Museums in Los Angeles range from the free Wende Museum in Culver City to art collections at LACMA and natural history exhibits near Exposition Boulevard. From Inglewood, you can keep the day close to the Wende or plan a longer outing around the city’s larger museums.
- Nearby museum: Wende Museum of the Cold War, about an 11-minute drive from a two-star motel in Los Angeles.
- Wende admission: Free for exhibitions and public programs.
- Art: LACMA is on Wilshire Boulevard.
- Natural history: The Natural History Museum is on Exposition Boulevard, with general admission from $7 to $18 for most visitors.
A nearby option: the Wende Museum
The Wende Museum offers free exhibitions and public programs in Culver City, making it a close museum outing from Inglewood. Its full name is the Wende Museum of the Cold War, and it is a museum, historical archive and community center at 10808 Culver Boulevard.
Its regular public hours are Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The museum is closed Monday and Tuesday; Wednesday and Thursday openings are for school tours only.
Public tours are normally held at 11:30 a.m. on Fridays and 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Tour times can change or tours may be canceled when they conflict with programs, so check the official site before you go. RSVPs are encouraged, but not required.
Free parking is available in city lots beside the museum. Culver City bus lines 3 and 7 serve the area near Culver Boulevard and Overland Avenue; for transit directions from the Metro E Line or elsewhere in the Metro system, the museum recommends Google Maps. For transport context, read how to get around Los Angeles from Jet Inn.
Its entrance, public exits, galleries and outdoor facilities are wheelchair-accessible, as are the adjacent lot’s accessible parking spaces. Personal-use photography and video are allowed without flash.
For more on planning a visit, read how to plan a Wende Museum visit.
Art collections across Los Angeles
LACMA gives you an art-museum option on Wilshire Boulevard, at 5905 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90036. Its regular schedule is Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. It is closed Wednesdays, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
That schedule makes a Friday visit the longest regular opening day, while weekend hours begin earlier. Check the museum’s official site before planning around a holiday or a particular day’s hours.
How do you get from Inglewood to downtown museums?
Jet Inn is about an 18-minute drive from Los Angeles city centre, while the Natural History Museum is at 900 Exposition Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90007. For a downtown-focused itinerary, you can combine museum time with a separate plan for the city centre rather than treating the Wende, LACMA and Natural History Museum as one compact stop.
Metro’s rail and busway services include the A, B, C, D, E, G, J and K lines. The E Line runs between East Los Angeles and Santa Monica, which can help orient you when comparing transit routes.
If you are setting aside a day for downtown, a route through the area can help organize the stops. The downtown Los Angeles one-day route focuses on that part of the city.
Free admission and ticket policies
The Wende Museum is free, while the Natural History Museum charges general admission for most visitors. At the Natural History Museum, tickets cost $18 for adults, $14 for seniors age 62 and up, $14 for students with college ID or youth ages 13 to 17, and $7 for children ages 3 to 12. Children age 2 and under enter free.
Natural History Museum members receive free general admission. The museum strongly recommends advance online tickets to help ensure entry and access to special ticketed experiences. Since hours and ticket policies can change, check the official site before making plans.
Choosing a museum by location and interests
Choose the Wende for a free museum visit in Culver City, LACMA for an art stop on Wilshire Boulevard, or the Natural History Museum for a visit near Exposition Boulevard. The Wende’s focus includes exhibitions, historical archives and community programs; the other two options give your day different settings and collections to plan around.
For a single outing, compare each museum’s address and regular opening pattern with the rest of your plans. The Wende’s public hours are limited to Friday through Sunday, while LACMA closes on Wednesdays and the Natural History Museum’s schedule includes a monthly closure day with seasonal exceptions.
FAQs
Is the Wende Museum free?
Yes. Admission is free for all exhibitions and public programs.
When is the Wende Museum open to the public?
Its regular public hours are Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday are for school tours only, and it is closed Monday and Tuesday.
How much does the Natural History Museum cost?
General admission is $18 for adults, $14 for seniors age 62 and up, students with college ID and youth ages 13 to 17, and $7 for children ages 3 to 12. Children age 2 and under and museum members receive free general admission.
Which Los Angeles museum has evening hours?
LACMA’s regular Friday hours extend to 8 p.m. Its other listed days close earlier, and it is closed Wednesdays, Thanksgiving and Christmas.