Beyond Hollywood: why Los Angeles’ museums are its real star

Art is more than paint on canvas or a perfectly timed photograph, it’s about emotion and the feelings stirred within those who view it. From Paris to London, New York to Sydney, there are a handful of cities where art has become part of the fabric of the city.

Yet, there’s another deserving a place on that list: Los Angeles. In fact, though many associate it with movie magic and muscle beaches, the city is a cultural powerhouse home to the largest concentration of museums, theatres and galleries in the US.

Boasting everything from cutting-edge contemporary art spaces to traditional museums, quirky cult galleries and pop-up exhibitions, the City of Angels is an art lover’s dream.

Here are some of the artistic gems worth seeking out.

Academy Museum of Motion Pictures

‘Lights, camera, action’. Those three little words are synonymous with the silver screen, and were no doubt uttered at the start of filming countless features now seen within the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures – a venue dedicated entirely to cinema.

Josh White / JWPictures

Moviemaking in all its facets, as well as its enduring impact on the world, is the star across all seven floors of the museum, which has a collection of more than 13 million objects.

You'll have a deeper appreciation for the moviemaking craft after your visit.
Josh White / JWPictures

Among the essential exhibits is the Significant Movies and Moviemakers series home to in-depth looks at movies that have shaped society, from Casablanca and The Godfather to Boyz n the Hood.

The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA

Modern art is a bit like coriander – you either love it and you love sharing every reason you don’t. If you consider yourself in the former camp, The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA in Downtown LA is where you need to be.

The industrial exterior is an intriguing contrast to the art within.
The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, courtesy of The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, photo by Elon Schoenholz

A former police warehouse turned art exhibition space, The Geffen was re-designed by Californian architect Frank Gehry in the 1980s and now ranks among the most perplexing, inspiring and thought-provoking modern art venues in the city.

The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, courtesy of The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, photo by Elon Schoenholz

Open Thursday to Sunday, it hosts an ever-changing calendar spanning photography, sculpture, painting, movement and purpose-built installations.

Getty Center

J. Paul Getty believed art to be a civilising influence in society, so much so that businessman and art collector dedicated his adult life to making art available for the public’s enjoyment and education. His legacy continues at the Getty Center.

The gardens are well worth exploring too.
Christopher Sprinkle / J. Paul Getty Trust

The vast permanent collection includes everything from illuminated manuscripts to Roman antiquities, pieces by Leonardo da Vinci, and Vincent van Gogh’s Irises, complemented by rotating exhibitions.

Admiring the art on display at Getty Museum.
Cassia Davis / J. Paul Getty Trust

And though the treasures within are indeed impressive, so too is the building, perched on a hill in the Santa Monica mountains and clad in 16,000 tonnes of travertine stone sourced from Italy. Every angle is worthy of a photograph.

The Broad

Striking inside and out, contemporary art gallery The Broad is the public home for Eli and Edythe Broad’s collection of more than 2,000 post-war and modern artworks.

The Broad was designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, in collaboration with Gensler.
Iwaan Baan

Opened in 2015, it’s become a landmark among the many landmarks of Downtown LA, with the 120,000 sq ft building featuring two floors of gallery space and hosting an active program of rotating exhibitions.

'Infinity Mirrored Room - The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away', by Yayoi Kusama.
Yayoi Kusama

Two of its most famous exhibits are the Infinity Mirrored Rooms by artist Yayoi Kusama – guaranteed to dominate your Instagram feed, yet there’s much more to delve into also.

Griffith Observatory Museum

Mankind has long looked to the stars in search of answers and meaning. At Griffith Observatory in Griffith Park, the pursuit of the astronomical is both celebrated and explored in close detail.

The observatory enjoys a commanding position overlooking the city.
Griffith Observatory

Featured in movies including Charlie’s Angles: Full Throttle and La La Land, it’s also a phenomenal location to breathe in views of the city as it sprawls before you from Mount Hollywood to the lapping waves of the Pacific Ocean.

Expand your knowledge of the universe at Samuel Oschin Planetarium.
Griffith Observatory

On any given night you’ll see numerous people gazing skyward through public telescopes, while during the day the wonders of the universe are brought to life via the Samuel Oschin Planetarium and permanent exhibits.

Caption: Griffith Observatory has been an icon of the city since 1935.

Petersen Automotive Museum

Porsche, Ferrari, Chevrolet, the Batmobile… Petersen Automotive Museum is a celebration of life in the fast lane, featuring rotating exhibitions like The Cars of Film and Television parked alongside an extraordinary collection dubbed The Vault.

Petersen Automotive Museum cuts a striking figure on the corner of Wilshire and Fairfax.

Among its wares are American classics, hot rods and the personal rides of Hollywood stars, plus rare cars, motorcycles, and trucks spanning over 120 years of automotive history.

'The Best in Low' exhibition is a must-see.

Of course, though already home to more museums and art institutions than any city in the Us, Los Angeles is not resting on its laurels – there are several new museums in the works, of which the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is perhaps the most highly anticipated.

A render of the forthcoming museum.
Lucas Museum of Narrative Art

Set to open in 2025, the museum will focus on the art of storytelling, how it connects and shapes society, with its collection set to include paintings, sculptures, murals, comic art, books and more.