5 Museums in Los Angeles to Explore from Home

Set on the south-facing slop of Mount Hollywood, in LA’s Griffith Park, The Griffith Observatory offers panoramic views of the city and surrounding area. Although a lot of people travel to the site just to look at the view, the observatory itself is also well worth a visit. 

Inside the Griffith Observatory, you’ll find an immersive planetarium and around 60 exhibits exploring space and our interplanetary knowledge. The observatory is dotted with public telescopes, giving you the chance to put your new-found knowledge into practice. There are also a number external exhibits that allow visitors to learn more about the sun, moon and stars.  

Outside the observatory, you’ll find Griffith Park, one of the largest urban parks in North America. Griffith Park is crisscrossed with hiking trails and dotted with viewpoints, making it a fantastic destination for a day out. 

This interactive museum is dedicated to the history and winners of the Grammy Awards. Located in Downtown LA, the museum houses a fantastic collection of music artefacts including costumes, instruments and audio and video recordings. 

Exhibits on show at the Grammy Museum cover everyone from The Beatles and Bob Marley to Taylor Swift and the Backstreet Boys. The museum also regularly hosts live performances and events, some of which are available to view online. 

A campus of the Getty Museum, The Getty Center opened to the public in 1997. The Getty Center is home to a collection of pre-20^th century artworks including paintings, manuscripts, sculptures, photographs and drawings. 

The complex itself was designed by American abstract artist and architect Richard Meier. Made up a of series of buildings and gardens, it attracts around 1.8 million people every year, making it one of the most visited museums in North America. 

A contemporary art museum located on Grand Avenue in Downtown LA, The Broad was financed by philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad and opened to the public in 2015. The museum focuses on contemporary art and has over 2,000 pieces in its impressive collection.   

Some of the most famous artists featured at The Broad include Jeff Koons, Andy Warhol, Cindy Sherman, Ed Ruscha, and Roy Lichtenstein. There are also regular special exhibitions showcasing other works from the museum’s collection as well as pieces on loan from other institutions

Next to The Broad you’ll find the Walk Disney Concert Hall. Designed by legendary architect Frank Gehry, it’s also well worth a stop on your digital tour of downtown LA. 

Founded in 1961, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, or LACMA, is the largest art museum in the western United States. Its collection contains around 150,000 pieces and holds works dating from pre-history right up to the modern day. 

Most of the museum's special exhibitions feature modern and contemporary art. You’ll find ancient and renaissance works in LACMA’s permanent collection. There are also some popular exhibitions focussing on the work of contemporary directors. Two of the most visited are those featuring Stanley Kubrick and Tim Burton.