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The Brand Library and Art Center
Discover the hidden gem of a Moorish-inspired 1904 historic building with arts and music collections. Enjoy free films and concerts from the calendar. Admission and parking are free. Closed on Sundays and Mondays. Visit brandlibrary.org for more information.
The Broad Museum
The Broad Museum in downtown L.A. displays Eli Broad's collection, including Yayoi Kusama's "Infinity Mirrored Room." General admission is free with advance tickets recommended to avoid lines. Some exhibits have fees, and paid parking is available. Same-day tickets are released, and street parking may be an option. Visit 221 S Grand Ave., Los Angeles or check thebroad.org for more information.
California Science Center
The place is a kids' museum in Los Angeles with attractions for adults too. Free entry with $15 parking. An exhibit on Leonardo da Vinci's inventions opens on March 2. Some attractions like the IMAX Theater have additional costs. Located at 700 Exposition Park Drive, Los Angeles. Website: californiasciencecenter.org.
The Cerritos Library
The space features a 15,000-gallon saltwater aquarium and attractions like a T-Rex fossil and rainforest for kids. It promotes books and learning, with a Teen Studio for teens. Free entry and parking, but a Cerritos library card is needed for Wi-Fi. Borrowing cards are free for Cerritos residents or those working or studying there. Open daily except holidays at 18025 Bloomfield Ave., Cerritos. Visit cerritoslibrary.us for more information.
Getty Center
To explore the world's richest art museum, the Getty, in Los Angeles, visitors can park underground and take a covered tram to the top. Admission is free but parking costs $15-20. The museum offers stunning views, houses famous artworks like Van Gogh's Irises, and allows picnics. Timed admission tickets must be reserved online temporarily. Military personnel park for free with ID and the museum is closed on Mondays.
Getty Villa Museum
A replica of a Vesuvius country house near the ocean houses the Getty Museum's Greek and Roman antiquities. Modeled after Villa dei Papiri buried by Mt. Vesuvius in A.D. 79. Free admission with timed tickets online. Parking is $20, $15 after 3 p.m. Visit Getty Villa and the main complex with one parking fee. Open daily except Tuesdays.
Griffith Park Observatory
The landmark Griffith Observatory, built in 1935, offers free entry with exhibits including an Egyptian sundial and a Foucault pendulum. A planetarium show for $10 is recommended. The observatory has featured in movies and offers hiking and scenic views on clear days. Closed on Mondays. Note: parking is costly. Located at 2800 East Observatory Road, Los Angeles. Visit griffithobservatory.org.
Hilbert Museum of California Art
The newly expanded museum in Old Town Orange, near Chapman University, is reopening on Feb. 23 with free admission. It features a collection of California art, including scene painting and some Disney connections. The museum is open Tuesdays through Saturdays, and online reservations are suggested. Parking is available on the street or in the city lot at the back. Address: 167 N Atchison St, Orange. Website: hilbertmuseum.com.
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
LACMA, the largest art museum complex on the West Coast, offers free entry for Los Angeles County residents after 3 p.m. daily and for everyone on the second Tuesday of the month. Children 17 and under can join the NexGen program for free entry plus one guest. Paid parking is available nearby. Address: 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. lacma.org
Museum of Contemporary Art
MOCA is free to visit with advance online tickets. It features a sandstone building by Arata Isozaki and the Geffen Contemporary by Frank Gehry. Parking is $9 or street parking. Location: 250 Grand Ave, Los Angeles.
Museum of the San Fernando Valley
Visit the museum at Rancho Cordillera del Norte in Northridge on Tuesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays for free admission and parking. Enjoy rotating exhibits and events, such as ones about author Edgar Rice Burroughs and "The Hollywood Shorties." Location: 18904 Nordhoff St., Northridge. Contact: 818-347-9665. Website: themuseumsfvnow.org.
The Nethercutt Museum
Visit the Nethercutt Museum in the San Fernando Valley to see 130 classic cars. Open Thursdays to Saturdays with free entry to the main museum. Pay $10 for a guided tour of additional cars, musical instruments, and furniture by reservation. Free parking is available at 15151 Bledsoe St., Sylmar.
Orange County Museum of Art
Orange County's new art museum opened in October 2022 at Segerstrom Center for the Arts by architect Thom Mayne. It features 4,500 rotating art pieces, free entry, no reservations needed, closed Mondays, with free kids events, located at 3333 Avenue of the Arts, Costa Mesa. Paid parking is available nearby. Visit ocma.art for more information.
Point Vicente Interpretive Center
This small museum on Palos Verdes Drive West in Rancho Palos Verdes explores human and natural history, ideal for whale watching at a beautiful public point. Visit rpvca.gov for more information.
See an early movie
Enjoy cheap matinee movie showings, often on Tuesdays, at theaters like AMC, Regency, Starlight, Terra Vista, and Dos Lagos. Special deals include $5 tickets for loyalty members and $7.50 tickets on Tuesdays. Some theaters offer $2 kids movies on Saturday mornings, open to all.