Once synonymous with smog and traffic, today, Downtown LA is a destination known for its culture and green spaces.

With the Natural History Museum’s magnificent beasts and dinosaurs, Chinatown’s exotic buildings and temples and the Mexican music, traditions and foods of Olvera Street, Downtown LA is a heady mix of artistic, cultural, ethnic and historic experiences.The area spans 21 kilometres over 16 distinct districts. Fashionistas will love the hugely trendy Fashion District and culture vultures can visit the attractions around the Figueroa Corridor area or sample the delights on offer at Bunker Hill. Venture into the ethnic enclaves of Chinatown for some authentic Chinese cuisine, or Little Tokyo, a focal point for Los Angeles' Japanese American population for a bounty of rich tastes and culture. Downtown LA’s skyline is an eclectic mix of towering skyscrapers, Union Square’s art deco and Spanish Colonial Revival and the prominent stainless steel curves of the Walt Disney Concert Hall.The Frank Gehry-designed building is part of LA’s thriving performing arts scene. For classical music buffs, it’s here that you can hear a choir sing or enjoy a performance by internationally renowned orchestras and other performers, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.If you’re travelling with children, they’ll love the Natural History Museum, where prehistoric beasts roam and you can hear the mighty roar of a T-Rex. They’ll also enjoy the California Science Centre with its interactive exhibits and shows that explore how the planet and the universe work.In spite of its reputation as a bit of a concrete jungle, Downtown LA has a surprising number of parks and green spaces. Laze away a few hours on the hillside haven of Angels Knoll, by the fountains of Maguire Gardens or in the Walt Disney Concert Hall’s rooftop garden.