Best Museums to Visit in Los Angeles

Teleport Back in Time And Let History Take The Lead In Los Angeles—A City More Than Just Blockbuster Dreams And Bright Lights!

Los Angeles is known for its sun-soaked beaches, downtown, Hollywood glamour, food, and exhilarating theme parks, but it’s also home to a world-class museum scene. With 100-plus museums across L.A. County, visitors can explore art, science, music, and more.

The Natural History Museum delves into biology and anthropology, while the GRAMMY Museum celebrates American music history. Contemporary art lovers will be captivated by The Broad, and the Guinness World Records Museum offers a fun look at record-breaking feats.

Whether you're into science, photography, or modern art, L.A. has a museum for you. Check out these best museums in LA and add a cultural twist to your trip!

Los Angeles County's Natural History Museum has been the biggest of its type on the West Coast in the newly established Exposition Park. The museum is home to a 35 million specimen collection from 4.5 billion years ago since its initial establishment in 1913. The original structure had to be expanded four different times from 1925 to 1976 due to the increasing size of the collection. In addition to being a significant educational and preservation resource, the museum is a thriving research hub, housing collections and studies in 15 different scientific disciplines ranging from geology to anthropology. The museum's remarkable collection of marine biology is especially noteworthy. It is one of the biggest displays on this subject, with more than 5,000 marine animal specimens alone. Additionally, the facility frequently borrows temporary displays.

The treasures that reside at the Getty's two locations—the Getty Center and the Getty Villa within the Pacific Palisades—are among the best in the world, especially when they involve classic art. (Note: The Getty Villa has been closed till further notice because of wildfires.) Among the attractions are Rembrandt and Van Gogh's paintings, old manuscripts and sculptures, opulent mansions and well-kept gardens, and marble bridges. Furthermore, the museum also offers breathtaking views over the Brentwood area and the rest of Los Angeles in a 360-degree panorama.

Los Angeles County Museum of Art, which has around 150,000 works spanning 6,000 years of global innovation, is praised as one of the best museums in LA and the biggest art museum in the western United States. On a sprawling 20-acre site, this museum provides visitors with a varied experience, especially of conceptual art, ranging from historic Japanese screen paintings to the internationally renowned exhibit of Islamic Art. Outside the institution's grounds, you can stroll beneath Michael Heizer's Levitated Mass boulder or explore Chris Burden's Urban Light project, which has an amazing collection of streetlamps. Additionally, LACMA offers some of the greatest museum cuisine in the area—get some salad and a smash burger along with fries in the on-site LACMA Café, or get something to take away from LACMA Marketplace when you're hungry.

The Grammy Museum is a tribute to the legendary American music industry, celebrating the artistry, history, and impact of award-winning music. Spanning 30,000 square feet, the museum offers an immersive experience that showcases both the creative and commercial aspects of music production.

Its diverse exhibits range from red carpet fashion to an interactive display on the evolution of recording technology. A dedicated Latin American Gallery highlights the rich contributions of Latin music to the industry. Visitors can also explore a state-of-the-art sound booth, where they can remix tracks or record their own cover of an iconic song.

Additionally, the museum features a 200-seat theater with exceptional acoustics, providing an intimate space for performances, screenings, and discussions that bring the magic of music to life.

The Guinness World Records Museum is a family-friendly attraction dedicated to celebrating extraordinary achievements and record-breaking feats throughout history. Featuring interactive exhibits, the museum allows visitors of all ages to explore incredible records, from the tallest person ever recorded to the world’s fastest speed-drummer.

Since its opening in 1991, the museum has been a popular destination in the city. Due to its indoor setting, it can become crowded, especially on weekends. To enhance the visitor experience, the museum may limit the number of guests allowed in at one time.

For the best experience, consider visiting early in the day to avoid long lines. Alternatively, you can purchase and reserve tickets in advance to secure your spot and streamline entry.

When it comes to the best free museums Los Angeles has to offer, The Broad stands out. It serves as a well-known museum of contemporary art in DTLA with an iconic facade that remarkably resembles a cheese grater. The interior is as distinctive, featuring almost 2,000 pieces of art produced by pop culture icons like Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Jeff Koons, Cindy Sherman, and Barbara Kruger between the end of World War II and the present. Moreover, it is a popular spot for selfies, particularly inside artist Yayoi Kusama’s two Infinity Mirror Rooms.

The most prominent industries in Los Angeles are covered by one of the city's newest museums, The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. Visitors can walk down the red carpet, grab an Oscar statuette, give an acceptance speech, and explore a wealth of knowledge regarding the history of Hollywood filmmaking at the museum, which opened its doors in 2021.

Los Angeles' top destination for art enthusiasts interested in works developed after the 1940s is the Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles, also known as MOCA. Although it was established in 1979, the museum didn't formally open till the following year. Rather than being bought, more than 90% of the artwork in the MOCA was donated by private collectors. Today, 6,000 pieces of art are on display in the permanent collection. It is also the first museum in Los Angeles created by artists. The museum's collection of artwork includes sculptures, paintings, and even movies. Moreover, a sizable collection of photographs by Reynaldo Rivera has just been uploaded there.