Los Angeles, United States

Museums in Los Angeles

12 places, ranked by traveler reviews. The museums in Los Angeles travelers actually rate, art, history and everything odd in between.

Museum4.5

California Science Center

4,002 reviews · Exposition Park

The California Science Center in Los Angeles is a large, free science museum whose star exhibit is genuinely once-in-a-lifetime: the Space Shuttle Endeavour, a real flown orbiter you can stand beneath and marvel at up close (it's being reassembled into a full launch-stack display

Museum4.5

Petersen Automotive Museum

2,524 reviews · Mid-Wilshire

The Petersen Automotive Museum is Los Angeles's temple to car culture, instantly recognisable for its dramatic exterior of swooping stainless-steel ribbons wrapped around a red building.

Museum4.6

The Broad

1,846 reviews

A contemporary art museum in downtown LA showcasing over 2,000 works, including Yayoi Kusama's Infinity Mirrored Room and Jeff Koons' balloon animals.

Museum4.5

Japanese American National Museum

381 reviews · Downtown

Explore the history and culture of Japanese Americans through exhibits, artifacts, and programs at this acclaimed Downtown LA museum.

Museum3.9

Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles

313 reviews

MOCA showcases a world-class collection of post-1940s art in a striking red sandstone building designed by Arata Isozaki.

Museum

Museum3.5

Academy Museum Of Motion Pictures

201 reviews

Explore the art and science of moviemaking at this expansive museum housed in a former May Company building on Wilshire Boulevard.

Museum4

Hammer Museum

192 reviews · Westside

A contemporary art museum in West Los Angeles, featuring rotating exhibitions and a focus on social justice.

Museum4.5

Hollyhock House

190 reviews · East Hollywood

Frank Lloyd Wright's iconic 1920s textile-block house, now a museum in East Hollywood offering guided tours of its groundbreaking indoor-outdoor design.

Museum4

Museum of Illusions

114 reviews · Hollywood

A mind-bending museum in Hollywood featuring interactive exhibits, optical illusions, and immersive rooms that challenge perception and create unforgettable photo opportunities.

Museum4

California African American Museum

64 reviews · Exposition Park

A museum in Exposition Park exploring African American history, art, and culture through dynamic exhibits.

Museum4.5

Space Shuttle Endeavour

63 reviews · Exposition Park

See the retired Space Shuttle Endeavour at the California Science Center in Exposition Park, Los Angeles.

Museum

Museum4.5

Mosaic Tile House

33 reviews · Venice

A vibrant, ever-evolving art environment where a house and garden are completely covered in mosaic tiles, creating a whimsical and colorful experience in Venice, Los Angeles.

Tickets & tours

Skip the queue in Los Angeles

Compare live prices for entry tickets, guided tours and day trips from trusted local operators.

Find tickets & tours

Some booking links are affiliate links. If you book through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We never let this influence which places we recommend.

Good to know

What is the best-known of the museums in Los Angeles?

California Science Center is the most reviewed, with 4,002 traveler reviews and a 4.5 rating. That makes it the safe choice if you are only fitting in one.

Which of Los Angeles's museums is worth going out of your way for?

The Broad rates highest at 4.6 out of 5 across 1,846 reviews. Smaller crowds than the headline entry usually explain the gap.

How is this list of museums ranked?

By how many travelers reviewed each place, filtered to those rated well enough to be worth your time. No one pays to appear on it, and the order is refreshed monthly as new reviews land.

More of Los Angeles: see all things to do, parks & nature, markets, bars, cafes, or build a Los Angeles itinerary.