If there is anything you can do in this town for free, you absolutely should take advantage of it. What better way to fill your days than by taking in all the magical, thought-provoking art this city has to offer without the price of admission? Without further ado, we present: the best free museums and galleries in Los Angeles.
1. The Broad
This spectacular building is home to 2,000 works of art that form part of the Broad collection, which is considered one of the best postwar and contemporary art collections in the world. You’ll get to see works from popular artists like Jeff Koons, Barbara Kruger and Takashi Murakami. In fact, Murakami’s solo exhibition features 18 works created throughout his career. General entry is completely free, but you’ll need to make a reservation first.
📍 221 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Free, reservations required
🗓 Closed Monday, open Tuesday-Sunday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
2. California Science Center
The California Science Center is located in Exposition Park, next to the Natural History Museum and University of Southern California. Their goal is to educate and share the importance of science in our lives to Angelenos. Their permanent galleries, including space shuttle Endeavour, are free and do not require a reservation. We consider this one of the best free museums for kids in Los Angeles, so gather up the family and have a blast.
📍 700 Exposition Park Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90037
Free, no reservations required
🗓 Open Monday-Sunday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
3. Getty Center
Explore 14th Century Venetian art to antique 18th Century furniture at this incredible white-tiled complex with exquisite gardens and views of the city. Make sure you don’t miss the evolving 134,000-square-foot Central Garden, designed by Robert Irwin.
📍 1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90049
Free, reservations required
🗓 Closed Monday, open Tuesday-Friday from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
4. Getty Villa
The spectacular setting of this “villa” is just as fascinating as the 1,000+ artifacts it holds, making it a must-see in Los Angeles. You can deep-dive into art and history spanning 6,500 BC and 500 AD or simply stroll the gardens for a breath of fresh, ocean-crisp air. But fair warning: Getty Villa parking is $20 per car or motorcycle and $15 after 3 pm.
📍 17985 Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
Free, reservation required
🗓 Closed Tuesday, open Wednesday-Monday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
5. Griffith Observatory
“Explore the universe for free” without leaving Los Angeles at this iconic cultural gem. Not only is this epic Art Deco building the backdrop for dozens of classic films, but it’s also home to fascinating astronomy resources and powerful telescopes. You can explore the museum from Friday to Sunday and take in a magical sunset over the city with the panoramic views from the surrounding grounds.
📍 2800 East Observatory Road Los Angeles, CA 90027
Free, no reservation required
🗓 Closed Monday, open Tuesday-Friday from 12 p.m.-10 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday from 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
6. Hammer Museum
The Hammer Museum and its mix of historic and cutting-edge artworks are not only visually stunning, they often question our society’s most pressing questions relating to culture, politics and ethics. Experience fabulous free exhibitions that often feature the works of Los Angeles-based artists in person.
📍 10899 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90024
Free, no reservations required
🗓 Closed Monday, open Tuesday-Sunday from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
7. Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
The Huntington Gardens are easily one of the most stunning places to visit in L.A. Be sure to book out a few hours to check out hundreds of rare materials in the Library Exhibition Hall and stroll the acres of their gorgeous gardens in between! The first Thursday of every month is their Free Day and requires a reservation. You can snag a coveted free ticket here on the last Thursday of every month starting at 9 a.m. With normal admission costing between $25-$29, this may be one of the best free museum days in Los Angeles.
📍1151 Oxford Road San Marino, CA 91108
Free the first Thursday of every month only
🗓 Closed Tuesday, open Wednesday-Monday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
8. Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
Mark you calendars: Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (ICA LA) opens with its summer exhibitions on Saturday, June 10. Browse radical and progressive art that speaks to the political and social challenges of the modern world at the 12,700-square-foot industrial space in DTLA.
This cultural incubator is the perfect place to inspire innovative thinking as you immerse yourself in illuminating stories that take on every form, from films and live performances to poetry and multimedia installations. Their commitment to making contemporary art accessible means free admission, always. Find out more here.
📍 1717 E 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90021
Free, no reservations required
🗓 Closed Monday and Tuesday, open Wednesday and Friday from 12 p.m.-6 p.m., Thursday from 12 p.m.-7 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
9. LACMA
You will undoubtedly recognize the 202 iron lamps that make up Chris Burden’s Urban Light in front of the one and only LACMA. However, there are plenty of modern and traditional masterpieces to admire inside the museum too. It’s the largest art museum in the western United States, boasting a collection of more than 142,000 objects that illuminate 6,000 years of artistic expression across the globe.
While LACMA is not a fully free museum, they waive admission every second Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., plus L.A. County residents can get in for free on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3 to 5 p.m. or on Fridays from 3 to 8 p.m.
📍 5905 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90036
Free on select days
🗓 Closed Wednesday, open Monday-Tuesday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Thursday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Friday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Friday from 11 a.m.- 8 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday from 1o a.m.-7 p.m.
10. MOCA
This artist-founded gem is home to over 7,000 objects and some of the most compelling contemporary art in the world, including works by Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko. Browse ground-breaking, historically significant exhibitions all for free (excluding special exhibitions) at MOCA.
📍 250 South Grand Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90012
Free, no reservations required
🗓 Closed Monday, open Tuesday-Tuesday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursday from 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Friday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
11. MOLAA
Located in Long Beach, MOLAA is the only museum in the U.S. dedicated to featuring and highlighting both modern and contemporary Latin American art. Founded in 1996 in Long Beach, California, MOLAA has since doubled in size and now boasts over 1,300 works of art. While general admission is typically $15, the museum is totally free to the public on Sundays from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
📍 628 Alamitos Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90802
Free on Sunday, reservations required
🗓 Closed Monday and Tuesday, open Wednesday-Sunday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
12. Hauser & Wirth
📍901 East 3rd Street Los Angeles, CA 90013
Free, no reservations required
🗓 Closed Monday, open Tuesday-Sunday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
13. California African American Museum (CAAM)
While the California African American Museum (CAAM) is currently closed for renovations, this expansive 44,000-square-foot facility will be reopening on August 5, 2023 with a handful of provocative exhibitions. Located at Exposition Park, the CAAM mission is to research, collect, preserve and interpret for public enrichment the history, art and culture of African Americans with an emphasis on California and the western United States. This is a totally free museum in Los Angeles, with the exception of special exhibitions and events.
📍 600 State Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90037
Free, reservations required
🗓 Open daily from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
14. LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes
Situated in two historic buildings in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles, LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes is a lively community center, museum and performance space where people gather to celebrate the richness of Latinx culture through art, dance, music and storytelling. They recently expanded with the opening of LA Plaza Cocina, a groundbreaking museum that’s solely dedicated to Mexican and Mexican-American cuisine.
Revel in the beauty of their rotating exhibitions for free, and don’t miss their permanent exhibition, LA Starts Here!, an eye-opening collection of personal narratives, photographs, artifacts and videos that documents the untold stories of Indigenous, Mexican and Mexican-American people who shaped the city of Los Angeles.
📍 501 North Main St., Los Angeles, CA 90012
Free, no reservations required
🗓 Closed Monday and Tuesday, open Wednesday-Sunday from 12 p.m.-5 p.m.
15. Holocaust Museum LA
Holocaust Museum LA is not only the oldest Holocaust museum in the United States, it’s the first-ever survivor-founded museum as well. Since 1961 the museum has existed to commemorate and memorialize loved ones who perished, honor those who survived and educate the public on the irreparable impact of the Holocaust and its social relevance today.
The museum’s exhibitions are filled with historical artifacts, photographs, films, historical documentation and artistic interpretations of events in hopes of inspiring a more dignified and humane world. Although general admission costs $15 from Monday-Saturday, the museum is completely free on Sundays.
📍 100 The Grove Drive Los Angeles, CA 90036
Free all day Sunday, reservations required
🗓 Monday-Sunday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.