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List of museums in Los Angeles County, California

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A list of museums located within Los Angeles County of southern California.

Museums located within the City of Los Angeles, while also within LA County, are found separately listed on the List of museums in Los Angeles, California.

The list includes museums and art galleries — of historical, cultural, ethnic, science, and arts organizations, nonprofit organizations, government departments, university and college facilities, and private or corporate collections — that have galleries, buildings, and or open air spaces with exhibits and works open for public viewing.

It currently does not include virtual museums, although some of the listed physical museums have notable online collections also.

Museums

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Current

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Name Image Town/City Region Type Summary
Adamson House
Malibu Greater Los Angeles Area Historic house 1929 home decorated with Malibu Potteries tile, tour includes adjoining Malibu Lagoon Museum in the former garage, with exhibits of local history
Adobe de Palomares
Pomona San Gabriel Valley Historic house 1850s adobe ranch home, operated by the Historical Society of Pomona Valley
Alhambra Historical Society Museum Alhambra San Gabriel Valley Local history Located in Burke Heritage Park[1]
American Military Museum El Monte San Gabriel Valley Military website, military vehicles and artillery
American Museum of Ceramic Art
Pomona San Gabriel Valley Art Also known as AMOCA, collection includes Southern California dinnerware, Mettach ceramics, industrial ceramics, factory made ceramics, ancient vessels from the Americas, fine porcelains of Asia and Europe, and functional and sculptural contemporary ceramics
Antelope Valley College Art Gallery Lancaster Antelope Valley Art website, located in building FA1, the Fine Arts Building
Antelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic Park
Lake Los Angeles Antelope Valley Native American objects created by the American Indian cultures of the western Great Basin, California and the Southwest
Armory Center for the Arts
Pasadena San Gabriel Valley Art
Art Center College of Design Galleries Pasadena San Gabriel Valley Art Includes the Alyce de Roulet Williamson Gallery,[2] Public Programs Gallery and Lobby, Student Gallery, Undergraduate Fine Art Galleries, Wind Tunnel Gallery[3]
Automobile Driving Museum El Segundo South Bay Automotive restored antique, classic and special interest cars
Baldwin Park Museum Baldwin Park San Gabriel Valley Local history Operated by the Baldwin Park Historical Society, located inside the Arts and Recreation Center[4]
Battleship USS Iowa Museum
San Pedro Los Angeles Harbor Region Maritime Museum / Ship Operated by the Pacific Battleship Center, the USS Iowa (BB-61) served during WWII, Korean War, and the Cold War, and hosted 3 Presidents (President Franklin D. Roosevelt, President Ronald Reagan, and President George H. W. Bush.)
Bert Rodriguez Museum West Hollywood Westside Art website
Blackbird Airpark Museum Palmdale Antelope Valley Aviation annex of the Air Force Flight Test Museum at Edwards AFB, museum and outdoor displays including a Lockheed SR-71A, a D-21 drone and a U2 “D”; near the Joe Davies Heritage Airpark
Bunny Museum Pasadena San Gabriel Valley Commodity Over 26,000 bunny collectibles
Burbank Police and Fire Museum Burbank San Fernando Valley Multiple Open to the public one Saturday a month[5]
California Heritage Museum Santa Monica Westside Art American decorative and fine arts, includes Monterey Furniture and many examples of California tile and pottery
Carolyn Campanga Kleefeld Contemporary Art Museum California State University, Long Beach
Casa Adobe de San Rafael
Glendale San Fernando Valley Historic house information, owned by the City of Glendale
Catalina Island Museum Santa Catalina Island Los Angeles Harbor Region Local history Located in the Catalina Casino, includes Native American artifacts, over 10,000 photographs and images, a large collection of Catalina-made pottery and tile, ship models and maritime artifacts
Centennial Heritage Park Glendora San Gabriel Valley Open air Operated by the Glendora Preservation Foundation, includes Hamilton House, carriage house, windmill, citrus grove, print shop[6]
Claremont Museum of Art Claremont San Gabriel Valley Art website
Clarke Estate Santa Fe Springs Gateway Cities Historic house [7]
Craft Contemporary
Mid-Wilshire Los Angeles Art Located on Miracle Mile, it is Los Angeles' only arts institution dedicated to craft
dA Center for the Arts Pomona San Gabriel Valley Art website, community arts center with exhibitions
Descanso Gardens La Cañada Flintridge San Gabriel Valley Historic house Botanic gardens, also features Boddy House, a 22-room mansion
Destination Crenshaw Hyde Park South Los Angeles open-air museum 1.3-mile-long (2.1 km) portion of Crenshaw Boulevard preserving the history and culture of African Americans
Doctors House Museum
Glendale San Fernando Valley Historic house late 19th-century Victorian house, operated by the Glendale Historical Society
Dominguez Rancho Adobe Museum
Rancho Dominguez Los Angeles Harbor Region Historic house Adobe ranch home, also known as Rancho San Pedro
Downey History Center Downey Gateway Cities Local history website, operated by the Downey Historical Society
Duarte Historical Museum Duarte San Gabriel Valley Local history Operated by the Duarte Historical Society[8]
Durrell House Museum Azusa San Gabriel Valley Historic house Also known as Azusa Historical Museusm, operated by the Azusa Historical Society[9]
El Monte Historical Museum El Monte San Gabriel Valley Local history website
Firehouse Jail Museum Covina San Gabriel Valley Local history Operated by the Covina Valley Historical Society, former jail, features orange industry documents and artifacts[10]
Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale Glendale San Fernando Valley Art The Forest Lawn Museum exhibits western bronzes, stained glass, historical American pieces, original paintings and cultural artifacts, with specific displays for different locations around the world
Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art, California
Malibu Greater Los Angeles Area Art Part of Pepperdine University, works from the collections of the Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation
Gallery 825 West Hollywood Westside Art Operated by the Los Angeles Art Association
Gamble House
Pasadena San Gabriel Valley Historic house 1908 Craftsman-style house
George Westmore Research Library & Museum Burbank San Fernando Valley Cosmetics website, cosmetics and hair styling memorabilia, currently closed and seeking new location
Gilb Museum of Arcadia Heritage Arcadia San Gabriel Valley Local history website
Gilbert Sproul Museum Norwalk Gateway Cities Local history Operated by the City of Norwalk, open on the first Sunday of the month[11]
Glendora Historical Society Museum Glendora San Gabriel Valley Local history website
Gordon R. Howard Museum Burbank San Fernando Valley Local history Operated by the Burbank Historical Society, includes the 1887 Victorian Mentzer House, a memorabilia building including a Lockheed Aviation display, vintage vehicles, 19th century era rooms[12]
Hargitt House Museum
Norwalk Gateway Cities Historic house Operated by the City of Norwalk, late 19th-century Victorian house, open on the first and third Saturdays of the month[11]
Hathaway Ranch Museum Santa Fe Springs Gateway Cities Local history Early California ranch life and the oil boom of the 20s and 30s
Hayes House & Museum San Gabriel San Gabriel Valley Local history Operated by the San Gabriel Historical Association[13]
Heritage House, Covina Covina San Gabriel Valley Historic house Operated by the Covina Valley Historical Society, early 20th-century period Craftsman-style home[14]
Heritage Junction Historic Park Santa Clarita Santa Clarita Valley Open air operated by the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society, includes several historic houses, a railroad station, schoolhouse, chapel
Heritage Park Santa Fe Springs Gateway Cities Open air includes authentic Tongva Native American village, ranch home, and train depot complete with locomotive
Hermosa Beach Historical Museum Hermosa Beach South Bay Local history Operated by the Hermosa Beach Historical Society[15]
Historical Society of Long Beach Museum Long Beach Los Angeles Harbor Region Local history [16]
Huntington Library
San Marino San Gabriel Valley Multiple Library, art collection, historic Beaux-Art mansion and botanical gardens
Hurst Ranch Historical Center West Covina San Gabriel Valley Agriculture website, early 20th century ranch and farm with equipment, tools
International Printing Museum Carson Los Angeles Harbor Region History Working demonstrations of antique printing machines, history of books and printing, inventions and inventors that have changed the world
Joe Davies Heritage Airpark Palmdale Antelope Valley Aviation outdoor display of military and civilian aircraft flown, tested, designed, produced or modified at United States Air Force Plant 42
Justice Brothers Private Automotive Collection Duarte San Gabriel Valley Automotive History of the Justice Brothers and auto racing[17][18]
Kidspace Children's Museum Pasadena San Gabriel Valley Children's
La Casa Primera de Rancho San Jose
Pomona San Gabriel Valley Historic house 1837 adobe home, operated by the Historical Society of Pomona Valley
La Historia Historical Society Museum El Monte San Gabriel Valley Ethnic Culture of the barrios of El Monte[19]
Lancaster Museum of Art and History Lancaster Antelope Valley Multiple also known as MOAH, three locations focusing on the art, history and culture in the Antelope Valley, includes the Western Hotel Museum
Lanterman House
La Cañada Flintridge San Gabriel Valley Historic house 1915 Arts & Crafts-style bungalow
Latino Art Museum Pomona San Gabriel Valley Art website, Latin American contemporary art
Leonis Adobe
Calabasas San Fernando Valley Living California ranch life of the late 19th century
Lomita Railroad Museum
Lomita South Bay Railroad Steam locomotives
Long Beach Firefighter's Museum Long Beach Los Angeles Harbor Region Firefighting website
Long Beach Museum of Art Long Beach Los Angeles Harbor Region Art American decorative arts objects, early 20th-century European art, California Modernism and contemporary art of California
Lopez Adobe
San Fernando San Fernando Valley Historic house
MAK Center for Art and Architecture West Hollywood Westside Art Changing exhibits that challenge the relationship between art and architecture; located in the Schindler House
Mayme A. Clayton Library & Museum Culver City Westside African-American history and culture of African Americans in the United States, with a special focus on Southern California and the American West, collections of Mayme Agnew Clayton
Manhattan Beach Historical Society Museum Manhattan Beach South Bay Local history Located in the cottage at Polliwog Park[20]
Martial Arts History Museum
Glendale San Fernando Valley Multiple A historic and cultural look at Asian art, history, music and culture and its impact on American society
Mission San Gabriel Arcángel
San Gabriel San Gabriel Valley Historic church Also contains a museum about the church's history
Monrovia Historical Museum Monrovia San Gabriel Valley Local history
Monterey Park Historical Museum Monterey Park San Gabriel Valley Local history Operated by the Monterey Park Historical Society[21]
MOCA at The Pacific Design Center West Hollywood Westside Art Presents new work by emerging and established artists, branch of Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
Museum of Flying
Santa Monica Westside Local history Includes 50 vintage aircraft, and the desk/office of Donald Wills Douglas, Sr. and executive boardroom of Douglas Aircraft Company, which was headquartered in Santa Monica
Museum of Jurassic Technology Culver City Westside Art This is a meta-museum, full of loving irony. Includes a Russian Tea Room.
Museum of Latin American Art
Long Beach Los Angeles Harbor Region Art Contemporary Latin American art
Museum of Neon Art Glendale San Fernando Valley Art Art that incorporates neon lighting including neon signs and kinetic art
Nan Rae Gallery Woodbury University Burbank San Fernando Valley Art website,
Neff Park La Mirada Gateway Cities Local history website, contains Neff Home, a historic house museum, and Neff Barn with local history exhibits
Norton Simon Museum
Pasadena San Gabriel Valley Art Collections include European Impressionist paintings, sculpture, tapestry and some South Asian sculpture
Old Mill
San Marino San Gabriel Valley Mill 1816 adobe grist mill for Mission San Gabriel, also known as El Molino Viejo Museum
Oldest McDonald's Restaurant
Downey Gateway Cities Food Third McDonald's restaurant, features original design and museum
ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives West Hollywood Westside LGBT Exhibitions of LGBT art, photography and history from the archives, part of the University of Southern California Libraries
Pacific Railroad Society Museum San Dimas San Gabriel Valley Railroad website, operates from former San Dimas AT&SF Depot
Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum Long Beach Los Angeles Harbor Region Art website, art works and artifacts from Pacific islander nations
Paley Center for Media Beverly Hills Westside Media Formerly the Museum of Television & Radio
Palos Verdes Art Center Rancho Palos Verdes South Bay Art community visual art gallery and school
Pasadena City College Art Gallery Pasadena San Gabriel Valley Art website
Pasadena Museum of California Art Pasadena San Gabriel Valley Art Art and design that originates from California
Pasadena Museum of History Pasadena San Gabriel Valley Multiple Includes Fenyes Mansion with turn-of-the-20th-century furnishings and art, the Finnish Folk Art Museum and changing exhibits of local culture and history
Paul Gray PC Museum Claremont San Gabriel Valley Technology Part of Claremont Graduate University, history of personal computers, located in the Center for Information Systems and Technology
Pico Rivera Historical Museum Pico Rivera San Gabriel Valley Local history information, housed in an 1887 train depot, operated by the Pico Rivera History and Heritage Society
Pio Pico State Historic Park Whittier San Gabriel Valley Historic house Adobe home of Pío Pico, the last Governor of Alta California under Mexican Rule
Point Vicente Interpretive Center Rancho Palos Verdes South Bay Natural history website, adjacent to Point Vicente Light, natural and cultural history of the peninsula with a special emphasis on the Pacific gray whale
Point Vicente Light Rancho Palos Verdes South Bay Maritime Lighthouse tours
Benton Museum of Art
Claremont San Gabriel Valley Art Part of Pomona College; collection includes 15th- and 16th-century Italian panel paintings, Pre-Columbian to 20th-century American Indian art and artifacts, American and European prints, drawings, and photographs[22][23]
Pomona Ebell Museum of History Pomona San Gabriel Valley Local history website, operated by the Historical Society of Pomona Valley
Queen Mary
Long Beach Los Angeles Harbor Region Museum ship Ocean liner
RailGiants Train Museum Pomona San Gabriel Valley Railroad Located at Fairplex, historic locomotives
Ramona Museum of California History San Gabriel San Gabriel Valley History website, California history, operated by the Native Sons of the Golden West
Rancho Los Alamitos
Long Beach Los Angeles Harbor Region Historic house Early 19th century adobe ranch house and barns with animals
Rancho Los Cerritos
Long Beach Los Angeles Harbor Region Historic house 1844 two-story Monterey-style adobe home
Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology
Claremont San Gabriel Valley Paleontology Part of The Webb Schools, vertebrate, invertebrate, and track fossils
Redondo Beach Historical Museum Redondo Beach Greater Los Angeles Area Local history Located in the 1904 Queen Anne House[24]
Richardson House and Lizzie's Trail Inn Sierra Madre San Gabriel Valley Historic site website, operated by the Sierra Madre Historical Preservation Society
Rowland Home & Dibble Museum
Hacienda Heights San Gabriel Valley Historic house Currently closed
Rubel Castle
Glendora San Gabriel Valley Art Eclectic mix of rock buildings, discarded items and a renovated citrus packing house
Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery Claremont San Gabriel Valley Art Part of Scripps College, collection focuses on contemporary ceramics; American 19th and early 20th century paintings and works on paper; American, European, and Japanese prints; photography; Asian paintings and decorative arts
Salvation Army Museum of the West Rancho Palos Verdes South Bay History history of the Salvation Army in the Western United States
San Dimas Museum
San Dimas San Gabriel Valley Local history Operated by the San Dimas Historical Society
San Gabriel River Discovery Center South El Monte San Gabriel Valley Natural history planned museum to complement the existing Whittier Narrows Nature Center, focus on local watershed issues
Santa Monica History Museum Santa Monica Westside Local history operated by the Santa Monica Historical Society
Santa Monica Museum of Art
Santa Monica Westside Art Contemporary art
Saugus Train Station Museum Santa Clarita Santa Clarita Valley Railroad website, operated by the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society at Heritage Junction Park
Schindler House
West Hollywood Westside Historic house Designed by architect Rudolf Schindler, also features the MAK Center for Art and Architecture
South Pasadena Historical Museum South Pasadena San Gabriel Valley Local website, operated by the South Pasadena Preservation Foundation
Southern California Medical Museum Pomona San Gabriel Valley Medical located at Western University of Health Sciences, history, photos and artifacts of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing and allied medical fields
Taylor House West Covina San Gabriel Valley Historic house website, 1912 Craftsman style farmhouse
Temple City Historical Museum Temple City San Gabriel Valley Local history website, operated by the Historical Society of Temple City
The Museum of the San Fernando Valley Northridge San Fernando Valley History, Art & Culture exhibits on The Art of Tarzan, Birmingham General Hospital, Then and Now, African American History in the SFV
Torrance Art Museum Torrance South Bay Art modern and contemporary art
Torrance Historical Society & Museum Torrance South Bay Local history [25]
Toyota USA Automobile Museum Torrance South Bay Automobile Toyota automobiles and history, open by appointment only
University Art Museum Long Beach Los Angeles Harbor Region Art on the campus of California State University, Long Beach
USC Pacific Asia Museum
Pasadena San Gabriel Valley Art Arts and culture of Asia and the Pacific Islands
Vincent Price Art Museum Monterey Park Eastside Art part of East Los Angeles College, includes art from Africa, Peruvian and Mexican artifacts dating from 300 B.C., North American Indian Art, and important works from the renaissance to the present day
Virginia Robinson Gardens
Beverly Hills Westside Historic house Early 20th century period landscape, historic mansion and botanical gardens
Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum
Pomona San Gabriel Valley Automotive Memorabilia, automobiles and motorcycles related to the sport of hot rodding
Warner Bros. Museum Burbank San Fernando Valley Media Part of the VIP Tour of Warner Brothers Studio, motion picture and television memorabilia
Wende Museum
Culver City Westside History History and culture of the Cold War, particularly in East Germany, Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union
Western Museum of Flight Torrance South Bay Aviation Operated by the Southern California Historical Aviation Foundation, collection of notable jet and propeller-drive airplanes
Whittier Museum
Whittier San Gabriel Valley Historic house Operated by the Whittier Historical Society
William S. Hart Ranch and Museum Santa Clarita Santa Clarita Valley Historic house Spanish-revival home of William S. Hart, contains original furnishings, western art, mementos of early Hollywood and Native American artifacts; operated by the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
Workman and Temple Family Homestead Museum
Industry San Gabriel Valley Historic house Features the 1870s Workman House, 1920s La Casa Nueva, a Spanish Colonial Revival mansion, and El Campo Santo, one of the region's oldest private cemeteries

Former

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Burke Heritage Park". City of Alhambra. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  2. ^ "Official site". Williamson Gallery. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
  3. ^ "Campus: Resources". Art Center College of Design. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  4. ^ "Baldwin Park Historical Society". City of Baldwin. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  5. ^ "Police and Fire Museum". Burbank Police Department. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  6. ^ "Centennial Heritage Park". City of Glendora. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  7. ^ "Clarke Estate". City of Santa Fe Springs. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  8. ^ "Duarte Historical Museum". Duarte Historical Society. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  9. ^ "Durrell House Museum". City of Azusa. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  10. ^ "Official site". Covina Valley Historical Society. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  11. ^ a b "Parks & Recreation: Historic Norwalk". City of Norwalk. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  12. ^ "Official site". Burbank Historical Society. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  13. ^ "About". San Gabriel Historical Association. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  14. ^ "Official site". Covina Valley Historical Society. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  15. ^ "Official site". Hermosa Beach Historical Society. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  16. ^ "Official site". Historical Society of Long Beach. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  17. ^ "Official site". Justice Private Automotive Collection. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  18. ^ "The Justice Brothers Automotive Museum". Hemmings. August 2008. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  19. ^ "Official site". La Historia Society. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  20. ^ "Official site". Manhattan Beach Historical Society. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  21. ^ "Facebook site". Monterey Park Historical Society. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  22. ^ "About". Benton Museum of Art. Pomona College. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  23. ^ Vankin, Deborah (February 27, 2019). "Southern California's newest art museum will be called the Benton". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  24. ^ "Heritage Court / Redondo Beach Historical Museum". City of Redondo Beach. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  25. ^ "Official site". Torrance Historical Society. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  26. ^ Greg Yee (June 12, 2014). "A fight to save historic Downey Museum of Art collection as time, the elements take their toll". Press-Telegram. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  27. ^ "About The Office". Eames Gallery. Retrieved 24 November 2014. Thank you for your patronage—the Eames Office's physical location at 850 Pico Boulevard in Santa Monica is now closed to the public as we transition to a new location and presence.
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