scientist himself, and a copy of the Gutenberg Bible from 1455. This is one of only 12 surviving copies printed on vellum instead of paper, making it an extremely rare find.

The art museum is just as impressive, with multiple collections that explore over 500 years of art and culture from the United States, Europe, and Asia. The Huntington’s British art collection is one of the most significant outside of the UK, and their Asian pieces perfectly showcase the beauty and artistry of the Gilded Age. Their 31 American art galleries range from the colonial period to the present day, with one of their newest permanent exhibits, “Borderlands,” offering a more in-depth, contextualized look into American art history.

Their gardens are home over 83,000 living plants curated within 16 differently themed gardens. There are a variety of rare and endangered flora from around the world here, and there’s even a lab on site specifically for research and botanical conservation. Also, do NOT skip out on the museum gift shop here. They have some of the most gorgeous floral-themed jewelry, home goods, and stationary you’ll find anywhere. Their stuff is so cool you’ll want to make sure you set a budget, because you could easily spend hundreds of dollars in here and still have more you’d want to take home. With so much available in one space, it’s no wonder The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Garden is one of the best museums in LA. 

Tip for Locals:

If you live close enough to The Huntington to make regular trips here, we recommend becoming a member. The perks are pretty awesome, with special events like summer picnics on the lawn with live music, early admission to the grounds, and access to special exhibits and festivals all included.

Natural History Museum of LA County

It wouldn’t be a "Best Museums in Los Angeles" list if we didn’t include the Natural History Museum and its massive collection of dinosaur fossils. Yes, this is when we start to play the Jurassic Park theme song and excitedly don our dino t-shirts. Their newest addition is a literal one-of-a-kind that has been lovingly named Gnatalie due to the annoying swarms of bugs present during her excavation. This lovely lady is a member of a brand new species of long-necked dinosaurs, and what makes it even more unique are her olive-green bones. This makes Gnatalie the largest and most fabulous dino on display at the museum, which is no small feat because the Natural History Museum has no shortage of prehistoric reptiles. 

The Dinosaur Hall is home to over 300 fossils with 20 mounted skeletons ranging from their trio of T. Rex to their famous Dueling Dinos display. We could spend all day with these prehistoric behemoths, but then we’d miss everything else this fantastic Los Angeles museum has to offer. The Visible Vault, in particular, is a stand-out exhibit that houses over 600 rare artifacts from the ancient Mayan, Incan, and Aztec civilizations. These stunning archeological treasures are beautifully preserved and would usually be hidden away for safekeeping in the back storerooms. Instead, they’ve been brought out and carefully displayed for guests to get a glimpse into the life of ancient Americans. Another stand-out exhibit is the hands-on Discovery Center, which features interactive activities and live insects on display that are perfect for kids. Their outdoor nature gardens are a fantastic way to end the day. Take a stroll through their native wildlife exhibits and the Nature Lab, which is home to over 100 live species from around the world. 

Tip For Locals: 

Just like at the La Brea Tar Pits, which is an offshoot of the same museum, locals get free admission Monday through Friday from 3-5 pm. The Natural History Museum is also located in Exhibition Park, a 160-acre campus home to multiple museums, massive arenas hosting sports events and concerts, and a gorgeous rose garden. 

Academy Museum of Motion Pictures

Let’s get a little glitzy and glamorous with a museum that is absolutely perfect for Hollywood because it’s dedicated to everything silver screen. The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is located on Museum Row, where its many exhibits break down the art, science, and cultural impact of movie-making in ways that range from the celebratory to the critical. This fantastic Los Angeles museum has seven floors of exhibition space, multiple theaters with year-round screenings and special events, and the Shirley Temple Education Center that offers classes about the filmmaking process for both teens and budding professionals. Their ever-changing collection features deep dives into individual artists, in-depth studies into the creation and cultural impact of specific films, and ongoing exhibits that explore genres like animation and their unique approach to the movie-making process.

Tip for Locals: 

The museum closes at six, so spending a day at the museum before grabbing dinner in nearby West Hollywood is the perfect way to end your time before heading home. If you’re in the mood for some old Hollywood glamor after a day learning all about the silver screen, we highly recommend the iconic Formosa Cafe. It dates back to 1925 and was a regular hangout for celebs like Frank Sinatra and James Dean.

Museum of Death

Though this museum is one of the best and most unique in Los Angeles, it’s definitely for mature audiences and not for the faint of heart. This dark tourism hotspot is tailor-made for lovers of the macabre and is the largest collection of its kind in the world between its Hollywood location and its sister location in New Orleans. These two museums offer a completely different experience for guests because the Museum of Death only showcases genuine artifacts, no replicas. 

The exhibits at this LA spot include a serial killer art gallery, mortician and coroner instruments, crime scene photos, and memorabilia from the infamous Manson Family. Tickets are only available on-site, and the self-guided tour takes about 45 minutes to complete, but visitors are welcome to stay as long as they’d like to peruse the hundreds of items on display. Keep this in mind before you go; every exhibit here is of a serious subject matter. We know that people lacking both empathy and common sense could come in here and crack some tasteless jokes, but know that if you or your kid decide to do that, everyone in the museum will be hardcore judging you and wishing you would leave. These exhibits feature real people and real tragedies, so they should be treated with a level of respect that one would have at a funeral home because, in a lot of ways, that’s what the Museum of Death is. 

Tip for Locals: 

If you’re going to drive all the way out to Hollywood, you’ll want to make a whole day of it, and nothing pairs better with the Museum of Death than a trip to the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. If you didn’t know, they hold tons of different events here, like film screenings, live music, and even morning yoga classes if you’re an early riser. Even if they aren’t hosting an event when you visit, you can still walk through the headstones to find the final resting places of Hollywood royalty like Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney, along with the infamous gangster Bugsy Siegel. Be aware that this is still an active cemetery, so be respectful of any funerals happening nearby.