When visiting Los Angeles, you will be pleased to know that many local museums have free admission days. What’s more, some of LA’s best museums are admission-free, except special exhibitions and events. However, some, like the Natural History Museum, offer free admission only to residents of LA County or another specialized category. Fortunately, other popular Los Angeles museums have free admission days to both residents and visitors. Here is a sample of what LA museums have free museum days or are general admission-free year-round.
Free Days at Museums in Los Angeles
Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
6067 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 930-3000
www.academymuseum.org
Opened in 2021, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is America’s largest museum devoted to filmmaking. It’s also free to all visitors 17 years and younger, making it a worthwhile attraction if you’re traveling with children. However, you must obtain these free tickets before your visit through the museum’s website. In addition, the Academy Museum offers free general admission for special events, like the Family Fun Day. Home to a collection of more than 13 million objects, the museum has four levels of exhibit space, as well as a terrace and two theaters. Among the highlights not to miss is the Casablanca temporary exhibit through January 4, 2026. That’s not to mention seeing the collection of Academy Awards on display and interactive experiences like the Oscars Experience, which requires a paid ticket.
California Science Center
700 Exposition Park Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90037
(323) 724-3623
www.facebook.comCaliforniaScienceCenter
Admission to the permanent exhibition galleries is always free for you at the California Science Center. Located in Exposition Park adjacent to the Natural History Museum, the California Science Center offers many fun activities. For instance, the Air & Space exhibit is among the most popular attractions, as is the Ecosystems exhibit featuring a kelp forest. In addition to the admission-free, permanent galleries are paid temporary exhibitions. Of particular interest to you is the Leonardo da Vinci exhibit, which showcases 30 of his fascinating inventions. At this time, some exhibits are temporarily closed, notably the Space Shuttle Endeavour.
Related: Best Glass Museums in America
Hammer Museum
10899 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 443-7000
www.hammer.ucla.edu
The Hammer Museum offers free admission year-round to all exhibitions and galleries. A segment of the UCLA School of Arts and Architecture, the Hammer is best known for its European and American art collections. This includes works you can see from prominent artists like Paul Claude Monet, Rembrandt van Rijn, John Singer Sargent and Vincent van Gogh. In addition, there is an equally important collection of contemporary art, including drawings, paintings and sculptures. Founded by the late philanthropist Armand Hammer in 1990, the museum also has a particular emphasis on artists based in the Los Angeles area. Just three blocks east of Highway 405 on Wilshire Boulevard, there is paid parking onsite.
Japanese American National Museum (JANM)
100 N. Central Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 625-0414
www.janm.org
The Japanese American National Museum was created to preserve the history and culture of Japanese Americans. Located in historic Little Tokyo in downtown Los Angeles, the museum is a popular attraction in one of three Japantowns in America. You can enjoy free admission to the Japanese American National Museum on the third Thursday of each month from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. In addition, there is free admission from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the other Thursdays. Among the attractions you can see is the Common Ground exhibit, featuring barracks from Heart Mountain internment camp. In addition, you may also wish to see the Ireichō, a sacred book of names of people of Japanese ancestry who were incarcerated during World War II.
Related: Tokyo Day Trip to the Great Buddha of Kamakura
Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)
5905 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 857-2015
www.lacma.org
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) offers free general admission on the second Tuesday of each month. What’s more, if you are a resident of Los Angeles County, you can visit for free on weekdays after 3 p.m. If that’s not enough, you can visit for free on the first weekend of the month if you are a Bank of America cardholder. As the largest art museum in the western U.S., there are several points of interest for you to see. This includes works from artists like Winslow Homer, Frida Kahlo, Pablo Picasso, Diego Rivera, and Auguste Rodin. Of course, its outdoor art installations are also quite popular, notably “Levitated Mass” and the Instagram-friendly “Urban Light.”
Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA)
250 S. Grand Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 633-5351
www.moca.org
The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA) offers free general admission for both of its locations. However, you must obtain a timed ticket through MOCA’s website in advance of your visit. As the only artist-founded Los Angeles museum, the two facilities house nearly 8,000 objects in its permanent collection. This includes works by Ansel Adams, Ruth Asawa, John Cage, Christo, and Jackson Pollock. While MOCA Grand Avenue is the most popular location, the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA is also worthwhile. You can find the latter in the Little Tokyo Historic District, near the Japanese American National Museum.
Credit: Skirball Cultural Center
Skirball Cultural Center
2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd.
(310) 440-4500
www.skirball.org
The world-renowned Jewish cultural venue, the Skirball offers free admission on Thursdays. Additionally, you have free admission on the first weekend of each month if you’re a Bank of America cardholder. An expansive campus covering 15 acres, Skirball Cultural Center features a museum, indoor and outdoor venues, and Zeidler Café. Inside the museum, you can see several galleries that depict thousands of years of Jewish culture, from its origins to contemporary life. In addition, there is the family-friendly recreation of Noah’s Ark, complete with animals and living spaces. While Noah’s Ark is also admission-free on Thursdays, you must reserve a timed entry online. Whichever day you visit, parking and the breathtaking outdoor spaces at Skirball Cultural Center are always free.
Related: World’s Most Famous Buddha Statues
The Broad
221 S. Grand Ave.
Los Angels, CA 90012
(213) 232-6200
www.thebroad.org
One of the newest museums in Los Angeles to offer free general admission is The Broad. Founded by philanthropists Eli and Edyth Broad, the contemporary art museum is always free except for special exhibitions and events. You can obtain free general admission tickets online, as well as free admission to Yayoi Kusama’s “Infinity Mirrored Room.” However, the latter option is quite popular, and tickets become available on the last Wednesday of every month at 10 a.m. On the other hand, there are many noteworthy works of art to see at The Broad. For example, you can see works from artists like Jeff Koon, Roy Lichtenstein, Cindy Sherman, and Andy Warhol.
The Getty Center
1200 Getty Center Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90049
(310) 440-7300
www.getty.edu
Not only is the Getty Center the best admission-free museum in LA, but it’s also arguably the city’s best museum. However, you must reserve an entry time in advance of your visit, whether you visit the primary facility or the Getty Villa Museum. The Getty Center features six two-story buildings housing works of art, as well as a beautiful Central Garden. Perhaps its most famous artwork for you to see is Vincent van Gogh’s “Irises.” On the other hand, there are many other works to see, like Manet’s “Spring” and Monet’s “Wheatstacks.” While there is no admission fee, you must pay for parking. General parking is $25 for cars or motorcycles, $15 after 3 p.m. and $10 on Saturdays after 6 p.m. From the parking lot, you’ll then be led to a tram that will transport you near the main entrance.
The Huntington
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108
(625) 405-2100
www.huntington.org
You can enjoy free admission to the Huntington on the first Thursday of every month. Additionally, you can obtain free day tickets on the last Thursday of the month for paid admission the following Thursday. Collectively known as the Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens, its vast collection has many notable items. This includes papers from George Washington and Thomas Jefferson and a rare Gutenberg Bible. There is also Shakespeare’s priceless First Folio on display in the Library. Lastly, you must also see the Huntington Art Gallery, particularly Thomas Gainsborough’s “The Blue Boy” and Thomas Lawrence’s “Pinkie.”
Related: FAQs for the First-Time Visitor to Los Angeles
About The Author
Randy Yagi is an award-winning writer who served as the National Travel Writer for CBS from 2012 to 2019. More than 900 of his stories still appear in syndication across 23 CBS websites, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Francisco. During his peak years with CBS, Randy had a reported digital audience reach of 489 million and 5.5 million monthly visitors. Additionally, his stories have appeared in the Daily Meal, CBS News, CBS Radio, Engadget, NBC.com, NJ.com, and Radio.com. He earned a Media Fellowship from Stanford University and is a Bay Area Travel Writers (BATW) member.
