Los Angeles has enough museums to fill a week, and several of the best are free. They are spread out, though, so it helps to group them by area: the Getty on the Westside, Grand Avenue in Downtown, Museum Row on Wilshire and Exposition Park south of Downtown. This list covers the museums we think are worth planning around, with the hours, booking rules and parking costs we checked on each museum’s site in October 2026.
In this guide
It is part of our Los Angeles attractions guide. For the no-cost picks, see our free things to do in Los Angeles.
LA museums at a glance
- Free general admission Getty Center, Getty Villa, The Broad, MOCA Grand Avenue, the Hammer
- Need a timed reservation Getty Center, Getty Villa; recommended at The Broad and MOCA
- Most common closed day Monday (Tuesday at the Getty Villa and the Academy Museum)
- Museum clusters Wilshire’s Museum Row, Grand Avenue, Exposition Park, Brentwood
- Metro note Wilshire/Fairfax D Line station closed October 23 to November 1, 2026
| Museum | Area | Admission | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Getty Center | Brentwood | Free, timed reservation | Monday |
| Getty Villa | Pacific Palisades | Free, timed reservation | Tuesday |
| The Broad | Downtown | Free, timed tickets recommended | Monday |
| MOCA Grand Avenue | Downtown | Free, reservations recommended | Check site |
| Hammer Museum | Westwood | Free, no reservation | Monday |
| LACMA | Mid-Wilshire | Paid, timed tickets recommended | Check site |
| Academy Museum | Mid-Wilshire | Paid; under 17 free | Tuesday |
| Petersen Automotive | Mid-Wilshire | Paid | Open daily |
| Natural History Museum | Exposition Park | Paid; free weekday hours for county residents | First Tuesday of the month |
Art museums
The Getty Center
The Getty Center combines European art, photographs, a garden designed as an artwork and views across the city. It is free with a timed-entry reservation. Hours are 10am to 6:30pm Tuesday to Friday and Sunday, and 10am to 9pm on Saturday. Parking is $25, dropping to $15 after 3pm. Read our Getty Center guide for the tram and transit.
The Getty Villa
The Villa holds the Getty’s Greek, Roman and Etruscan collection in a re-created Roman country house above the coast. It reopened in June 2025. Entry is free with a timed reservation, it is open from 10am to 5pm, and it is closed on Tuesdays.
LACMA
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art is the largest art museum in the western United States, with collections from ancient to modern. Its new David Geffen Galleries opened in May 2026. Advance timed tickets are recommended. Check LACMA’s site for prices and resident discounts. Chris Burden’s “Urban Light”, the grid of old street lamps on Wilshire Boulevard, is outside and free to visit at any hour.
The Broad
The Broad in Downtown holds contemporary art from the collection of Eli and Edythe Broad. General admission is free. Timed tickets are recommended, and walk-up entry is available daily. Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirror Room needs a separate advance reservation. The museum is closed Mondays, Thanksgiving and Christmas. The garage is entered from 2nd Street off Grand Avenue and costs $19 for three hours with validation. The closest station is Grand Ave Arts/Bunker Hill on the A and E Lines.
MOCA Grand Avenue
The Museum of Contemporary Art’s Grand Avenue building is across the street from The Broad. General admission is free, and advance reservations are recommended. It is open from 11am to 5pm and stays open until 8pm on the first Thursday of most months. MOCA’s Geffen Contemporary building in Little Tokyo is temporarily closed.
The Hammer Museum
The Hammer in Westwood, run by UCLA, shows contemporary art and older collections. It is free with no reservation and closed Mondays. Parking under the museum is $9 for three hours with validation.
Film and cars
Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
The Academy Museum, next to LACMA on Wilshire, covers the history and craft of film. It is closed on Tuesdays. Visitors under 17 get in free, and TAP card holders get $2 off when buying in person. A late-afternoon “Last Looks” ticket after 4:30pm costs $18 for adults. Opening hours vary by day, so check the museum’s site. Nearby parking runs from about $10 to $40.
Petersen Automotive Museum
The Petersen has three floors of cars, from early vehicles to movie cars and race cars. It is open seven days a week from 10am to 6pm, and most visits take two to three hours. The garage entrance is on Fairfax Avenue.
Science and natural history
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
The Natural History Museum in Exposition Park has dinosaur halls, gem and mineral galleries and a nature garden. LA County residents get free entry on weekdays from 3pm to 5pm, onsite only. The museum is closed on the first Tuesday of each month. The E Line’s Expo Park/USC station is nearby.
California Science Center
The Science Center is also in Exposition Park and has free general admission to its permanent galleries. The Space Shuttle Endeavour is off exhibit until its new home, the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, opens to the public on November 13, 2026. The Science Center is taking reservations for the new building now, so book ahead if seeing the shuttle is the reason for your trip.
Gardens and libraries
The Huntington
The Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens is in San Marino, near Pasadena. It has large themed gardens and art galleries. Admission is paid, but it is free on the first Thursday of each month with an advance reservation, which go quickly.
Planning tips
Plan your museum days
- Group by area. Museum Row, Grand Avenue and Exposition Park are each walkable.
- Check Mondays and Tuesdays. Most closures fall on those days.
- Book timed tickets for weekends, especially the Getty and The Broad.
- Use Metro where you can. Parking adds up quickly.
- Plan breaks with kids. Most galleries do not allow food, so use cafes or outdoor areas for snacks.
- Leave time for food. Grand Central Market is near The Broad, and the Original Farmers Market is near Museum Row.
For the transit details, see our LA Metro guide. To fit museums into a short trip, see our 3-day Los Angeles itinerary and our main list of things to do in Los Angeles. Families should also look at our list of things to do in Los Angeles with kids.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most famous museum in Los Angeles?
The Getty Center is the best known, for its art, gardens and hilltop setting. LACMA is the largest.
Which Los Angeles museums are free?
The Getty Center, Getty Villa, The Broad, MOCA Grand Avenue and the Hammer have free general admission. The Getty sites need a timed reservation.
Are Los Angeles museums open on Mondays?
Many are not. The Getty Center, The Broad and the Hammer close on Mondays. The Petersen is open daily.
Do I need tickets for The Broad?
General admission is free, and timed tickets are recommended. Walk-up entry is available daily, and the Infinity Mirror Room needs its own reservation.
Which museum is best for kids?
The Natural History Museum and the California Science Center in Exposition Park are the easiest picks for children. The Petersen is popular with car fans.
Official sources: Getty; LACMA; The Broad; MOCA; Hammer Museum; Academy Museum; Petersen Automotive Museum; Natural History Museum; California Science Center; The Huntington.
Photo credits
Featured image: Gunnar Klack / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0