The best free museums in Los Angeles

There may be no such thing as a free lunch, but in Los Angeles, there is definitely such a thing as free contemporary art, science, history and family fun. The state of California is obsessed with the arts, and the best free museums in Los Angeles showcase world-class culture that won't cost you a cent.

At the following museums, while there may be a fee for special exhibitions or bolt-on activities such as IMAX shows or train rides, general admission is free (or free at certain times). Some museums are angled at grown-up, others at families, but all offer a rewarding way for budget-conscious travelers to spend a few hours in LA.

Since you’re saving on admission, we figured you've earned a guilt-free bite to eat afterward, so each museum suggestion also comes with a nearby restaurant recommendation. Note, however, that parking in LA comes at a premium; some museums are accessible by public transportation, but for others, you'll have to park in a public parking lot, which can add $10–25 to your costs for the day.

From Kusama installations at The Broad to the sun-soaked gardens of the Getty Center, here are LA's best free museums.

1. The Broad

Best for immersive art

Relatively new on the scene, The Broad opened in 2015 in an angular modernist block downtown on Grand Ave, and it immediately dazzled Angelenos with its contemporary art collection. The museum has made a big splash on Instagram, thanks to its immersive, mirror-lined installation by Yayoi Kusama, Infinity Mirrored Room—The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away.

There’s a second Kusama installation at the museum that also involves mirrors, viewed through a porthole-like window. Also look out for works by Jeff Koons, Cindy Sherman, Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. One word on the museum’s pronunciation: the name rhymes with road, and locals may snicker if you pronounce it like the adjective for something wide.

Planning tip: Though general admission is free, some special exhibitions charge an entry fee, and all visitors need a ticket for a timed entry slot. Grab your tickets online in advance to be sure you can head in at your desired time. Walk-up entry is still allowed, though there can be a long wait as this popular museum is often full to capacity.

Grab a snack: While you’re downtown, wander over to Grand Central Market, just a 10-minute stroll from the gallery. This food hall is filled with independent food vendors serving everything from Japanese bento boxes to German sausages to spicy Mexican fruit cups.

2. Griffith Observatory

Best for fans of astronomy and classic movies

Much like the Hollywood Sign, the Griffith Observatory on the south side of Griffith Park looms large over the city, visible from miles around. And like LA's signature sign, it’s a symbol of the city’s curiosity about the stars, just not the kind you’d see on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The city's iconic observatory is a haven for anyone who is curious about the cosmos, with opportunities to peer through telescopes, wander around space-centric exhibits and experience a star-filled spectacle in the state-of-the-art planetarium theater (for an extra fee).

As luck would have it, the trailhead for the hike that leads to the Hollywood sign also happens to be nearby, and from this raised vantage point, you can gaze out over LA and remember some of the landmark movies filmed here, including The Terminator and Rebel Without a Cause.

Planning tip: The Griffith Observatory is open every day except Monday, and general admission is always free. Tickets to shows in the Samuel Oschin Planetarium have a separate entry fee.

Grab a snack: Once you’ve worked up an appetite of astronomical proportions, head to Little Dom’s in nearby Los Feliz. It’s a charming Italian spot, with tables for two lining the sidewalk.

3. The Getty Center

Best for culture in the California sun

Can't decide between exploring a museum and soaking up the Southern California sun? The Getty Center in Brentwood on LA's Westside offers the best of both worlds with a striking architectural setup that’ll have you wandering outside between exhibits and meandering through cactus- and rose-filled gardens.

Founded by oil magnate J Paul Getty, and originally housed in the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades, the collection spans sculpture, photography and paintings, including works by Gauguin and Vincent van Gogh. Outdoors, the museum has 86 acres of expertly landscaped outdoor gardens and terraces, making it the perfect place to see great art and bask in the sun or let the kids roam around outdoors.

Planning tip: The museum is open every day but Monday and it stays open till 9pm on Saturdays; general admission is free, but you’ll still need a ticket with a timed entry, so grab yours in advance on the website. Parking here has a hefty fee of $25 per car; visit after 3pm and it drops down to $15, or come after 6pm on Saturday evening when it's free. Alternatively, use a rideshare service (Uber or Lyft) and skip the fee altogether.

Grab a snack: Pack a picnic! The Getty’s huge Central Garden is the perfect place to roll out a blanket and enjoy a DIY lunch. Visitors can bring their own food and drinks (but no alcohol), or buy sandwiches and salads at the museum’s Garden Terrace Cafe.

4. Holocaust Museum LA

Best for personal histories

Founded in 1961 by Jewish survivors from Nazi-occupied Europe, the Holocaust Museum LA in Fairfax is the oldest Holocaust museum in the US. It’s also home to the West Coast’s largest collection of Holocaust-era artifacts, which help tell the stories of the genocide’s atrocities from the personal perspective of victims.

In 2010, the museum found its permanent home in Pan Pacific Park, not far from The Grove shopping center, and a major refurbishment is due to be completed in June 2026 – check the museum website for the latest news on reopening dates.

Planning tip: The museum is open 7 days a week, and entry is free for teachers, students and kids every day, and free to everyone on Sundays. Limited metered parking is available on surrounding streets, or park in the covered structure at the Grove.

Grab a snack: An LA institution that’s been serving old-fashioned Jewish deli food since the 1930s, Canter’s Deli is just half a mile away – great for a pastrami sandwich or a bowl of matzo ball soup.

5. Travel Town Museum

Best for young kids

Little ones obsessed with locomotives will have a field day at the Travel Town Museum, which is devoted to the history of trains. Located on the north side of Griffith Park, this open-air museum has more than 40 historic train cars and engines parked on the tracks for kids to explore.

It's a fun stop for transport-obsessed tots, and kids can catch a ride on a miniature train that makes a loop around the grounds. The collection of old steam locomotives – including an engine that worked in LA harbor until 1957 – will capture young imaginations.

Planning tip: Travel Town is free for all visitors every day (it’s open 7 days a week), but donations are happily accepted. Tickets for the miniature train cost extra.

Grab a snack: Keeping with the kid-friendly theme, Pinocchio Restaurant at the Monte Carlo Deli in Burbank has kitschy decor (including murals honoring everyone’s favorite fib-avoiding puppet) and kid-friendly Italian comfort food on the menu.

6. California Science Center

Best for older kids

Curious kiddos of all ages will love California Science Center’s variety of exhibits, but it's particularly good for older kids and youngsters fired up by natural history or engineering. The museum is open daily, general admission is free, and displays cover everything from animal and plant habitats to aircraft and space travel.

Exhibits spill outside into the grounds, where a Lockheed A-12 Blackbird – still the most futuristic plane ever constructed – sits on a gantry in the Roy A Anderson garden. As an add-on, you can buy tickets to the IMAX show at the museum and see a science-centric movie on a giant screen.

Planning tip: California Science Center sits in Exposition Park in the south of LA – a sprawling campus with multiple museums, outdoor spaces and designated parking. If you'd rather come by public transport, take the Metro Expo Line to Expo Park/USC Station.

Grab a snack: The museum has several dining options – the Grill restaurant serves sandwiches, burgers and pizza, while the Market has fresh fruit, chips and candy to go, and the Coffee Bar serves ice creams and drinks for kids and grown-ups.

7. LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes

Best for delving into LA history

The history of LA is inexorably intertwined with the history of the immigrant communities who made this city what it is today. That point is underscored at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, a museum devoted to Mexican and Mexican-American culture in the heart of downtown Los Angeles.

In addition to exhibits, workshops and events exploring the Mexican contribution to LA's story, the museum's 2.2-acre campus includes a teaching kitchen, LA Cocina de Gloria Molina, offering classes in Mexican cooking that are great for anyone looking to expand their cooking repertoire; see the website for upcoming courses.

Planning tip: The museum is free to visit and open every afternoon from Wednesday to Sunday. Union Station is just a short walk away; drivers will have to pay to park in one of the parking lots nearby.

Grab a snack: For more historic Mexican culture, head to El Paseo Inn Restaurant, which has been feeding Angelenos since the 1930s. It's located on Olvera St, a pedestrian street lined with vendors selling Mexican folk art.