You may be visiting Los Angeles for it’s unrivalled West Coast beaches and nature, but there’s lot this glamorous city has to offer behind closed doors. Book yourself a cheap flight, a glitzy hotel and head out to these great indoor spots of L.A.
1. Bergamot Station
Artists displaying their work in disused lofts, warehouses, factories and old buildings is nothing new – it happens in cities all over the world, spawning wonderful exhibitions that often incorporate the space into the overall experience.
Occupying a former railroad station, Bergamot Station is less of an unconventional gallery, and more an assemblage of architecturally intriguing, repurposed industrial steel warehouses, like a bizarre art city. The brilliant art compound consists of roughly 30 galleries, and with an ever-changing line-up, the constantly evolving spaces exhibit an extensive variety of art mediums, such as photography, modern art, sculpture, impressionism, etc. All free of charge.
Where: 2525 Michigan Ave
Tel: +1 310 453 7535
Nearest Station: Best accessed by car
2. Cinefamily at Silent Movie Theatre
For a taste of old Hollywood and the Avant-garde, Cinefamily, a non-profit organisation intent on reinvigorating the movie-going experience, fosters a spirit of community and a sense of discovery.
Inside the kitschy Silent Movie Theatre, the 14 shows per week consist of indie films and classics, with special guests, live music, dance parties and other social events. From the comfort of the luxurious and cosy sofas at the front, or the more conservative chairs further back, guests can indulge in an old-school experience, like silent films every second Saturday of the month, Friday Night Frights, or more art-house films.
Where: 611 N Fairfax Ave
Tel: +1 323 655 2510
Nearest Station: Best accessed by car
3. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
There really is something special about a large collection of preserved, natural world specimens and artefacts. Three floors of permanent exhibits make the Los Angeles Natural History Museum a gold mine for kids and adults.
The beautiful, original building, from 1913, houses animal habitats, dinosaur bones, pre-Columbian relics, a small insect zoo with live creepy crawlies, and a precious gemstone vault. The outdoor nature gardens and lab invite visitors to explore wildlife native to L.A. A constant hive of activity, school groups and families enjoy the adventure. There are tours throughout the day. One highlight is the observation area where you can watch museum archaeologists work on dinosaur fossils.
Where: 900 Exposition Blvd
Tel: +1 213 763 3466
Nearest Station: Expo Park/USC Station
4. Walt Disney Concert Hall
What looks like elaborate metal shavings arranged atop Bunker Hill, signifies the juncture of architecture, the arts and music. Home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Walt Disney Concert Hall is a modern day L.A. landmark, designed by Frank Gehry.
Stunning on the outside, the true majesty lies within the concert hall where the open, wooden space creates visual and acoustic splendour. The Walt Disney Concert Hall organ is also an aesthetically commanding presence. Seats behind the orchestra, under the organ, offer a fantastic vantage point, but if you don’t see a performance, the free guided tour and self-guided audio tours are a great way to explore.
Where: 111 S Grand Ave
Tel: +1 323 850 2000
Nearest Station: 7th Street/Metro Center
5. The Getty
881 feet above sea level sits a contemporary acropolis, perched high on a vista overlooking Brentwood. The Getty Center is architect Richard Meier’s modernist masterpiece, and home to the J. Paul Getty Museum. Only accessible by hover-train, the site was constructed with Travertine stones from the same quarry used to build the Roman Colosseum.
Featuring Western art from the Middle Ages to present-day, you can spend all day ingesting the artwork, pavilions, the beautiful Robert Irwin-designed central garden, not to mention the picturesque views. Only pay for parking, as admission is free.
Where: 1200 Getty Center Dr
Tel: +1 310 440 7300
Nearest Station: Best accessed by car
6. Huntington Library
The old estate of Henry B. Huntington, built in 1919, became a world-renowned museum and library, showcasing famously rare books, botanical gardens – including desert, Japanese, rose, Chinese, palm, jungle and herb gardens – an art gallery, a performance hall, and an educational-slash-research institution.
A 36-foot high glass dome, and a sheltered courtyard, elegantly furnished with palms and ferns, welcomes you as you enter. Wandering the grounds, you’ll come by a lovely coffee shop, with tree-shaded courtyard, enticing a break from viewing 18th and 19th-century British and French artists, as well as American artists from the 1690s-1950s. Most of what’s on offer might not technically be “indoors”, but the gardens will provide an organic refuge from the typical glitzy chutzpah of L.A.
Where: 1151 Oxford Rd, San Marino
Tel: +1 626 405 2100
Nearest Station: Best accessed by car
7. Audiences Unlimited TV Show Taping
As you take your seat, and the lights go out, a hush descends over the expectant audience before the director shouts ‘action!’ Watching the actors and crew work at the taping of a comedy TV show is a fascinating and amusing experience as you witness the intricacies of what actually happens behind the scenes.
Audiences Unlimited offers the chance to be part of a studio audience. Tickets are completely free, but they are released on a first-come, first-served basis, meaning it can be a bit of a gamble. Once you get in, you can get access to see recordings of over 30 different shows, like ‘The Big Bang Theory’ and ‘Two and a Half Men’.
Where: Burbank, California
Tel: +1 818 260 0041
Nearest Station: Best accessed by car
8. Los Angeles County Museum of Art
The LACMA is the largest art museum in the western United States, and it shows. On Museum Row, next to Hancock Park and the Tar Pits, this marvellous collection of buildings is architecturally fascinating outside, and bursting with creative brilliance inside.
Broken up into separate, digestible-sized sections, there are buildings and outdoor areas with art on display. With plenty of spaces to check out, it breaks up the typical indoor museum format, keeping it interesting for the kids. When the museum closes at 5pm, head to Ray’s and Stark bar till late.
Where: 5905 Wilshire Blvd
Tel: +1 323 857 6000
Nearest Station: Best accessed by car
9. GRAMMY Museum
Near the STAPLES Center Arena, the GRAMMY Museum provides a highly interactive exploration of all things music, across four floors. Covering every genre imaginable, you’re taken on an all-round tour, from music history to the creative and recording processes and history of the GRAMMY Awards.
It doesn’t matter how old you are, or what kind of music you’re into, there is something for every lover of music. From the 1940s and 50s through to present day, the interactive instrument stations, recording booths and visual displays are informative and highly entertaining. Try out your heavy metal voice in the Scream Booth, guitar effects pedals on stage, or playing along to a song on the drums.
Where: 800 W Olympic Blvd
Tel: +1 213 765 6800
Nearest Station: 7th Street/Metro Center
10. California Science Center
With many museums on offer in L.A., rating is difficult, but the California Science Center tops the list. A truly inspiring experience for all ages, and perhaps the most interactive museum, it will thrill even the slightly intellectually inquisitive.
Explore many worlds, like the hands-on creative world, with games and gadgets. The spectacular kelp forest aquarium, a mesmerising ecosystem of sea creatures, is always a highlight. The Center boasts an impressive collection of aircraft and spacecraft, including the Space Shuttle Endeavour, a definite must-see.
All of that, and so much more, and the price of admission is free!
Where: 700 Exposition Park Dr
Tel: +1 323 724 3623
Nearest Station: Expo Park/USC Station
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