Los Angeles has a wide variety of museums to visit, and the best of them are free. Museums are not cheap in Los Angeles. Even small ones can cost tens of dollars or more if you want to see everything inside. But many museums have free days or hours, when you can bring a group and stay for as long as you like.
Whether you yourself are a lover of museums, or if you just want to turn a family trip with your kids a little more educational, these museums are great for all. You can plan your visit to include a day or two of free museum time. Your kids can see and learn things that they never knew before, or have simply forgotten about. On the other hand, you may be surprised at how much they enjoy these places and want to stay in them forever!
Which are the Best Free Museums in Los Angeles?
Let us take them one by one, and see which ones are the best of the best. You will probably find that your favorite or most-visited museum is on this list. While you may not have to pay a penny to enjoy it, the admission fee is still worth it.
The Broad Museum
It’s very possible that you’ve seen pictures of The Broad floating around your social media feed before, especially Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirrored Room. But that’s not all The Broad has to offer; indeed, it has some of the most formative works of art the US knows of, particularly from the 1950s. You’ll be amazed at the inspiring works by renowned artists like Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat.
This glorious contemporary art museum will provide you with a one-of-a-kind experience. The Broad has over 2000 permanent items exhibited, but they also offer rotating pieces. This museum is free to all museum visitors when they enter the museum on a timed basis, and you must book your tickets in advance. Keep in mind that while going into the museum is free most of the time, there may be a special fee during certain events.
The Getty Center
This grand building can be seen from all over Los Angeles. It houses ancient Greek and Egyptian vases and sculptures. It’s a great place to see the ancient art of mankind. The Getty Center may not be as interesting as riding a tram to get to the museum, but it takes you right up to the top of the Santa Monica Mountains, just above the famous 405.
It has a huge collection of art pieces, from paintings, drawings, sculptures and more, all gathered from around the world. Pieces of art here date back from medieval times to the present day. Aside from the exquisite art inside, the gardens and grounds of the museum are lovely and masterpieces in themselves.
This incredible complex of white-tiled pavilions and travertine peaks in the Santa Monica Mountains houses exquisite French furniture, Impressionist art, and other exciting pieces. Visitors can enjoy free admission and see spectacular views, which span from the hills and ocean in the west to the city’s downtown district in the east.
Hammer Museum
When you step inside The Hammer, you will see interesting artworks, photography and art installations by artists who want you to look at the world in a new way and to bring about positive changes. The exhibiting artists believe that art is more than expressing aesthetics – they want to show that art can offer a valuable insight into current cultural, political and social issues.
Hammer founded the Hammer Museum in 1990, in part to house his own personal collection of art. It opened just three weeks before he died. It is now a unique venue for displaying contemporary art, photography and design, often with a focus on local artists. Hammer Museum also hosts a busy public events calendar throughout the year which includes free lectures, concerts and film screenings.
California Science Center
Children and adults alike can let their minds run wild at the California Science Center. It has over 150 interactive exhibits, some of them featuring live animals! Learn about different biomes and how the Earth moves and all the science that you were probably looking forward to learn in high school but never got to.
Kids will love visiting the many permanent exhibits in the museum that highlight life sciences, the development of flight, and other human inventions. But the real attraction at this museum is the Space Shuttle Endeavor, which was paraded through Los Angeles to make its way to the Samuel Oschin Pavilion. It is truly incredible to see it up close and personal. Those who are interested in space exploration will love to see it up close and learn all about its science. Space Shuttle Endeavor has only one ticket available for $3 on weekends – a bargain for people who want to see one of America’s most iconic engineering wonders up close and personal.
Getty Villa
Getty Villas are a result of the famed Getty Museum that is responsible for the world famous Getty Images. Villas of Getty are beautiful and feature an amazing collection of antiquities from the period of 4,500 BC to 400 AD. There are more than 1,200 works of art in the Getty Villas at any one time. If you don’t enjoy the art in the museum, you are sure to enjoy the beautiful architecture. Villa Locust is the world’s largest roman villa and is a work of art. It is surrounded by gardens and features beautiful mosaic floors and other interesting features.
Although the Getty Villa is much smaller than its sister campus, it is a stunning building and features many antiques. You can also check out the reflecting garden and pools! It’s free to go there, but you must make reservations if you want to visit the Getty Villas.
Final Thoughts
Los Angeles has a wealth of museums to visit if you know where to look. There are some interesting and unique exhibits in each museum, and everyone will find something they like. The best way to do this is to plan ahead ahead of time, so that you get the most bang for your buck.
Some places are more popular than others, so it would be wise to check on their websites beforehand as much as possible. Some places have special days or hours where you can enter without buying anything at all! This is one of the great things about Los Angeles – there’s never a dull moment and each day brings something new!