Los Angeles County Museum of Art

12/18/2012

Love LACMA!  

I got an active membership here and I go about twice a month.  For $90 a year, you get free general admission all the time, and 2 free tickets to all their special exhibits.

I took one star off because I think it's really pricy if you just go and buy tickets for each isolated visit.  

I do think the membership is totally worth it though, because it allows you to hang out and explore LACMA at a leisurely pace.  Also, not only do they have great exhibits, but they also have really fun events and talks all the time.  

Overall, it's a great spot in the middle of LA to get a little bit of culture in your life.

10/29/2013

First time I came here I came from the Stanley Kubrick exhibition... I'm mad I didn't come here earlier in life...came kinda late on a Sunday and it was the last day of the exhibition but I had tickets I had purchased and got right in..the staff is very friendly everything was beautiful... Couldn't get through the whole muesem along with the exhibition so definitely will be going back!! Awesome awesome :))))

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  First time I came here I came for the Stanley Kubrick exhibition ...

  First time I came here I came for the Stanley Kubrick exhibition ...

2/27/2013

Fav 3 things about LACMA

1. the famous light posts outside make for great photo ops. They often they have concerts outside and it's such a cool backdrop while watching a show.

2. Tim Burton Exhibit a couple of summers ago - SO cool!

3. Stanley Kubrick Exhibit is AMAZING! Even if you don't think you're a fan of his work, you would be surprised to learn about his early photography career, or that you actually like some of the movies you didn't know he made. If you're a fan (obsessed) with the Shining, you will LOVE LOVE LOVE it and must visit before it ends soon! They have the original dresses the twins wore, the typewriter "all work no play makes jack a dull boy..." types on.... as long as endless more artifacts from the movie.

1/3/2012

During this visit, I realized that I enjoy visiting museums -- alone.  

I discovered many other things that I didn't get to see during my previous visits. I enjoyed viewing pieces at my own pace by the world-famous masters such as Matisse, Mogdiliani, Giacometti, Picasso, Degas, Rembrandt, Cezanne, Mondrian, and Magritte. Also, visiting the modern art from Pollock, Ruscha, and Lichtenstein.  What I'd like to see them do is if they can move all the contemporary art at LACMA (all the work that would show at MOCA) into BCAM so that would be the center of art of our times instead of splitting the collections of contemporary art into two buildings.

As a fan of modern architecture and furniture, i highly recommend visiting the exhibition on California modern design to appreciate the talented designers from LA who have influenced modern design around the world. Also, I recommend viewing the dresses on display by LA couture designer sisters, Rodarte, inspired by the Italian art pieces around it. I can officially say that Rodarte is now one of my favorite designers. Another must is the powerful Kleinholtz installation called "Five Car Stud."

They have art studios where kids can create art near/in the Japanese Pavilion building which I was curious and wanted to go in and paint something myself.

I usually street park on 6th on Sunday as it is free and you'll just pay for your admission to the museum.

4/9/2013

Love the LACMA, came here for the Stanley Kubrick exhibit which was awesome!  Really educational to see what went on behind the scenes, the research, the models, the drafts, critiques, cameras used etc  So informative and educational.

Too bad Kubrick couldn't get his Napoleon project going ... he wanted Audrey Hepburn in the production.

LACMA is pretty vast and worth strolling thru for an afternoon.

4/7/2013

Beautiful museum. Just like Museum of Tolerance, this was the first time I have been here after a near lifetime living in LA. A co-worker sent me a link to Bank of America's customer appreciation Museums on Us weekends. There are 4 or 5 museums in LA that participate in this program and the LACMA is one. Because it was free I didn't give it the same kind of thorough walkthrough I would have if I paid $20 for admittance but it was a nice taste. Actually, if it weren't free I probably would never have made it here at all.

I absolutely loved the Southeast Asian room. Full of masks, instruments, weapons, and other intricacies from Hawaii, Polynesia, New Guinea, New Zealand, the Tonga and other cultures, it was the most unique room I've seen in a long time. I really liked the Hawaiian clubs made from shark teeth. Each room in this exhibit featured its' own country/culture and rather than listing the item and description on the display, you picked up a card at the front of the room and matched the shape of the objects with the descriptions on the card.

We also breezed through the modern art and German Expressionism exhibits. I've seen more impressive at the MoMA in NY and at the Pompidou in Paris. I absolutely adored the Rodin statue garden outside. I just went to the Rodin museum in Paris which was my first exposure to the artist so I had more appreciation for his work than someone who would walk through the garden without knowing anything about his life.

Tip: Special exhibits are not included in BofA's free pass so we did not see Stanley Kubrick.

4/30/2013

Experiencing LACMA is best done over several visits.  The campus itself is quite large and the breadth of art they exhibit spans human history and the globe.

Highlights:

*Chris Burden's Metropolis, first floor Broad Building.  An erector set on steroids with a concourse of hot wheels sized vehicles zooming around it.  So much fun to watch.  You can appreciate it at a stand still but in action, it's really something else. Operated Friday through Sunday on a schedule because they actually need a technician there while it's running to service the tiny cars as needed.

*Top floor, Broad Building.  Best enjoyed around sunset.  Gorgeous view.

*Boone Children's Gallery in the Hammer Building.  An interactive space where you can draw and paint and you don't have to be (or have) a kid to access.  

*Collection of mid-century art and material culture in the Art of the Americas building. Post PST display is on-point.

*Japanese Pavilion. The building is a work of art in itself. Start at the top and work your way down. A quiet space for contemplative art viewing.  And don't forget to check out the netsuke in the other wing.

*The park-like grounds and adjacent tar pits.  Talk about history.  Active excavations of prehistoric bones and fossils are consistently underway. Levitated Mass (the rock) almost feels like an extension of this.  Much of the flora in the the park is native and there are amphitheaters, benches and tucked away spots.

*Cocktails at Stark Bar.

These wonders and many more await you! Become a member and visit for free.  Or just be from LA County and go free during the week after 3. There are always new things to see and discover at LACMA.

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  Boone Children's Gallery

  Boone Children's Gallery
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  In the park

  In the park

9/11/2013

After much consideration, I'm giving LACMA 3 1/2 stars, which sucks because I am a proud Angelino and I love art museums. The city's public museum should be an icon of this city the way the MET and MOMA are to NYC. Sadly, it doesn't live up to its name. I would recommend the the Getty (free), the Getty Villa (free), and the Norton Simon ($10, free parking) museums to art lovers visiting Los Angeles.

The good:
-ancient artifacts from the middle east including Iran, Assyria, Babylon, Bactria.
-medieval Islamic and Indian artifacts.
-Some good Renaissance art on the third floor.
-The building itself is art, including the architecture, the patio, the parking elevators, and the lamp exhibit.
-special exhibits every now and then are worth seeing.
-I had once come to see a special Egyptian exhibit from King Tut's tomb
-Educational talks and movies, and some good programs for youth.
(but not enough of a cohesive educational experience, and not as good as the activities offered at both Getty museums)

The bad:
-disorganized layout, with small collections scattered in different buildings, not all covered by the general admission, and no way to know until you schlepp all over.
-many of the "art" exhibits miss the mark in my opinion. Examples include large empty halls filled with empty canvases...or big empty rooms with two televisions showing hand-gestures that mostly indicate numbers...or white geometric shapes that vaguely resemble buildings...I can go on and on.
-In the main building, I didn't find the abstract art on the first floor too be too great. In general, I am a fan of expressionism and abstract art, but I just didn't find this collection too great, though there were some good pieces scattered in there, including two interesting Kandinsky's.
- Although they have a good variety (hodge podge) inlcuding abstract, renassiance and medieval, ancient lands, etc., This museum is Jack of all trades and master of none...most of the collections are small and not all that special in my opinion.
-The La Brea Tar Pits: some parts closed, others not very exciting. The museum might be interesting (woolly mammoths and archaic creatures), but it was closed at 4:50pm when we went. -_-
-even the gift shop isn't as big or well-stocked or as nice as the other museums I mentioned.

The ugly:
The $15 price is hefty for what you're getting (and they have raised it, by the way), especially when it does not include all the collections. The additional $10 parking stings even more. I would gladly pay the fees if the collections were worth it, but they aren't.
-Oh, and the staff can be rude, and they're not all that helpful.

TIPS:
1) general admission (not special exhibits) FREE for under 18
2) general admission FREE for everyone on the second Tuesday every month
3) gen admission FREE for LA County RESIDENTS after 3pm Mon/Tues/Thurs/Fri with proof of residency
4) Students $10 with student ID card

Bottom Line: Might be worth a visit if you can manage to come for free using one of the methods I mentioned above; and LA residents should consider visiting at least once, but I probably will only come back if there's a special exhibit I really want to see. Visitors to LA should not waste valuable time here unless you've finished most other things on your list. You can see the outside parts (urban lights--lamp posts) quickly if you like, but there isn't all that much inside for tourists. LACMA feel like the much poorer brother of the Getty (free), Getty Villa (free) or Norton Simon ($10, free parking, free for students). It needs more funding, I think. All I kept thinking is how much it reminds me of PBS.

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• See all photos from Amit P. for Los Angeles County Museum of Art

4/3/2013

My review is strictly based on just the lights outside (featured in No Strings Attached). My friends and I came here after hours so we were only able to take pictures with those crazy lights and to be honest, that's the only reason why I wanted to go here in the first place =) It wasn't at all what I was expecting (different from what I saw in the movie); it was better. I didn't expect so many lights and I didn't think they were that tall. It was a challenge for me trying to figure out how to take pictures, what angles, and if I should do close-up or back-up. In the end, I just took however many pictures as I could and I'm happy with all of them.

I got what I came for and I enjoyed it very much. Hopefully, when I come back to Los Angeles I'll come back here and actually go inside the museum and check it out.

9/21/2013

I came here with my date on a Friday night, around 6:40PM, and was not expecting what we came across.
It was both of our first times at the LACMA, and we did not know that there was a live jazz band playing! It was great, yet really overcrowded. There was no one left in the actual musuem. Tickets were free after 6pm, as well.
I'm positive I would like to revisit this place when there are less people around (basically, not on a friday night).

5/19/2012

(Attended 5/19/12 SA @ 9:30am...and many times before): An institution that no one should miss and everyone can be proud of. LACMA is truly one of the pulse checks for the heart of Los Angeles.

On this beautiful sunny morning, I attended the Los Angeles County Museum of Art for a members-only presentation, "Art 101: Introduction to Latin American Art", which was held in the Bing Theater, where they also have scheduled movie screenings throughout the year. I'm a proud annual Active Member ($90.00), which includes special events such as the one I attended, free general admission, special exhibition tickets for two, discounts on food and souvenirs...among many other amenities.

The hour-long presentation was well attended as the theater was about 90% full (not bad for a Saturday morning). I've attended several others during this time and the attendance is about the same.

However, my review is focused on LACMA as a whole rather than this particular event. It always had top-notch limited-time special exhibits as well as long-standing ones spread out across the entire campus covering nine separate buildings and open areas. From the currently-hailed exhibit, "Children of the Plumed Serpent: The Legacy of Quetzalcoatl in Ancient Mexico" to the critically acclaimed, "In Wonderland: The Surrealist Adventures of Women Artists in Mexico and the United States" and hugely successful "Tim Burton" (both have since ended their run), you can always expect some of the best contemporary art exhibits Los Angeles has to offer. And the beauty of this place is that you can stay for an hour or spend the whole day - it's entirely up to you! Plus, there is fine food and drinks (although a bit pricey) served at Ray's, Stark Bar, and the Plaza Café (for simple lighter fare).

But if you want to give a little bit of yourself to the City of Angels, I recommend becoming a member (suggestion: Active member for $90.00 + Muse member for $50.00). With these two types of memberships, I've been able to thoroughly enjoy all that they offer...the highlight probably the discount tickets to their Muse Costume Ball!

I can't really say much about the service other than whenever I had to call or deal with anyone at the ticket office, everyone has been great!

Parking is ample and can be found on the property (underground garage), across the street on Spaulding Ave., or street parking. Parking is $10.00, but not sure how much for street parking. You may be able to park on side streets a block or two away for less, but I haven't checked that out yet. Hey, whenever you can save a buck or two, I'm willing to do it. Plus, walking is good for you.

Overall, LACMA is simply a marvelous place and one of many things I love about my city and what all tourists should have on their itinerary. If you are not a member, individual tickets are usually around $15.00 (sometimes more for special exhibits). As a member, I found complete value as noted by the prices I quoted above (total annual membership is $140 + parking for each visit), but you support a great facility, cause, and get culture in your life. The place is completely casual, so come in your boardshorts, t-shirt, and flip-flops. And they take my credit card of choice...AMEX!

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  Underneath the boulder

  Underneath the boulder
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  The boulder

  The boulder
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  The Levitated Mass exhibit

  The Levitated Mass exhibit
• See all photos from Jeff B. for Los Angeles County Museum of Art

12/30/2012 Updated review

The current Stanley Kubrick exhibit in the Art of the Americas Building, Level 2 from
November 1, 2012-June 30, 2013 is really amazing. There's a ton of Kubrick's personal effects as well as scripts and photos from nearly everything he created over the 50+ year career. Note: This exhibit requires a reservation, or a ticket, even if you are a member.

It amazing to see what Kubrick did in terms of film, technology and utilization of colors and the thought process behind this. This is a must see exhibit.

Metropolis II is one of the most amazing kinetic sculptures you'll ever see. Check LACMA's website as this is only running on weekends and 1 weekday, and is at specific times. The best vantage point is on the second floor. After you look the the macro view of 100,000 cars and trains in motion across 6 lanes of freeway, go downstairs and look at this close-up.

I really like LACMA, and the one thing they need is free wifi, like the Getty provides.

The docents and volunteers are very knowledgeable!

11/17/2013

My favorite place to visit in LA.  Both the permanent collections and the rotating collections are well curated and awe inspiring.  Contemporary, Motion Pictures, Asian, and American arts just to name of sampling of the type of art housed under the roofs of the LACMA.  Also, wandering the grounds and walking around the Tar Pits is a joy as well.

Also, free wifi, so if you want to sit in the courtyard and study, communicate, or research you can do so in a setting that has fantastic people watching.

12/10/2012

LACMA is definitely a beautiful place! They have so many different types of art from many talented people. It's a great place to come with friends to educate yourself on the different genres of art. On the other side it is a little pricey if you aren't that interested in art (plus the $10 for parking). Honestly, I'm not the largest art fan in the world but I did like a few pieces of art A LOT! I would even buy them if they were for sale (if I can afford them).

On my last visit I was viewing a piece of art and decided to take a picture. Next thing I know I have two security guards on me telling me "no photos! no photos!". Okay jeez, calm down! If it was that much of a big deal then maybe the museum should put up signs that say "no photography". I was confused since I was able to take pictures in the room right next door. Some rooms are no photography, some are okay to take a photograph and others are okay to take a photograph as long as the flash is off. They seriously need to think of purchasing a few signs that tell you what you can and cant do as far as taking a picture. At least I know they have good security since after the little mishap I had a guard shadowing me throughout the whole floor! lol Now I know that it feels like to have a personal bodyguard I guess...

Anyway, it's a beautiful place to take pictures by the huge LACMA rock or in the front next to the light exhibit.

11/13/2012

LACMA is a very, very interesting museum and place in general, and I'm glad that I paid it a visit.

I decided to go on Veteran's Day since I had the day off and it was a great experience. I would suggest going on an off day or a holiday because it seems like a place that would be super crowded on a normal Saturday.

I parked in a flat rate $7 lot and it was good for all day. Wilshire has some weird parking laws and meter issues going on, so I wanted to avoid the off chance of getting a ticket or getting towed.  From where I parked, I was able to access the tar pits and the museums quickly.

When I walked up, I was fascinated at the design of LACMA. It was very beautiful and simple. I like how open everything is and I loved the outdoor cafe area.

I paid the $20 ($15 general admission and $5 extra for the special exhibit.)  I have the feeling though, unless you are trying to see the special exhibit, no one really checks for tickets. When I walked into the normal exhibits no one checked me. Oh well!

When I walked into the special exhibit of Stanley Kubrick; I was in awe.  I loved the movie clip area before you walk into the actual exhibit. They showed clips from all of his famous movies and they highlighted clips from Kubrick himself and other film makers.  It was very interesting.

The special exhibit goes on for several rooms. The museum featured scripts, director time lines, costumes and props from his movies. I loved that.

After I was in awe by the Kubrick exhibit, I walked over to the standing exhibits. On the ground floor, I checked out some interesting German Expressionism art (some cool stuff on Metropolis) and the modern art was interesting as well. I got to see the famous Andy Warhol tomato soup can. Very cool! I also enjoyed the large amount of Picasso paintings and his other work, the Cenataur.

I went upstairs to the 3rd floor afterwards where they had a lot of French Impressionist work. I especially love Monet!

Overall, great experience and a great museum. Set aside several hours for your visit as there are a ton of things to see in each room and it takes a ton of time to work through the museum.

6/10/2014

Lovely, modern museum with works from all over, and truly all over. The ground floor has artworks native to the south pacific islands, which is my favorite. The european galleries are amazing, and they house two masters...a Jacques Louis David and an Ingres, two of my favorite artists ever. The Top floor is Islamic/Asian Art and it is really fantastic, beautiful and intricate work, daggers, armor, chests, and more.

Not only is the museum a gem, the grounds are green and cool, there's free music acts, people set up on the grass to eat and drink, having picnics and get togethers with hundreds of others, it's so refreshing to see because that does NOT exist in the deserts and out here in Arizona.

Loved the visit here, I am definitely coming back next time we're in LA

1/4/2013

The Stanley Kubrick exhibit was fantastic.
I also deeply appreciate the fun offerings (such as a violin/piano duet on Sunday night, just walk on in) that they have.

A very dynamic, exciting museum. Check their website to see what's going on, because there is a LOT.

1/22/2014

The big advantage that LA museums have over New York Museums in terms of architecture is the weather, which makes it possible to have all the gorgeous outdoor spaces--the courtyards, the gardens, the promenades--featured at the Getty, the Hammer, and of course, at LACMA as well. These really improve the museum-going experience, in my opinion. (But weather alone doesn't excuse all the terrible designs of NYC museums... get it together, New York!)

So that was one thing I really liked about LACMA. Another part of it is the variety of buildings on the campus, and of the approaches to installation found inside them. I loved the 1980s feel of the Japan building, with its ponderous gold-and-black elevator and the bonsai angles of the vitrines and the pale greenish tinge of the light in it, which complemented the objects on display therein, ranging from chunky medieval vases to delicate miniatures and inked assemblages on paper from the late 20th century. Other noteworthy displays are the pre-Columbian artifacts, where the walls are undulating stacks of thin wooden slats, and short curtains bordering the tops of the walls work with the colors of the vitrines' interiors to modulate a rainbow as you pass through the galleries, and also the South Pacific galleries, where the graceful curves of the wooden totems and tools are replicated in the benches and the arcs in which the objects themselves are positioned.

So yeah. I like the separation of the buildings and the variety that goes with them, but LACMA needs a ticketing system to go with it! They give you a paper ticket which you have to show every time you enter one of the galleries on the campus, which is a hassle, and what if you lose it? I got really annoyed when I went to the fourth floor of the American building and the security guard demanded to see my ticket. Look buddy, I showed it when I entered on the plaza level!! How did he think I got in?? I don't like a museum to make me feel like I'm in a police state where I constantly have to affirm my right to be there. This could be easily solved if they just gave people stickers to wear, like at some other museums. Please look into it LACMA.

Also I'm sorry but the Broad contemporary building at LACMA is really bad. Just a stack of huge galleries showing huge installations that have nothing to do with each other. Because of the galleries' size there are lots of stairs between each level, and the gigantic elevator is incredibly slow, so I feel like I spent more time moving among floors than I did looking at the art (exaggeration, but still). And I thought about the construction site for another Broad museum downtown, where the ads named a litany of the most famous artists: Damien Hirst! Takashi Murakami! Jeff Koons! YAWN!! How many Broad Museums does a city need??!? I think LA would be fine with none.

5/7/2014

Absolutely fabulous museum.  Their permanent collection is nicely diverse and holds some impressive pieces, and the Pavilion for Japanese Art is a gorgeous building housing a great art collection and one of the best netsuke collection anywhere in the states.  Their rotating exhibits are always worth seeing, and members get advance previews, so join and avoid the crowds.  The grounds are also wonderful, and you can take a walk through the tar pits as well.  They have free concerts (jazz Fridays, Latin sounds Saturdays, and chamber music Sundays) that serve as a community event drawing hundreds of interesting people. Definitely not to be missed, and a great place to take visitors--there's something for everyone.

3/7/2014

Wear walking shoes because this can take all day. I walked all over the four or five buildings get had to offer and discovered that there were other museums nearby! Have a lunch break by the lamplights and people watch at the tar pits.

7/7/2013

We found out we could get free admission to LACMA on the weekend so we had to check it out. It was my first time here and it was so much fun.

Free parking was easily found in one of the nearby neighborhoods.

The museum itself is huge. There are so many exhibits to look at; I could easily spend hours taking my time and looking at all the pieces. There is such a wide range of artwork here, from historical to contemporary. There are some exhibits you need to be a member for or need to have reserved a spot to experience. One of them was the James Turrell exhibit. My all-time favorite was the James Turell Darkness Room. You need to sign up for it because you spend about 8 minutes in the exhibit and only two people can go  in at a time to experience it. I've never in my life been in darkness like that. It was a different experience altogether. Definitely recommend checking it out.

I will be back for sure to take more time to look at the pieces I didn't get to.

7/19/2013

Went here a few months ago and absolutely loved it. Everything from the art to the designs are unique and creative. Didn't get a chance to see the entire place because its SO BIG!

Note: you plan to go here, wear something comfortable and make sure you have time. Just when you think your done there's more art to see.

Great for a date day/night.

10/17/2013

An absolute must see in Los Angeles.

In addition to the fantastic permanent collection they have (including Rothko, Motherwell, Pollock, Kirchner, etc) , they have a space for traveling exhibitions which has included a Kubrick exhibit (with A Clockwork Orange and The Shining objects as far as the eye can see) and will (I was very excited to learn)soon have an Alexander Caldwell exhibit. For the experienced art viewer and n00bs alike.

They also screen movies, hold concerts, and have a lovely little cafe where you can get your drink on.

P.S: Student memberships only cost 25.00 for the entire year, get on it!

2/17/2014

Hands down one of the best Museums on the West Coast. They always have such great exhibits. My personal favorite was the Tim Burton's. So, if you are just visiting and trying to make a choice.  It's great place to walk around, even in the evening and grab a drink and unwind if you like.

8/1/2013

What an excellent museum. They recently commissioned a local poet to write a few poems to accompany several of their paintings. Listening to the poems on my phone while looking at the paintings was a wonderful experience; the poems and the paintings truly elevate each other. It's the extra little touches like this that make LACMA special compared to other art museums. Also LACMA is free on weekdays after 3 pm for all LA county residents!

If poetry for paintings intrigues you, there are 5 pieces of art with accompanying poems.  My favorite is Lee Krasner's "Desert Moon" accompanied by Karen Holden's poem "Quartet for Desert Moon" in the abstract impressionist wing of the Ahmanson Building, on floor 2.

But there are also some great poems on the 3rd and 4th floor of the Ahmanson Building, including a lighthearted poem about how to live your life, told through the lens of a 15th century Nepalese  statue! I literally imagine the sculpture physically reading me the poem ... but that is probably just me being a bit delusional.

I think I have found all of the poems in the Museum. Here is a list

*Desert Moon - Ahmanson, floor 2
*St. Augustine - Ahmanson, floor 3
*Copenhagen: Roofs Under the Snow - Ahmanson, floor 3
*Head of an Old Woman - Ahmanson, floor 3
*The Buddhist Goddess Victorious Wisdom Tara - Ahmanson, floor 4

9/25/2014

This review is in reference to memberships to LACMA. Received the annual mailing to become a member and this prompted me to write this review about my experience with membership. The attraction of membership for me was the free tickets to special exhibits. For the first exhibit everything went as advertised and I called in and they sent me the tickets and no problem. Second exhibition I called and ordered the tickets and they never arrived. Called back and basically was told there was nothing they could do. If these were paid tickets I could cancel payment for non-delivery and I am sure they have a better mechanism for tracking tickets. But since these were effectively free tickets. Bottomline the annual membership did not save money.

2/17/2013

I came here just to do something instead of eating and I wound up going to the stanley kubrick exhibit which was amazing.

They pretty much had every prop from every movie there, plus tons of lenses and scripts and notes and all sorts of really cool things.

The rest of the museum was OK but nothing really compared the the main attraction.

9/25/2011

$15 Admission, $10 Parking, Free street parking if you find it.
Lots of walking space outside of museum, with bars and little cafe. Restrooms available inside museum but no ticket needed just ask security guard.

Within LACMA gated area, La Brea Tarpits, outdoor arts and great walk. = Free if you find free parking outside of LACMA first. Fun for pictures. The LA thing to do. Lots of modern older hipsters here.

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• See all photos from Diana W. for Los Angeles County Museum of Art

5/2/2014

Fun place to check out in LA.  Exhibits from all over the world and tons of things to see.  They have this huge boulder over a walkway that kids love to run under.  Very kid-friendly---there's a rope structure for them to run through also.  Don't park in the lot.  There's free street parking and food trucks across the street.

9/14/2011

Free General Admission on the 2nd Tuesday of every month and Holiday Mondays. Otherwise admission is $15 for adults, $10 for students with ID. No admission fee to visit anything outdoors (ie. Urban Light display and Sculpture Garden).

Urban Light by Chris Burden: actually smaller than I imagined it to be (which is most artwork). Since it was daytime, the lights didn't look as cool. However, it is still a great photo-op area. It probably feels like everyone is a paparazzi, always waiting a piece of it. Luckily it doesn't have feelings otherwise it'd stop smiling for the cameras.

Boone Children's Gallery: I was actually visiting the Korean Art but stumbled into an arts and crafts room, where I saw 3 tables of adults and young children painting. I walked in and discovered everything is complimentary for use (the watercolors, paper, cardboard box). I ended up staying there for 1.5 hours just painting and decorating a 4" cardboard cube. Definitely check this place out to relive your childhood. You'll discover that kids have a greater imagination and paint better than you.

Edward Kienholz, Five Car Stud 1969-1972, Revisited: pretty cool display of 5 old cars. It reminds me of a battle scene especially since the middle of the artwork is someone being punished. The scene looks totally real.

On the 2nd floor of the Ahmanson Building (right of the Urban Lights) are some of Picasso's pieces and more contemporary artwork. There is a large comb and a "flying spam" piece. The coolest one is probably the lifesize billards or "Giant Pool Balls" made of fiberglass and metal by Claes Oldenburg.  

The Broad Contemporary Art Museum is my favorite. It's the more modern architecture building (hence contemporary). The art pieces are pop-art or more "tangible." Other art works throughout the museum are what I typically think of like paintings. The 1st floor is just a huge "Band" made of steel by  Richard Serra. The 2nd floor is the ASCO art movement. The famous Andy Warhol Campbell's Soup Can on display as well (3rd floor). I personally like the 3rd floor the best especially the large showcase room. The elevator is ginormous and very cool but takes forever to call. The escalator takes one directly up to the 3rd floor. When on the 3rd floor you can see the Hollywood sign and Griffith Observatory in the distance.

Random Notes:
- Easily accessible via Metro 780. The Metro stations are usually on Fairfax and Melrose.
- Free Wi-fi at the BP Grand Entrance.
- Outdoor seating available at the BP Grand Entrance.
- Lots of food trucks on Wilshire and Ogden (directly in front of the LACMA entrance)
- 2 hour parking on Ogden Ave. ($1/hour)
- No parking on Wilshire Blvd after 4pm.

Overall, LACMA is definitely on my list of favorite museums. It's mainly due to the Hancock Park which is between LACMA and the Page Museum. The feeling may not be the same as The Getty since it doesn't have the scenic views. LACMA has more of a laid back, "let's have a picnic in the park" feeling. The La Brea Tar Pits are also located nearby and really smell like tar. LACMA is a museum everyone should visit!

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  Picasso's Head of a Woman [Profile]

  Picasso's Head of a Woman [Profile]
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  Picasso's Head of a Woman

  Picasso's Head of a Woman
• See all photos from Kathy W. for Los Angeles County Museum of Art

11/12/2013

Dang, this place is HUGE.  Sometimes I walked in one building and popped out of another with no idea how I got there.  Parking was $10 in a lot across the street.  I probably could've found a meter, but I assumed there was a 2 hr limit and there's no way that would've been sufficient.

$15 ticket got us access to everything but the Turrell exhibit.  There's easy access to the park, tar pit area, and the giant rock.  LACMA west was closed.  Resnick Pavilion was a bit funky but did have a gigantic matchbox car and electric train setup that I think would be neat for the kids.  (I think I also saw a kids art room in the Korean art area of the Hammer building.

My feet eventually got tired, so I think I missed parts of the Ahmanson bldg.  It didn't help that I went into the Ahmanson bldg and magically ended up in the Art of the Americas bldg.  Never did redeem my coupon for a free poster.

5/13/2014

Wow. I just saw the James Turrell exhibit and it was awesome. This guy studied perceptual psychology, architecture, and fine arts and creates experiential installations that are incredibly moving. Check it out while it's still there!

2/19/2014

I hadn't been able to come back to LACMA since 2004 so I was surprised to see many of the much newer exhibits. We came on a Tuesday so it was less crowded than the weekend probably would have been. Parking was easy as well.

I purchased the general admission so I wasn't able to see the special exhibits but that was fine because we managed to view all the other exhibits. I was especially pleased to hear that they now allow you to take flash-less photographs.

If you're feeling hungry there's a line of foodtrucks up and down Wilshire and if you just want to have a picnic lunch the Labrea Tarpits park is right next to the museum and the park there is free to walk through and see a few excavation sites.

I easily spent the better part of the day at the museam and would love to go back. Definitely recommended.

8/21/2011

LACMA offers just about something for everyone.

* American * Ancient American * Latin American
* Contemporary * Decorative * Modern
* European * German * Greco-Roman
* Chinese * Japanese * Korean
* African * Egyptian * Islamic

It's quite a collection. It's large. Most of it though doesn't really speak to me. Just because something is old doesn't make it classic and just because something is cool or modern doesn't make it art. Art is beauty and it is clearly in the eye of the beholder. For me, I just never feel moved or beholden to the art at LACMA.

We took advantage of the Bank of America deal to visit local museums free on the first weekend of each month. Lucky for us because regular admission is a steep $15 / person making this one of the more overpriced museums you'll find. Parking is an extra $10. The museum entrance fee doesn't include some of the Special Exhibits either. Plan accordingly.

The L.A. County Museum of Art is a nice visit once every year or two, but to be honest, I'm not drawn back with anticipation like I am to other local art museums.

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  Art of the Ancient Americas

  Art of the Ancient Americas
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  Aztec Calendar Stone

  Aztec Calendar Stone
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  Ceramic Seated Female Figure (Mexico 200 BC - 500 AD)

  Ceramic Seated Female Figure (Mexico 200 BC - 500 AD)
• See all photos from Michael S. for Los Angeles County Museum of Art

10/14/2013

We had a lot of fun playing around in the lights outside tonight.

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• See all photos from Eric J. for Los Angeles County Museum of Art

11/10/2012

If you are interested in art, sculpture, film, etc, this place is a MUST GO.

LACMA holds a great collection in regards to Ancient Egyptian, Islamic, Renaissance, Asian, and the list goes on.

I'm an art junkie and I love to go to museums and look at such works. There really is sooo much to see that your mind may feel exhausted-- but in a good way.

Overall there is too much to talk about, just go to this place if you want to see wonderful art and ponder over beautiful works.

PARKING TIP: Park on the side of the street, about a block away from LACMA and parking is FREE. Don't be a fool and pay $10.

ADMISSION TIP: Sometimes they have free days for anyone who is a LA county resident. I got in for free the day I went because od this. If they aren't offering this, then show them your student ID and only pay $10.

Oh & the guy who was handling the tickets was super sweet!

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  Red box is where I parked on 6th and Curson. For two free hours.

  Red box is where I parked on 6th and Curson. For two free hours.

4/10/2014

This is a great place to spend time with your family or significant other. There are so many beautiful exhibits to see for all types of art!

10/30/2013

After visiting MOCA I have learned that along with different styles of art there are also different styles of Museums. I walked around before I went in and I had fun for the first time in months. The lamps were in a way beautiful and some what eerie, maybe because I came during Twilight but none the less very unique. After walking though the lamps I decided to go in and explore some of the exhibits. I had come late and only got to experience a few but overall it was nice.

There was this one piece of art that allows you to walk through tubes of rubber that although dirty was also fun. I explored about five different exhibits and found all of them unique. I also happened to see an original Andy Warhall(excuse my spelling) painting along with other famous pieces.

*Side note their parking is expensive about $10 but there were other places to park for cheaper*

10/22/2013

I visited today for the first time, for the James Turrell exhibit.

The exhibit was really terrific. Better than the version at the Guggenheim in NY.

The facility is gorgeous.

4/23/2014

Cabinet for wealthy white angelenos to display their colonial trinkets.  Also some other really great art near the cabinets, just try not to get trapped in cabinet world.