Los Angeles County Museum of Art - LACMA
5905 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036 (323) 857-6000
- Hours:
Mon-Tue, Thu 12:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
Fri 12:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun 11:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. - Good for Kids: Yes
122 Reviews for Los Angeles County Museum of Art - LACMA
Only LA would turn an old retail store into a museum.. walking through the Ahmanson building had that feel of being in a department store.. but they've done their best to disguise it. I was really bummed that the Costume and Textiles exhibit wasn't open yet.
The Japanese art pavilion is much more interesting than the works inside of it. The grounds in general are very impressive.. specially the TAR PITS... wha???? These aren't even on the map and so I wondered if it was even real. But sure enough the whole plot of land is built on ancient tar pits. LA is so weird...
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My canvas is white and bowl shaped. I add a large splatter of yellow. Sporadically add some reds, greens, browns, and oranges to the palette. Then after wiping my mouth and convulsing again. Much more yellow more rampant a bit thicker and all to a horrid gargling sound.
I see what I have created and realize what I have done to myself. Now to add some texture. I wipe my mouth with some paper with a subtle line pattern in it. Then crumple it up and add it to my masterpiece. But apparently I was not finished. I bend over and focus. I am breathing heavy and then again with yet another addition. Alot of yellows and greens in this batch.
I am now feel accomplished but do not want to share this artwork. I pull a little lever and watch all the fluids swirl in the water and then wash away. I walk out from the stall and wash my hands. I pat some water on my face and hair and walk out of the bathroom.
Thank you LACMA for having such an fine bathroom for vomiting. Also thank you for the bottomless drinks despite the line to get them refilled. It was all a very interesting evening.
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I like how every building is different.
I don't really care for their sculptures outside. Boring.
The Japanese Pavilion is cool.
My favorite exhibit was the Picasso one years ago. I fell in love with Picasso then.
I had a membership. I never went that year.
Nope, instead, I go whenever. And pay then. Yeah, this doesn't make any sort of sense.
Last Saturday night reminded me I haven't gone in a while and need to check out the new BCAM.
(btw, random girl who was checking me into the Muse party, see, I didn't give you a bad review!)
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Museums are awesome. This one is no exception. On hot summer days, there's nothing like the feeling like the cold comforting air conditioning of a museum. Oh yea, the exhibits are cool too. Go here if you've never been here and don't forget to check out the La Brea Tarpits next over.
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"Give me a museum and I'll fill it" said Mr. Pablo Picasso himself and between his paintings and Monet's and Mattise's just to name a few the LACMA will keep you busy for HOURS!!!
The museum ranges from ancient engyptian mummies to modern day artwork that doesn't always make sense to the average viewer, creating a collection so unique and expansive it delivers one of the best museums this country may have to offer.
One of the best things about this place is that almost every piece of art has a placard with more info on it than just the artist and the title of the piece--so without paying extra for one of those little audio tours you can still learn a lot with the normal entrance fee. A little bit of art, history and culture from almost every corner of the world with one of my favorite buildings being the japanese art pavillion whose special light settings create a calm, serene envrionment for each individual japanese work of art.
"A painting in a museum hears more ridiculous opinions than anything else in the world." And that my friends, is what a good museum does--it creates discussion and it creates knowledge and understanding.
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Pleasantly surprised to see a worldwide range here instead of just local artists. Easy to move around and definately worth a couple hours or more.
A good date place. Especially if you are broke. After 5pm it's free (since they close at 8pm M-Th and 9pm Fri.) Parking in their structure is also free after 5pm--just make sure to save your stub or you're up shit creek.
We went to check out the new Phantom Sightings exhibit. ASCO is awesome! Tons of stuff to look at, and I agree, go check out the tar pits after, at night. Eerie.
This is an awesome place to check out. All kinds of art, many floors, many different cultures.It's also right next to La Brea Tar pits so you check that place out too while you are there.
There's also musicians playing in the courtyard area near the entrance on many nights. So if you are on a budget and you can't afford to go in, you can listen to music outside, maybe even dance with a date.
Easily accessible via the Red Line and 720 rapid buses.
2.17.08: As a last minute resort I was asked to go to LACMA. I know nothing about art. But my friend reassure me if I like to look at things in general I would like the exhibits.
He was right. It was pretty amazing. Damien Hirst is some guy who decides to use real butterflies as art. Its pretty crazy. The colors of their wings are put together so perfectly in which at first glance the picture looks simply like an art painting of a mosaic or some sort. I did like what I saw, but I didn't like how he did it.
Roy Litchenstein...WOW! Just wow. His painting of the cathedral aww me. I stood there just staring at the cathedral. It was spotted, very hypnotic looking. ha ha.
Robert Therrin: ha ha..I felt small around his art. WHY? He built a hugemongo kitchen table with chairs. Its simple but you should look at the detail work everything is to the tee. We can walk under the table easily, I believe it was 10 feet tall.
Those three guys caught my eye. There's more exhibits of course but thats all I remember. LACMA the building itself is amazing. With staircases that goes on forever. Beautiful elevator that was designed really strangely. Who knows...Great experience..
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I adore this museum. I'll admit that it's been quite sometime since I've been to one. Which shocked me when I stopped to actually think about it.
I got to stare Jeff Koons' Bunny in the eye, which I spent a good chunk of time during college writing an 'irony in art' paper on. Think I was pretty harsh on him and Warhol, but who can recall those days anymore? I actually for the first time appreciated something done by Damien Hurst, hated his dissection pieces but was amazed by the butterfly windows, so much so that I got a bit too close and a guard had to tap me on the shoulder. That happened more than once and I even set off an alarm.... or three.
The museum is diverse and well let's admit my four hours spent there wasn't nearly enough time. And it was way more room than the MET, sad to say.
Foodwise, the cafeteria is pricey, really pricey but the food was delicious. I'd suggest bringing your own meal and sitting outside by the park nearby.
If I lived in LA, I'd mostly cough up the $90 and become a annual member because it is well worth it.
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This is the foremost museum west of Chicago, with world-class collections from ancient to modern, European to Asian to African to the Americas. Now with the acquisition of the Broad collection, LACMA is truly a destination museum.
In addition to the formidable, impressive, and beautiful collections, LACMA also has great public programs with jazz, films, lectures, and other events.
LACMA hosts blockbuster shows all the time, so it's worth it to go frequently - you'll always see something new. This is a great museum.
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Went for BCAM...
1 star for the pickled lamb
1 star for the ginormous table and chairs
1 star for the butterfly stained glass thing
1 star for running into Judy W. there~!! :)
They made us wait in line which I thought was unnecessary. I hate waiting in lines remember?? Some of the exhibits were really cool...some...eh...not so much.
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Went on a Friday night to listen to jazz, and at first I wasn't connecting with the jazz the band was playing - very disjointed. But, I could kinda see where they were going with it. They sounded much better after a drink. Yes, there's a bar outside, and supposedly some of the exhibits are open for free at night, but I never got a chance to check it out.
It's a great place to hang out and relax, if you want to just chill on a Friday night.
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I've probably been to LACMA more than any other museum in Southern California. There's a certain familiarity to the permanent collection and a strange safeness to the often confusing layout, but overall, I think I like this museum simply because I've spent so much time here. After I had seen other museums, I realized that LACMA's size can detract from its individual pieces of art.
If you're interested in closely observing just the museum's permanent collection, you're going to have to give yourself a few weeks, if not months. I'm one of those people who has to either run through gallery rooms or read each placard, so this place can be really frustrating, especially in sections in which I don't particularly like the art. But it's also a fun museum to get lost in, and although I've never tried it, it would probably be a good place to do free writing. I'll be sure to take a notebook next time I go.
If you drive to LACMA, make sure to hit up one of the Ethiopian restaurants on Fairfax. Oh, and you don't need to pay for parking at LACMA. It's really easy to find street parking in the surrounding neighborhood, but you need a to walk a few blocks.
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Got a membership because it was cheaper to get a full year membership with two free tickets than purchase 2 tickets to see Dali's exhibit. Tickets for special exhibits are expensive. The great thing about membership, you can see the special exhibits ahead of time and are invited to members only events. The Dali exhibit was breath taking. The gardens at LACMA are a wonderful place to relax. and I enjoyed the modern art section. Not a big fan of the tar pits though. Thought it would be so much more. Will enjoy it more now that I'm a member.
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There is a new installation of old Los Angeles street lamps in front of the new Broad Contemporary Art Museum. I like the street lamps as art more than the main entrance to LACMA. The building has never been very welcoming or exciting, it looks like a bank from the street. I had hoped the redevelopment and redesign to LACMA would have made the museum a friendlier place to spend the day.
I was wrong, there is still flaw in LACMA. I think it has to do with the design, the three separate buildings break-up the museum into 3 exhibits that you have to pay separately for. It proves to be too much of a hassle to bother with in my opinion.
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Hirst, Koon, Lichtenstein, Warhol...oh my! This is the best contemporary art collection I have seen in a major US city! Go check out Hirst's The Collector.
I was in heaven here at the new LACMA. So many pieces by the same artist! Puts The Met to shame given the beautifully curated contemporary art collection.
The only draw back is that the museum is still working out the kinks. Elevators were either not working or too slow. If you need one, expect delays.
Parking $7, adult admissions $12.
Went to the Sunday Live concert and it was wonderful to enjoy a piano performance worthy of any major performance venue. It was relatively short for an hour from 6 to 7 p.m. but it was a nice, sweet mini-concert. I'll definitely go back for other concerts and take some more time to enjoy the actual art. It was unfortunate that I didn't have a chance to see it when I was there because the pavilions are free after 5 p.m. Parking is $7 with validation and you pay at the LACMA box office. I'll definitely need to update this review once I get to go through all the art.
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) contains an incredible collection of paintings, sculptures, and artifacts from all over the world. It is located in a very nice part of Los Angeles and makes for a great day-trip from any part of southern California.
LACMA contains Western arts from Europe, many Greek and Mediterranean artifacts, arts from the Americas, and features special exhibits many times during the year (as of this writing, Dali is in town). My only issue with LACMA is its prices (admission and parking fees, as opposed to Norton Simon in Pasadena, although admission here is free after 5 pm) and how the buildings need some updating. However, with the coming expansion set to open in February 2008, LACMA will surely hold its title as one of the top art museums in California.
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This is a great place. Several different exhibits exhibiting many different ages and styles. Aside from their special exhibits, they are free on holidays, which makes it all the sweeter.
The other reviewers have said it all, so I'm just adding my 5 stars. This place is well worth it.
I have been in love with this museum for so many years. I used to go with my mom when I was a little girl and whenever I go back,it reminds me of those times. The notorious L.A traffic just get to the place is frustrating but once i'm inside, I feel so calm. It really depends on what exhibit it has that time but last time I went ( which was really long time ago) it had few collections from Monet and Van Gogh & I was so thrilled. One thing I have to do is try going at night.
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I was super impressed with the indian art exhibit, it was very beautiful.
I've been going here since I was a child. Field trips, family outings, dates, you name it. My most recent visit here was for the Dali exhibit. I love the layout at this museum and the fact that they seem to bring in a broad selection of interesting artists. I haven't checked out the permanent collection in a long time but now that I live nearby, I plan to visit more regularly.
This is a great museum. Honestly. They put on great shows, I've seen a ton..... not as many as I'd like, but hockney, magritte, dali, the impressionists, kandinsky just to name a few. Fri night jazz is fun and the permanent collection is nothing to sneeze about. Food is pretty decent as well. Dali was amazing, I admit. I like that local artists take the time to put together exhibits with the museum, makes it seem more realistic I guess. Definitively the go to museum in LA(Moca is good too!) I'm a member which is about 75 bucks a year and it get you in free most of the time. Pretty easily accessible and there is ample street parking. Now, I gotta get my ass to Moca for Murakami, if it's not alread over!!!
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5 stars. Dali exhibit was amazing. A great thing to do on New Year's before the debaucherous part of the evening comes to a head.
It was so relaxing. The Japanese exhibit was ok. The main gallery had some great work as well.
Need to go back.
Soon.
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I love the LACMA, and so should you!
"l'art pour l'art"
The best section of this museum in my opinion, is the modern section of abstract art, why? because it reflects Los Angeles Art during the eighties..the time when the museum went through a major expansion.
The other great section I enjoy is the ancient artifacts section on the upper levels of the west wing...
I LOVED this art museum. I especially enjoyed the collections of Picasso and Monet, among others. I think everything is well done, and I like how there is a lot of space to enjoy the art. I visited 3 of the 5 buildings, so I hope to come back and finish seeing all of the exhibits. The Broad Contemporary Art Museum is just so neat and interesting; I love contemporary art, so I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I love the LACMA!
And can't wait to see it after the major renovations, vintage street lamps, digital art, and all...
Wonderful place to check out art, they even have one of the nicest gift stores.
It's free daily after 5 pm and there's metered street parking close by til 6 pm during the week. The Spaulding lot is free after 7 pm I believe. My visit here on a Friday at 4:57 pm was, therefore, $0.35, since I found a meter with 33 min remaining. Score!
Ok, so I really paid $12.35. The entire collection is free admission after 5 pm, but I really came for the Dali exhibit which was $12, but worth it. I checked out the SoCal exhibit (the '37 Chevy is awesome) and some of the permanent collection like the Egyptian art and Impressionist work. I think I'd have to come back--there were a few other buildings I didn't get to see. From this first visit, I don't think it compares to the Boston MFA.
Then, I wandered my way to the Dali show. It was a really cool exhibit with paintings, sketches, movies, and a Disney cartoon collaboration. I loved the explanations behind the works and going through Dali's thought process.
The LACMA also has live music or plays movies on certain nights. Great cultural activity!
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Another one of my favorite museums. I recently saw the salvadore dali exhibit with my friend and it was absolutely amazing. The man may have appeared to be mad, but his art is something so different, so fascinating. I was lost in each painting. I guess that's how Surrealism is. Haha but enough about this one exhibit.
This museum has alot to offer. Their permanent collection is absolutely wonderful as well. One of the things i saw were the greek vases which took me back on a trip to memory lane because when i was in ap world history back in high school, i remember seeing those very same vases in the textbook.
I also like the whole set up of the museum. It has a contemporary feel to it. The japanese exhibit is also a must see.
I'd come back here over and over again. I guess it's just cuz i'm a total sucker for artsy fartsy stuff.
LACMA is very commercialized. This has been the trend in the art museum industry for the past 5 years or so. The idea is to lease art from other institutions and charge the public for a "special exhibit" and essentially, make money off the project. Bellagio's "museum" was a pioneer in this area.
Another example of rampant commercialization is Pentimento. It's - you guessed it - owned by the Patina Group. For those of you who are in the know, that's self-explanatory.
The biggest disappointment was the King Tut "special exhibit." If you went, you'll see why.
The permanent art collection is nothing to brag about even though I am taking account to how relatively new the museum is.
I've been coming here ever since I was a little tot so before you criticize me, know that I know what I am talking about.
Though the Getty is an architectural sight in its own right, I really prefer the LACMA. The contemporary art here is amazing and the crowd at Late Night at the LACMA is amazing, the best and worst of Los Angeles come out for that.
My cousin and I waited over four hours in line to get in to Late Night but seeing performance artists acting out scenes with the Dan Flavin exhibition as their props and set was more than worth the wait.
Seriously, never miss Late Night at the LACMA.
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This is a wonderful museum to walk around with the tar pits close by and the Japanese Pavilion. It was quite expensive for entry to the special exhibit (Dali) and would have cost $30 for two people. We opted to buy a membership instead for $75. The Dali exhibit was quite amazing because I was not really familiar with his film projects including his Disney collaboration. The way LACMA set it up was very interesting because they included studies and sketches along with the final pieces. It's a beautiful space but surprisingly expensive for the special exhibits.
Really had a good time here ! I really enjoyed the Latin American Art, it really blew me away. Then went down and across to check out SoCal art of 6o's & 7o's, that was truly an experience. I really liked the moon glow room, where you had to remove your shoes to enter. I also liked the Found / Collage art piece they had assembled about the place.
I also visited The American Art, and talk about just living in an experience. In my opinion, I truly value seeing American Art because I feel it fortifies my American experience in whole. True Americana, it really gets to me sometimes, like right here, right in the throat, just a burning sensation, that to me is just wonderful.
Also enjoyed the display over at the Tar Pits, that's just wild. Check it out, you'll know what I mean.
Overall, a nice experience, will try to make it out there more often ! Just got to save 'em bucks, so I can get me some culture. Hiyuk !
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Great Museum. They are organized, interesting and currently expanding. The Dali exhibit was awesome. Its huge though so definately give yourself time and wear comfortable shoes. It seems like the $75 for the year membership is totally worth it. The exhibit cost $20 even with student ID. General admission isnt so much, but if you have a student ID, bring it. You must go at least once if youre in LA.
I have always liked this museum and I missed it over the years I lived in San Francisco. From the permanent collection, I enjoy the South and Southeast Asian Art the most. I also like the modern and contemporary exhibits that have rotating through...well most of the time anyway. Here's what I thought about the Dali exhibit: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
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This is as much about the Dali exhibit as it is on LACMA, which has more than enough yelps to justify any exhibit. I just saw this on Sunday and it is definitely worth the $20 to get in. Yeah, it was really crowded, so it was hard to see all of the works. But, you really do see a pretty good range of his work - particulary in film. The exhibit is set up well to give you a good sense of his history, periodic inspirations, and his genius.
A couple tips - get there early if you want to walk straight in. We got there just after they opened around 11 on Sunday, but by the time we left (around noon or 12:30) there were lines out to Wilshire. Another tip, which may be debatable, is not to dwell on getting a good view of his most famous works. I've never really understood why some people are really geeked up to see specific (usually the most recognizable) works of an artist at an exhibit displaying such a variety and quantity of work. You wind up not really appreciating the experience as much, because you've got to get around a dozen people to get a good view, and there's many pieces of substantial significance you miss and wind up not really getting this in perspective. Maybe it's just me...
Also - after emerging out of the Dali exhibit, I strongly recommend getting your Zen back and heading over to the serenity of the Japanese Pavillion.
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I enjoy visiting the LACMA when there's special exhibits I'd like to see.
One that I really enjoyed years ago was the Van Gogh exhibit. I caught it in the last week with a friend of mine. It was incredible!!!!! We were herded in like cattle & it was really crowded but definitely worth it.
One mistake I made was pointing a little too closely at one of the pieces & had 2 security people on me within a couple of seconds yelling "DON'T TOUCH!!!!" Yeahhhhhh, I'm not stupid. I would NEVER EVER touch. I calmly stated I was pointing something out to my friend. They then told me, "Next time, not too close." I wasn't even that close, I swear. It did turn heads & like a good little girl in elementary school, I kept my hands in my pockets to myself.
Still had fun :-).
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After my quick & free visit to the adjacent La Brea Tarpits, I wandered to the LACMA to see what was going on. The Dan Flavin retrospective caught my eye & I decided to fork over the $9 entrance fee. Quickly, I was told by the cashier the Contemporary Collection was currently closed & I just shrugged it off as being the so-so museum which I had previously remembered it as from years before.
I entered the exhibit, a two story retrospective of Flavin's work separated into grand scale installations of mass-produced neon lights to represent an overall different feeling or aesthetic in each room. I was quite impressed with his ability to construct & use said methods during the period which he did, but now living in a neon world myself...the retrospective didn't knock me off my feet.
I did, however, find myself quite intrigued by the untitled installation which he created for a German art dealer Heiner Friedrich, who later became a founder of DIA Art Foundation. It was quite grand in scale; 4ft high & wide, and nearly 30 feet long. He used green neon lights, which tend to be the strongest fluorescent presence & actually messed with my eyes a bit when I was in the room.
http://static.px.yelp....
There are definitely better museums in the city of Los Angeles & worldwide, but if you haven't been to LACMA before...it's worth checking out.
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