Art lovers and creatives descend on the largest art museum in the western US to view collections spanning the history of art from ancient times to the modern day.
Commonly known by the acronym LACMA, this vast museum is situated on Wilshire Boulevard, right in the heart of LA’s cultural area. It spans a 8-hectare site and comprises seven buildings crammed with more than 100,000 objects dating from ancient times, right up to the present day. Find inspiration among the giant canvases and gilt-framed artworks, sculptures, prints, photography, costumes and textiles. Works are helpfully divided into categories including Egyptian art, Japanese art, art of the ancient Americas and modern and contemporary art. Find a little peace and quiet away from the general LA hustle and bustle with its round-the-clock entertainment and theme park distractions.In 2004, the museum began an ambitious 10-year expansion and renovation named the “Transformation”. This expansion will see the redesign of public areas and gardens, and exhibition space and buildings will be added. One addition will be the Broad Contemporary Art Museum, a three-storey, 5,600-square-metre space dedicated to post-World War II art, which will include works by contemporary artists such as Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol.If you are visiting with children, there are plenty of activities specially designed to engage young minds, including art classes and activities coordinated with special exhibits. Art isn’t the only attraction at LACMA. Visitors also come to hear the free live music. On Friday evenings, there are lively jazz sessions to enjoy and there’s classical music at the Bing Theatre on Sundays.The museum is situated 11 kilometres west of downtown LA. There is paid parking at the Pritzker Parking Garage nearby on Sixth Street. The museum is open every day except Wednesdays.
