Los Angeles Museums

Hammer Museum
UCLA, 10899 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles 90024
310-443-7000

L.A. received its second oil mogul's art monument in 1990, with the opening of the Armand Hammer Museum. (The first was J. Paul Getty's spectacular museum.) Located in Westwood Village near UCLA, the Hammer's collection of masterworks by such artists as Rubens, Rembrandt, Goya, Monet and Van Gogh forms the basis of some exhibits, but the museum has also hosted some impressive traveling shows of contemporary art. The museum's shop and bookstore are well-stocked and well worth a browse, while the Hammer Cafe by Wolfgang Puck serves up sandwiches and salads made with locally supplied ingredients.

Hours: Open Tues., Wed., Fri. & Sat. 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Thurs. 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; closed Mondays.

Admission: Adults $7; seniors and alumni $5; UCLA students and faculty free; 17 & under free; general admission free Thursday; discounted parking with validation.

Autry Museum of Western Heritage
4700 Western Heritage Way
Los Angeles 90027
323-667-2000

Skillfully blending scholarship and showmanship, the Gene Autry Museum of Western Heritage is dedicated to preserving the real and imaginary history of the Wild West. The permanent collection covers everything from hand-tooled saddles to gear from cowboy movies and TV programs, including a charming Hopalong Cassidy children's room. A sculpture court is surrounded by Guy Deel's "Spirits of the West" master mural, and a theater features classic Western films and live performances. Guided tours are available by reservation. Don't miss the gift shop stocked with everything from Stetson hats to Native American jewelry and pottery.

Hours: Open Tues.-Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Thurs. 10 a.m.-8 p.m; some Mondays and holidays.

Admission: Adults $7.50; seniors & students $5; ages 2-12 $3; under 2 free; free admission Thursdays after 4 p.m.

The California African American Museum
Exposition Park
600 State Dr.
Los Angeles 90037
213-744-7432

This twenty-year-old museum examines the art, history and culture of African-Americans. Various parts of the extensive permanent collection are always on view, including African art (masks, carvings), nineteenth-century African-American landscapists, an important group of assemblage work and sculpture from the 1960s and work by contemporary artists. There are changing exhibits as well.

Hours: Open Wed.-Sat. 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; the first Sunday of each month from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Admission: Free; guided group tours available; parking $6.

California Heritage Museum
2612 Main St.
Santa Monica 90405
310-392-8537

This small museum in a historic house has a collection of items relating to California's cultural history, including toys and California pottery. A tiny gift store offers books, old-fashioned postcards and decorative items.

Hours: Open Wed.-Sun. 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Admission: Adults $5; students & seniors $3; members & children under 12 free; parking free.

The Fowler Museum of Cultural History
UCLA, Fowler Bldg.
Los Angeles 90024
310-825-4361

A small but enticing museum built of red brick in the Romanesque-style on the UCLA campus, the Fowler displays an intriguing permanent collection of cultural objects from around the world. Excellent changing exhibits, such as the popular Art of Haitian Voudou and the ominous Scene of the Crime installation, make this establishment cutting edge. Steps away from the Fowler Museum, the Franklin Murphy Sculpture Garden is where brown squirrels, faculty, students and visitors share the green quads with works by Rodin, Calder, Hepworth, Maillol and many others. Deborah Butterfield's horse sculpture and the series of bronze reliefs by Matisse on the façade of Dickson Art Center are stunning. The Fowler Building is on the north campus between Royce Hall and the Dance Building.

Hours: Open Wed.-Sun. noon-5 p.m.; Thurs. noon-8 p.m.

Admission: Free; campus parking $8.

The Getty Museum at the Getty Center
1200 Getty Center Dr.
Los Angeles 90049
310-440-7300

Welcome to the Acropolis of Los Angeles. This monument of gleaming rough-cut travertine, glass, waterfalls and reflecting pools is the controversial crowning achievement of modernist Richard Meier and cost approximately one billion dollars to build. A tram transports visitors up the steep slope from the parking lot, and from the moment you step into the stunning white plaza you are in another world. California artist Robert Irwin designed the Central Garden, which cascades down to a dramatic pool in which an island of azaleas appears to float on the water. The six buildings that make up the center are connected by courtyards, walkways and terraces with spectacular views, and the hilltop site itself covers 110 acres.
The Getty Center is composed of a museum and five institutes devoted to research, education and conservation. The Museum at the Getty Center displays the fabulously wealthy J. Paul Getty trust's impressive collection of decorative arts in 14 galleries designed in period styles to complement the furniture. The Getty has a nice collection of illuminated manuscripts, and while the painting and sculpture collections are spotty, there are certainly some splashy showpieces. State-of-the-art computer-controlled skylights bring natural light into the 22 paintings galleries. The museum also has one of the best collections of photographs in the world, though not much is on view. Interactive learning stations outside each of the museum's pavilions provide visitors with more information about exhibits. Since it opened, the Getty Center has been L.A.'s biggest draw, and it's necessary to plan in advance for reservations if you intend to drive there and park. You can, however, arrive by bus or taxi without reservations. Try to plan your trip to catch the sunset, but if you can't, at least plan to enjoy the views from the terraces at either the cafe or the restaurant.

Hours: Open Tues.-Thurs. and Sun. 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. 10 a.m.-9 p.m.

Admission: Free; parking $7, cash only.

Heritage Square Museum
3800 Homer St.
Los Angeles 90031
323-225-2700

This open-air museum located in a historic preservation area presents exhibitions and programs covering the history of Los Angeles from 1865 to 1914. Historic buildings were moved here from all over Los Angeles and restored.

Hours: Open Fri., Sat., Sun. and most holidays 12 p.m.-5 p.m. Hours may vary October to March (call ahead).

Admission: Adults $10; seniors $8; children 6-12 $5; museum members & under 6 free. Guided tours available.

Hollywood Entertainment Museum
7021 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles 90028
323-465-7900

Located in the heart of Hollywood in the Galaxy Theater Complex (steps away from the Chinese Theater and The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel), this funky museum means well but hasn’t figured out how to turn its authentic artifacts into impressive displays. There’s an effort to be interactive, but the special effects don’t match those of the movies, so it’s a weirdly diminishing experience.

Hours: Summer (Memorial Day-Labor Day) 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. daily; winter (Labor Day-Memorial Day) Mon.-Sun. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.; closed Wednesdays.

Admission: Adults $12; seniors $10; students (with id) $5; museum members and under 5 free; parking $2 for two hours.

The Huntington Library Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
1151 Oxford Rd.
San Marino 91108
818-405-2275

Henry Huntington certainly had delusions of grandeur: He built his own petit Versailles in San Marino. His estate and grounds are now an important scholarly center whose collections are both exhibited for public enjoyment and maintained for research purposes. The Huntington’s collection of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century oil paintings (including Gainsborough's "Blue Boy"), furniture and decorative pieces (including a wealth of Greene & Greene designs), rare books and manuscripts (including such treasures as letters from George Washington and Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales") are shown in thoughtfully curated exhibitions. The botanical specimens, situated in 150 awe-inspiring acres, draw plantsmen and women from around the world. The cactus and succulent garden is like a sci-fi forest and should not be missed.

Hours: Open Tues.-Fri. noon-4:30 p.m.; Sat.-Sun. 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; summer (June - August) Tues.-Sun. 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Admission: Adults $15; seniors $12; students $10; ages 5-11 $6; children under 5 free; groups of 15 or more $11 per person; museum members free; first Thursday of every month free.

Japanese American National Museum
369 E. First St.
Los Angeles 90012
213-625-0414

Dedicated to presenting and interpreting the culture and history of Japanese Americans, this museum opened in 1992 in a landmark Buddhist temple. On a site just across the street, a stunningly beautiful 85,000 square-foot new building designed by Gyo Obata (who designed the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum) opened in 1999. The museum's permanent collection ranges from art to kimonos and reminders of the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII. Historical exhibits are artfully designed and include many homey, donated artifacts; art exhibits often honor American artists of Japanese descent. A database allows visitors to track Japanese American family histories.

Hours: Open Tues.-Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Thurs. 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

Admission: Adults $8; seniors $5; students and children 6-17 $4; under 5 & museum members free; free every Thursday from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. and all day every third Thursday of the month.

Long Beach Museum of Art/Sculpture Garden
2300 E. Ocean Blvd.
Long Beach 90803
562-439-2119

One of the most dynamic and youthful museums in Southern California opened in 2000 with a new building and 12,000 square feet of gallery space. The new building's exterior complements the original 1912 California bungalow, which now houses the museum shop, café and administration, but the interior is strictly minimalist, in keeping with the contemporary and avant-garde art (with a strong bent toward video) exhibited. Shows change often, and the museum closes during installations, so be sure to call first. The view of the Pacific is stunning, the grounds are tranquil.

Hours: Summer (June-November) open Tues.-Sun. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and Wed., Thurs., Fri. until 9 p.m.; winter (November-June) 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Admission: Adults $5; seniors & students $4; museum members & under 12 free; general admission free first Friday each month. Parking free.

Los Angeles Children's Museum
310 N. Main St.
Los Angeles 90012
213-687-8800

In August 2000, the museum shut its doors to the public in order to build their new facility at Hansen Dam Recreational Park on 1,400 acres of land located in the Northeast San Fernando Valley. Slated to reopen in 2007, the new exhibits will focus on community such as a bustling street fair and an Olympic Park, each emphasizing Los Angeles and its place in the world, which includes linking Angeleno children with other children from all over the world. The museum will also provide improved recreational and playground areas with trails, swimming areas and horseback back riding facilities.

Hours: Temporarily closed.

Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)
5905 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles 90036
323-857-6000

The visually arresting Anderson Building, with its stepped façade and abundance of glass brick, faces Wilshire Boulevard and is a familiar sight to most L.A. residents. Add to that the trio of original LACMA buildings, circa 1964, and the latest addition, an architectural exuberance known as the Pavilion for Japanese Art, and you have LACMA. Most of the museum's permanent collection is housed in the Ahmanson Building. The pre-Columbian art is especially noteworthy, as are the Gilbert collection of mosaics and monumental silver, and an important Indian and Southeast Asian art collection. LACMA also houses American and European paintings, sculpture and decorative arts and one of the nation's largest holdings of costumes and textiles. The Pavilion for Japanese Art is a superb setting for the internationally-renowned Shin'enkan collection of Japanese paintings. LACMA has also taken over the former May's Department Store in the next block, now known as LACMA West, which houses special exhibitions and an extension of the Southwestern Museum. As for the rest of the museum, there is an outstanding exhibition roster, wonderful film retrospectives at the Bing Theater, a gift shop and bookstore, and a quite decent indoor/outdoor cafeteria as well as Pentimento, one of famed chef Joachim Splichal's spawn cafes. Don't miss the free jazz programs on Friday nights.

Hours: Open Mon., Tues. & Thurs. noon-8 p.m.; Fri. noon-9 p.m.; Sat.-Sun. 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; closed Wednesdays.

Admission: Adults $9; seniors & students $5; under 17 free; general admission free after 5 p.m. and second Tues. each month. Special exhibition prices vary. Parking free after 7 p.m.

Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History
900 Exposition Blvd.
Los Angeles 90007
213-763-3466 (DINO)

This is a comfortable, old-fashioned institution, complete with a charming, coffered-ceilinged marble rotunda. Children are naturally drawn to the hands-on exhibits of the Discovery Center, but there's something for everyone here: a dinosaur gallery, a bird hall with walk-through habitats including Condor Mountain and a tropical rain forest, a most impressive display of gems in their natural states, a hall of Native American cultures, exhibits tracing life in the Southwest from 1540-1940 and a butterfly house where visitors can walk through a myriad of free-flying butterflies. There's an awe-inspiring exhibit of dueling dinosaurs in the entry hall.

Hours: Open Mon.-Fri. 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.; sat., Sun. & holidays 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Admission: Adults $9; students, seniors & ages 13-17 $6.50; 5-12 $2, under 5 free; general admission free first Tues. each month. Parking $5-$10.

MAK Center for Art & Architecture L.A.
835 N. Kings Rd.
West Hollywood 90069
323-651-1510

Housed in the former studio-residence of internationally renowned architect Rudolf Schindler, the MAK Center is one of the most exciting educational centers for modern art and architecture on the West Coast. The Austrian-born Schindler was one of the pioneers of what we think of as California Modern. His designs were marked by generous amounts of redwood, skylights, outdoor fireplaces and spacious gardens. Groundbreaking exhibitions utilize both the interior and the gardens, with an adjacent bookstore offering a fine selection of books on Schindler, modern architecture, catalog of special exhibitions, postcards, bookmarks and more.

Hours: Open Wed.-Sun. 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Admission: Adults $7; students & seniors $6; under 12 free; general admission is free Friday 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA)
California Plaza, 250 S. Grand Ave., Downtown
Los Angeles 90012
The Geffen (Temporary) Contemporary at MOCA
152 N. Central Ave., Little Tokyo
Los Angeles 90012
213-626-6222

Since its 1986 launch, MOCA has come a long way in the quality of exhibitions, media and performing events it has programmed. The museum structure, designed by Arata Isozaki, is a triumph, with its beautifully proportioned and abundantly skylit galleries. The donation of 64 minimalist and neo-impressionist works from the collection of the late Barry Lowen, together with an acquisition from Count Giuseppe Panza di Biumo, forms the cornerstone of MOCA's permanent collection. The museum paid $11 million for Panza's brilliantly uneven group of works by such figures as Mark Rothko, Franz Kline and Robert Rauschenberg. The permanent collection has been buoyed by noteworthy gifts of works by Jackson Pollock, Piet Mondrian and Alberto Giacometti, some 200 vintage and contemporary prints from the estate of L.A. photographer Max Yavno, and major works by Johns, Reinhardt, Diebenkorn and Warhol. An outdoor café serves tasty fare during the day. Be sure to get your parking validated to avoid the exorbitant charge. MOCA has also retained its original, temporary location in an old police warehouse that was overhauled in 1983 by Frank Gehry. It's affectionately known as the TC or Temporary Contemporary.

Hours: Open Tues.-Wed. & Fri. 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat. & Sun. 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Thurs. 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

Admission: Adults $8; seniors & students $5; under 12 and members free; general admission free Thurs. 5 p.m.-8 p.m.

Museum of Flying Santa Monica Airport
2772 Donald Douglas Loop N.
Santa Monica 90405
310-392-8822

Located on the north side of the Santa Monica Airport, the Museum of Flying features such historically significant aircraft as the "New Orleans," in 1924 one of the first to circle the world; an authentic air-worthy Spitfire and the Douglas DC3. It also has one of the most complete aviation and aeronautical libraries in the country. It is temporarily closed for reconstruction and is slated to reopen in 2006.

Hours: Temporarily closed.

Museum of Latin American Art
628 Alamitos Ave.
Long Beach 90802
562-437-1689

Founded in 1996 by Dr. Robert Gumbiner, this is the only museum in the Western United States dedicated to the exhibition, interpretation and study of the contemporary art of Mexico, Central and South America and the Spanish speaking Caribbean. Housed in a building constructed in the 1920s—which functioned as a roller rink until the 1970s—MoLAA is undergoing a transformation under the auspices of distinguished Mexican architect Manuel Rosen and is destined to become the cornerstone of Long Beach's developing East Village Arts District. The museum, to be completed in 2007, will triple in size and will include a gift shop and a restaurant. The adjacent building will become a performing arts center. While MoLAA has no permanent collection just yet, it does present a fascinating series of traveling exhibitions.

Hours: Open Sun. 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Tues.-Fri. 11:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.; Sat. 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

Admission: Adults $5; seniors & students$3; under 12 free.

Museum of Neon Art
501 W. Olympic Blvd.
Los Angeles 90015
213-489-9918

This museum is a celebration of artifacts that light up and move. The collection includes both fine art neon work by artists (celebrated and emerging) and historic signage. Special exhibitions change every three months. Classes are available in neon design and technique. Be sure to inquire about the neon night cruises (via bus) of the city's dazzlers.

Hours: Open Wed.-Sat. 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun. noon-5 p.m.; second Thurs. each month 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

Admission: Adults $5; seniors & students $3.50; children & members free; general admission free on the second Thursday of every month from 5 p.m.-8 p.m.; parking free in Renaissance Tower with validation.

Museum of Television & Radio
465 N. Beverly Dr.
Beverly Hills 90210
310-786-1000

A branch of the Museum of Television & Radio in New York, this former Beverly Hills bank was transformed by Getty architect Richard Meier into a sleek facility featuring exhibitions as well as screening and listening series using its computerized collection of over 100,000 television and radio programs. Covering more than 70 years of broadcasting history, the programs range from news, public affairs and documentaries to the performing arts, children's shows, drama, sports, comedy and advertising. The museum's state-of-the-art library has private consoles where visitors can screen or listen to selections from the museum's database. Industry heavyweights and well-known performers lead seminars in the theater; call for a schedule. The gift shop has an excellent selection of books and memorabilia.

Hours: Open Wed.-Sun. noon-5 p.m.

Admission: Adults $10; students & seniors $8; children under 14 $5; members free; parking free.

Museum of Tolerance & Simon Weisenthal Center
9786 W. Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles 90035
310-553-8403

The Museum of Tolerance set out to be “a symbol of society's quest to live peacefully together and a resource for information and counsel on how to reach that goal.” The museum has two central themes: the history of racism in America, and the story of the Nazi Holocaust. The two themes are displayed interactively in separate areas. Exhibits include the “Whisper Gallery,” a re-enactment of the infamous Wansee Conference, in which Nazi leaders devised a “Final Solution of the Jewish Question,” the Hall of Testimony, where visitors listen as Holocaust survivors bear witness, and the Global Situation Room, where the center's research staff tracks anti-Semitism and human rights violations worldwide.

Hours: Open Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m.; Fri. 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m.; call for tour times.

Admission: Adults $10; seniors $8; students $7; children $7; parking free.

Norton Simon Museum
411 W. Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena 91105
818-449-6840

The recently redesigned and reopened Norton Simon exhibits a world-class collection in a deceptively modest environment. Low key, even for Pasadena, the museum’s exterior lulls the visitor into strolling unmindfully at first, passing Rodin's monumental sculpture “The Burghers of Calais,” and then stepping into elegant, understated galleries. What you’re not prepared for are the eye-popping masterpieces, many brightened through recent cleaning and restoration work. The gallery walls groan with Renaissance and eighteenth- and nineteenth-century European works, and the Impressionist examples are particularly fine. The Galka Scheyer Collection of the Blue Four (Kandinsky, Klee, Feininger and Jawlensky) is superb. Some of the works are innovatively displayed, with pieces from different epochs complementing and reinforcing one another. It may be jarring to the traditionalist, but, after all, this is California.

Hours: Open Thurs.-Mon. noon-6 p.m.; Fri. noon-9 p.m.

Admission: Adults $8; seniors $4; students & visitors under 18 free; parking free.

Pacific Asia Museum
46 N. Los Robles Ave.
Pasadena 91101
818-449-2742

This is the only museum in Southern California to focus on the arts of the Pacific Rim. Housed in the historic Grace Nicholson Building, it's authentically outfitted with a Chinese roof, tiles, koi pond and bronze dragons. The museum gift shop offers relevant books, jewelry, toys, masks, textiles and more.

Hours: Open Wed.-Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Fri. 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

Admission: Adults $7; seniors & students $5; general admission free fourth Friday each month. Free parking.

Page Museum of La Brea Discoveries
5801 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles 90036
323-934-PAGE

In spite of all those gleaming office towers and the ever-expanding LACMA, the famous La Brea tar pits continue to bubble up, giving us a glimpse of our primordial roots. After checking out on-going excavations from one of the observation pits in Hancock County Park, head into the museum, for a tribute to the creatures that once roamed Wilshire Boulevard. A hologram of a saber-toothed cat changes from skeleton to a realistic image, a miniature tar pit simulates the sensation of being pulled into the mire and a paleontology lab allows you to watch scientists at work piecing together the past. There are several audio-visual presentations and a storeroom of drawers filled with fossil bones.

Hours: Open Mon.-Fri. 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat., Sun. & holidays 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; park tours begin at 1 p.m., museum tours at 2 p.m.

Admission: Adults $7; seniors & students $4.50; ages 5-12 $2; under 5 free; general admission free the first Tues. each month. Parking $8 ($2 refund with validation).

The Petersen Automotive Museum
6060 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles 90036
323-930-CARS

The Petersen Museum is a member of the L.A. County Natural History Museum and was conceived to explore the analogous development of the automobile and culture in Los Angeles. It's housed in a former department store on Wilshire Boulevard’s Museum Row. Two hundred vintage vehicles are displayed in authentic and detailed surroundings: a 1929 Richfield gas station, a 1931 Auburn/Cord auto dealership, a 1920s street scene, a 1950s custom body shop, a scene from the Laurel and Hardy classic Hog Wild, as well as other stars and their cars. Visit the third-floor Discovery Center where kids can learn the principles of automotive science using cars donated by the May family.

Hours: Open Tues.-Sun. 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; closed Mon. except holidays.

Admission: Adults $10; seniors & students $5; ages 5-12 $3; under 5 & museum members free; parking $6.

Richard M. Nixon Presidential Museum & Birthplace
The Ronald Reagan
Presidential Library & Museum
40 Presidential Dr.
Simi Valley 93065
805-522-2977

This museum features permanent displays depicting the life and presidency of Ronald Reagan, including a full-scale replica of the oval office and a piece of the Berlin Wall. There are three exhibition spaces for temporary exhibits, which include American historical displays, as well as special art shows such as the paintings of Prince Charles.

Hours: Open daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Admission: Adults (12 and above) $7.95; seniors $5.95; students $4.95; children 7-11 $3; below 6 free.

Santa Monica Museum of Art
Bergamot Station
2525 Michigan Ave.
Santa Monica 90404
310-586-6488

The Santa Monica Museum of Art (SMMOA) has moved from its original spot on Main Street to Bergamot Station. In lieu of keeping a permanent collection, the museum presents diverse exhibitions, as well as performances and projects by lesser-known artists in new and unconventional contexts. The new 10,000-square-foot-space, which includes a book and gift shop and an education center, has been modified by the architectural firm of Narduli/Grinstein, but the exterior of the building retains its industrial flavor.

Hours: Open Tues.-Sat. 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Admission: Suggested donation adults $3-5; seniors, students & artists $2.

Skirball Cultural Center
2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd.
Los Angeles 90049
310-440-4500

What was once a small museum housed in Hebrew Union College has become a thriving center of cultural activity. Its new location, designed by Canadian architect Moshe Safdie, is an oasis built into a mountain off the 405 freeway and includes, in addition to the museum, a conference and performing-arts facilities, as well as a café. The museum's collection is filled with fascinating Judaica, from a reconstruction of an archaeological dig in the Near East to a room filled with Torah-based religious decorative arts and a display of American Jewish art and artifacts that chronicle the experience from antiquity to immigration to America. There's also a Children's Discovery Center, which offers archaeology practice digs. Several special exhibitions a year feature corresponding lectures. Although the main focus of the Skirball organization has been the Jewish experience, it now has adopted a new and exciting multicultural credo.

Hours: Open Tues.-Sat. noon-5 p.m.; Thurs. noon-9 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Admission: Adults $8; seniors & students $6; under 12 free; free on Thursdays noon-9 p.m.

Southwest Museum
234 Museum Dr.
Highland Park 90065
323-221-2163

On a clear day, this hillside museum offers a commanding view of the mountains. The Southwest Museum is one of the city's treasures, as every local schoolchild knows. It showcases Native American arts and crafts and gives visitors a glimpse of what California and its neighboring states were like before the Spanish and American colonizations. The pottery and basket collections are especially good, as is the exhibit detailing Plains Indian cosmology, clothing and war rites. Rotating special shows feature everything from contemporary photography to prehistoric pottery. The gift shop is a favorite of collecting cognoscenti, and the Braun Research Library houses one of the world's finest collections of material on Native American cultures.

Hours: Open Tues.-Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Admission: Adults $7.50; seniors & students $5; ages 2-12 $3; parking is free.