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Huntington Library Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
Rating Details »
Categories: Libraries, Museums, Botanical Gardens [Edit]
1151 Oxford RdSan Marino, CA 91108
(626) 405-2100
- Hours:
Mon., Wed-Fri. 12:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Sat-Sun. 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
282 reviews for Huntington Library Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
Huntington Library is nothing else but jaw dropping beauty! The first time I came here was about 6 years ago on a date. I have to honestly say that this is the best place that I have e-v-e-r been on a first date. Sorry to the current bf. No, disrespect. (our first date was rad too) I have been back several times with friends and family and they all love it.
The Rose Garden and English Tea House were one of my favorite places as was he Zen garden. One can just spend hours laying around on the lawn on a warm day. It's beautiful! And if your lucky if it is not too incredible busy you can get in the English Tea House. The museum part was nice as well. We honestly seem to spend more time outside on the grounds opposed to perusing the art inside. Now, I am jonsing for a return!!
Truly a gem in Southern California. I absolutely can spend days after days here just relaxing and enjoying the atmosphere. They have done a great job with the gardens, galleries and walkways.
A great place to take a significant other and enjoy the atmosphere, which you will not be able to find anywhere else in Southern California.
They do close early and that is perfect because Pasadena is nearby. There you can finish your day at a restaurant and after walking around all day enjoy an independent film.
This is seriously one of the most overlooked and wonderful places in California. It is absolutely terrific for kids (they even have a kids area) but just a wonderful for everyone to spend the day.
First, the 'library' and the assortment of museams and periodic collections are very nice, but the draw for me is the garden.
To put it in the highest level of description, the property is broken up into geographic regions, desert, rain forest, japanese, chinese, etc... It is absolutely mind blowing the diversity and really the maintenance that happens here.
And, best of all, there are great big plots of grass, including the mound maze for kids to run around.. If you live in the area, it is a great place for a picnic, or even a few hours.
It is worth the $120 for membership at the Huntington, especially if you need a little backyard to destress!
There is always something new to find here, from the red oak tree path that strays off the east-end of the Chinese garden to the consistently changing exhibition openings. Members' summer nights are always great with live music and personal garden tours. The security personnel and volunteers have a plethora of knowledge about the plants and architecture-- a conversation with them is always inspiring.
This place is hidden jewel in San Marino and I wish it were to be more publicly advertised in the Alhambra/Monterey Park areas.
Went to the Park an hour before closing, so did not get to truly enjoy it.
Love the layout, love the grounds and would love to come back soon
If it weren't for the defective "Pavilion of Washing Away Thoughts", I would have given this magically peaceful place the 5 stars that it truly deserves.
The best way to enjoy the Huntington is to go in on a membership with a friend/lover. 120 bucks - 60 bucks each. It's good for a year. Just write down on your application that you live together. You only need to go three weekend days a year to make it worth it. And, oh yeah, it's totally worth it.
By the way, picnicking is totally kosher at the Huntington so don't even worry about the food prices - not to say their food isn't damn good. One time I tried the dim sum sampler in the Chinese garden and it was incredible. So the next time I came, I brought take-out egg rolls from Panda Express and a thermos of loose-leaf green tea. Wasn't a bad substitute at all. The vision of that pretty pond made everything taste better.
Can 10,000 Yelpers be wrong?
Why, sure. Just not this time.
Yes, the hours suck (too limited) and you won't have time to see everything that possibly can be seen. Is this intentional to cause you to come again (and pay another admission charge)? I can't answer that.
But for $20 on weekends or $15 on weekdays (and it's less crowded), you can see some truly amazing gardens, plants, shrubbery, whatever, and see some pretty nice works of art.
I recommend taking one of the free garden tours (about 1 1/2 hours long). Great exercise, very educational, and it will make the experience so much more interesting than just wandering the gardens alone.
Also, make sure to take the free audio tour of he "home" of Mr. and Mrs. H, with all the paintings and sculptures and such. At least half the people I saw were not taking the tour and they are missing out. In all honesty, the audio tour could be better structured, but still, it is free and will allow you to maintain interest without suffering from too much "museum fatigue."
One negative and it's a big one: Food and drink prices. They are outrageous. Out-ra-geous. I would never advocate sneaking in your own food and drink and enjoying it at the cafe tables, but perhaps someone else would advocate such a thing and such advice would be persuasive to you.
Bonus prize: Tons of parking and it's freeeeeeeee.
It is a beautiful place to visit. My dad who is an artist has been taking me here for years, since I was a child. I always liked the scenary and art, esp their garden. They also have a very cute tea house and food was pretty good there too. I believe they serve brunch on sundays. Cute place to hang out for a picnic and take your dates here guys haha. Make you seem cultured and different.
Love it. I guess that I've stopped in at least six or seven times. Great place for a date. The art is cool and the gardens are gorgeous, especially the Zen garden.
What's better than all that fauna and Blue Boy at the same location. Don't answer that. Just be grateful we have a super spot like this one in So Cal. Very much worth your family's time and a great 2nd-date afternoon. Enjoy!
Until I was about 6 years old, I used to live in Vienna Austria. My first and some of my most precious memories are from there. Especially the memories I have of my family strolling through Schonbrunn Park, and it's amazing flower gardens and mazes.
So for my mom's birthday, my sister suggested we all go to Huntington Library and check out the gardens. She got reservations for the tea room breakfast, and I definitely recommend eating there. It's an extremely charming and delicious taste fest with really yummy fingers sandwiches and great scones and little finger desserts. The tea was very good also.
Then it was time to check out the gardens, and I'm telling you, it was the biggest sense of Deja Vu I've ever had. It nearly brought a tear to my eye(manly tear). It seriously took me right back to Vienna. We walked around for a few hours, just relaxing and taking pictures. It was a really beautiful, peaceful and zen-like experience that everyone should check out atleast once. I'm totally gonna be a regular here.
Huge lot, plenty to see, multiple gardens to walk on. Famous paintings, priceless books and artifacts, beautiful furnitures and draperies. I didn't have enough time to see everything.
For the much higher entrance fee compared to other museums, I'm surprised they close at 4:30pm. That's a bummer.
So please plan accordingly and go early if you want to see The Huntington's gem.
The Huntington has really nice mix of exhibits: books, paintings, furniture, and gardens. We only had 2 hours and that wasn't enough time to do it justice. Each genre has enough examples to give one a sense of the medium but not so much of any one thing that one gets bored. The library has a Gutenberg Bible and some wonderful documents from early American history. The Huntington home has Gainsborough's Blue Boy and some of the rooms are decorated as they might have been during the time the Huntingtons lived there. The gardens are very large. I would plan at least 2 hours for those alone if I had the chance to go back.
The only reason I don't give 5 stars is the price of admission. At $15 a head it's a little steep compared to other museums in the area.
The ultimate, perfect time to visit is definitely spring... but if you're lucky to score free tickets the first Thursday of each month, then that day is the perfect time to visit (even on a sweltering hot, sticky day like yesterday).
Gardens from all over the world. Flowers and foliage of every variety and every color. Bridges, water fountains and falls, pagodas, architecture, natural birds in their own peaceful environment. Oh, and there's the library and museum, too.
Hungry? A few spots to enjoy afternoon tea or a snack. My suggestion. Grab a snack by the Chinese gardens and sit out overlooking the water pool and pagodas. Pure bliss.
#30 in http://365losangeles.b.../
I came back here this past weekend for their members-only free concert series. Imagine HUNDREDS of families covering the main lawn of the Huntington (right outside of the library). Man, there were a lot of people there. Good thing the Huntington has a big parking lot! Don't have a membership? You can come with someone who does for just $5.
The only downside was that the music wasn't loud enough. We were close to the back, and could barely even hear the musicians. Oh well, we just chatted with each other and stuffed ourselves with picnic food.
If you get bored, you can wander around the gardens. Just be aware that they close at 8!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/12/2009
Perfectly manicured, spacious, kid friendly, and not a speck of trash in sight--the place reminded… Read more »
Yes, love this place! It's Stunningly beautiful.
The first time I came here I was 4 years old my mother brought me and we took a tour. It was wonderful from what I remember and the lady who gave it was wearing a beautiful day dress from the 1920's. She had wavy jet black hair and dark eyes. I have a photo with her I must fine... she looked just like Clara Bow...
I love walking through the library and gazing at the art. The gardens are spectacular and beautiful.
I love that Henry Huntington made this grand estate for his wife Arabella and now we all get it enjoy it's beauty and wonder. The 'Arabella Memorial Collection' is one of my favorites at the Museum.
If I could I would just hide out a live here.
Such a popular place. What else to say....beautiful, beautiful gardens. There's a spot where the path splits and one side narrows into a little cove next to a brook. Green willows drape overhead and you can sit on a small stone bench and just watch the sunlight play over the water.
There are some great, soaring trees here that are perfect for taking picturesque, emo photos. I've got quite a few myself.
Sometimes they have concerts outside, you can bring a blanket, lie down and just enjoy the music.
And for those that show love and give your stickers to newcomers, thanks!
I'm not going to comment on the collection. I think their membership is a good deal if you live nearby or like beautiful things. Depending on what you get, it could allow you two guests to enter free. The campus allows members to go in at 8:00 am before the library opens at 10:30 am. When our schedule permits, my BF and I walk in the park before it opens to the public. It is a very good feeling walking in the park, visiting various gardens without many visitors there. I also go whenever I am stressed out at work.
I came here on the last night of the summer concert series. Admission was only $5 if accompanied by a member. Score!! Isn't it usually $15~20? Believe it or not, this was my first time here, ever! I had such a wonderful time. We had a picnic on the grass, sharing some delicious empanadas, veggies and dip, samosas, and desserts while enjoying the nice evening and music. After the concert, we walked around and caught the Virginia Steele exibit. We didn't get to all of the gardens as we got kicked out at 8pm, but we were able to check out some of the nicer ones. The children's garden was just adorable!
Since the place is not usually open during the evenings, there were absolutely no lights in the parking lot. I was walking aimlessly around the lot trying to find my car!
I love Huntington Gardens. I use to go here all the time when I was in school. I even had a membership and took all my friends and family there. It is truly a beautiful garden and worth it to take your guests there. Beautiful grounds. Beautiful sections. Beautiful plants and flowers. They're always renovating too. I've yet to see their new section they just added.
I went recently with my aunt and grandfather and had a great time. I got to see the newly (or sort of recently) constructed Chinese garden, which was spot on and very impressive, with seemingly unending vistas and vignettes throughout the garden and its path.
We also stopped in to see the tropical plant display in the green house, which was particularly impressive. The Corpse Flower was getting ready to bloom but hadn't yet...I was ambivalent about it, because I wanted to see it, but I also didn't want to smell it.
Finally we made it to one of the art displays, this one a collection of ink paintings and calligraphy from China which was very impressive as well. I highly recommend going still, as I'm still finding things to love about this place.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/29/2008
Excellent gardens, with an extensive collection of botanical specimens. The landscaping is awesome,… Read more »
Wow... now this place is HUGE! I always seen photos online of their reknowned Japanese garden but I didn't realize how large the whole place was! When I arrived a little before 3 pm one of the security guards asked if we just got there. We told him yes and he was like oh boy... it takes over an hour to see the whole place and it closes it at 5 pm! He gave us a lift and took us to the nearest destination we were interested in. I thought that was uber sweet of him to do that.
At our stop ... wow... the bamboos... the "hike" to the gardens... the gardens itself... so so beautiful! We then went into one of the "mansions" where all the art was held and my goodness... all I can say is that the house was huge bc the depts never ended! I didn't recognize the artists bc I am just not that educated in art history but the art had an eerie yet lifelike feeling. It's like The Haunted house where the heads of the sculptures are staring at you. I was in awe of how life like the paintings were and how grand in height they were!
I came on a hot day and was huffing and puffing walking around everywhere but I really want to visit when it's a lot cooler. The tropical greenhouse was SO humid that right when I walked in I was sweating as if I was taking a shower in my own sweat.
Come here for the views & exercise. It's very much worth it... even in 90 degree heat that I came in.
I've always wanted to visit Huntington Library and decided to take advantage of my FUNemployment situation and go with a friend on a weekday. Tickets were $15 for adults ($20 on weekends) and $10 for students. A pretty great deal considering the 120 acres of botanical gardens and three buildings of art collections at your exploration. That's like 13 cents an acre!
Highlights of the Gardens include one of the best golden barrel catcus gardens in the world, the serene Japanese Garden, the Children's Garden behind the tropical Conversatory and the Chinese Flowing Fragrance garden - which they are expanding to include an additional tea house. I also loved the koi pond where we saw a turtle and the biggest orange koi fish I've ever seen.
Two Tips for First-time Visitors:
- Take the tour. There were tours of the grounds at 11, 11:30 and 12. Luckily, we made it for the last tour which meets down the stairs by the foot of the Gardens. Our tour guide was so friendly, knowledgeable and welcoming. She gave us a wealth of information about the plants, Huntington history and fun facts. (Did you know My Best Friend's Wedding and The Wedding Planner were filmed there?)
- Make a reservation at the Tea Room. Reservations are recommended 2 weeks in advance, but we were able to book a table for 2 the day before (probably since it was a Wednesday). For $25, you get a basket full of freshly baked scones (which you can take home!), free drink refills and a delicious buffet of finger sandwiches, cheeses, fruits and desserts. The staff were attentive and friendly but the decor of the Tea Room really made the the experience.
I think I will start a tradition to return at least once a year.
I avoid Pasadena for the most part. It's ridiculously hot, and it's far from the ocean (and yes, the two go hand-in-hand). But, other than the Rose Bowl, there is one reason for which I will make the trip out to that desert of a Los Angelino suburb. The reason in question? Huntington Botanical Gardens.
This is a true Los Angeles landmark, and if you have never been that it's an absolute must that you go see it for yourself. The historic landmark is comprised of various landscapes and gardens, each of which represents the types of plants that one might see in various parts of the world. They have everything to a Chinese garden to a Japanese garden to a desert garden... and the list goes on and on. It's absolutely perfect for taking a blanket, a book, and some writing supplies or a laptop and just relaxing in the shade of one of the thousands of trees and enjoying the sounds of one of the several rivers on the property.
Can you tell that I like it here? I love it here. It's a unique experience whether you're looking to learn something, relax, or have a romantic daytime date.
One word to the wise. My girlfriend brought a football so that we could throw it around on one of the large fields (yeah, is that cool or what, my girlfriend likes to throw around the football), but one of the security guys told us that we couldn't take it in, for liability reasons. He was actually very polite (older gentleman) and nice about it, and he was more than happy to explain that recently there had been an incident where two guys were throwing a frisbie and it had hit a woman in the eye and blinded her. They had never had rules about it previously, but because of the size of the lawsuit that the woman filed against Huntington they had to stop allowing footballs, baseballs, frisbies, etc. Too bad, because there are some sweet fields at the Huntington.
So anyways, 5 stars, you know the drill. I've been gushing over this place, so how else could I possibly rate it? I love the Huntington. Go there. Now. Or if it's late when you're reading this, go tomorrow. Make sure that this place gets enough visitors to stay around, because -- in my humble opinion -- this is one of the finest parks in Los Angeles.
i heart the huntington library, it's stunningly beautiful and relaxing! yesterday was my first time visiting and i loved it! i only wish that i had gotten there a bit earlier to join the garden tour. i really enjoyed the japanese garden and i'm hoping to see the rest next time (:
the food + beverage prices were a bit ridiculous so i definitely recommend packing food in advance and picnicking on the lawn.
Two Words:
FREE.
DAY.
One Thursday a month, Huntington Library has a free day. Score your rezzies a month in advance and check out their website for more info.
Huntington Library is gorgeous, but it's even more awesome when it's free.
The Japanese and Chinese Gardens are stunning. And, it was a very warm day, so the Desert Garden was feeling very authentic.
I recommend packing a little lunch and having a picnic.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/9/2009
I'm not a fan of books, so when the BF decided to take me here, I was wondering just how many books… Read more »
One of greatest treasures known to mankind - without a doubt should be added as one of the wonders of the world.
Ok I may be spewing a bit of hyperbole, but honestly I need to drown out any fool who dared rate this fabulous botanical garden/museum as anything less than extraordinary. Granted admission is a bit pricey, but perhaps skip a meal or hold off on buying some plastic piece of garbage produced from the sweat and tears of a small Chinese child and your admission is paid for.
The glorious gardens, stunning architecture, and art provide so much food for the soul and eyes that you will leave full and feeling like you visited a land of grace and beauty.
Take the day off from work and visit on free day (I believe the first Thursday of the month). Silence those who poo-poo SoCal as a cultural wasteland.
What makes me drive from Garden Grove to San Marino twice in one month and drop the $120 to become a member? Huntington Library & Botanical Gardens.
A land to get lost within and spend away a day. Whether it be mocking the herbal medicine placards that say sage will make my "braine" stronger or basking in the sun along the picnic areas in the Chinese garden. As much as I whine about wanting to see the world every breathing second of my life... there is definitely one place here in California that I would gladly spend the rest of my life... you cannot capture this place in words. It is a plethora of sensory indulgences.
I plan on attending some of the members only events and am certain this will become one of my all time favorite places in the world in short order. Yes, I dare say that I loved this as much as I loved the alps, Prague and China. Maybe it is just because the time and energy that went into this estate is beyond my comprehension.
Currently the Corpse Flower is about to bloom and there is a bit of a "crowd" for that, but even a "crowd" at Huntington Center is easy to avoid as you get lost in one of the other gardens.
There are food areas in some parts of the Gardens but it is expensive (remember this is a non-profit establishment). You can also get a tour to give you more of the history of the place. Our tour guide had been volunteering there for over 50 years.
The pieces of art and literature range from pieces from Einstein and Kepler to manuscripts from Benjamin Franklin to Blue Boy. Hands down, this place is informative and awe inspiring.
Can I retire here? If not, can I just hide out in the main house?
I love the Huntington Library & Botanical Gardens. I love that this place is so close to where I live. I don't mean that it's so "convenient" per se... I mean I love that it's so close to the hustle and bustle of life...and among the hustle and bustle, there's this beautiful land of quietly beautiful amazing gardens. I love traipsing from garden to garden... from Australia to Japan to China and back to the desert.
I love that we can come here and do nothing... nothing but enjoying the scenery around us, the company you're with, and the sound of birds and people oohing and aahing.
Cute little cafes to fulfill your food and drink needs (so wish we could picnic here!) and wonderful quaint galleries. I'll admit though... my five stars are solely because of the gardens.... they're divine! I'm always full of stress...and it sounds so cliche.. but it really does seem to melt away here!
Once I entered the garden, I was in shock. It is the most beautiful place I've ever walked upon. It took me a while to just breath it all in. It was so serene and peaceful that I just lost myself at the entrance alone. Can you imagine what it would be like if I made it pass the entrance? This place was an extreme pain to find though; the city really needs to learn how to lay out it's streets. This garden was actually located near a neighborhood. Who would have thought?!
The garden is sectioned off into different kinds of areas (desert garden, japanese garden, chinese garden, rose garden, etc.) This place is huge.
The rose garden was reminded me of the Secret Garden. It was extremely whimpsical and enchanting. It felt like my prince charming was going to take me away at any moment.
The Chinese garden was the new addition to this place. It was very zen. I instantly found my inner peace. I just sat on the rock for a long time just losing myself.
There was many exhibits in the Japanese gardens. It felt like I was in the middle of a Dragon Ball episode. It was so perfect. The buddha statue hiding within the path was a very nice touch.
When the boyfriend and I were at the jungle garden side, we just ran around like little kids like Tarzan and Jane.
This place is such a great place to find yourself and a great day. Everything else around the garden wasn't very interesting though.
In May/09 my restaurant group and I toured the Huntington Library, a 200+ acre fabulous estate located in San Marino, just outside of Pasadena, CA. This monumental park includes a historic library, art galleries, gardens and tea room. It once was the home to industrialist and railroad mogul Henry E. Huntington (1850-1927), who purchased books on the same titanic rate as he bought businesses. The collection includes dozens of Shakespeare's first editions, Benjamin Franklin's handwritten autobiography, The Gutenberg Bible, America's 13th Amendment; and notes by Galileo and Darwin; just to name a few. Honestly the amount of literature is humbling!
The art collections include work from the 17th century to the 1950's. The botanical gardens feature more than 14,000 different species of plants and cover 120 acres.
In the four hours that we were there, we were only able to tour 3 of the gardens, the library and enjoyed aromatic teas and fancy tea sandwiches at the delightful Huntington Tea Room. If you have family visiting I would definitely take them to this historic hotspot, it is breathtaking!
Stunningly beautiful. The whole place gushes a meditative serenity, the kind that makes you want to just sit down by the lagoon, or on the dais just under the verandah, or along the waist high wall, and soak it all in.
Was I thankful to be there? You bet.
And the paintings in the main house are gorgeous. There's no rope holding you back from gaping at each masterful brush stroke, and you can take pictures too!
If you have someone you want to walk around with and talk, and not necessarily talk a lot, but just to be together; or if you have an uncle or an aunt, or a mom or a dad, who just wants to be with you, take them to this place.
It's magnificent.
This review is primarily for the botanical gardens, most of which are superlative.
The Desert Garden is one of the most comprehensive collections of succulents you will ever see -- it's likely one of the best in the world. This collection is simply incredible in the number of species represented. The gardeners also do a laudable job keeping the plants healthy. Every time I come here I'm blown away by this collection.
The rest of the botanical gardens are very interesting and definitely worth a look. There are some nice specimens in each of the gardens; I think it's safe to say there's something for everyone.
I love this place. If you've never been and decide to go, then you probably will too.
Are you serious?! Heaven does exist on earth?! I kept saying this to myself as I was strolling through the bootyful botanical gardens at the Huntington Library. The art was cool inside, but the gardens take the cake. Even with a little drizzle of rain, the gardens were A--MAZING! This place must take an ARMY of illegal immigrants to maintain. Seriously.
Of course, the old former Huntington residence was gorgeous and all the old statues lined up on the lawn were perfect for my obligatory statue-mimic photos. I'm getting pretty good at my statue poses if I do say so myself. The flowers in each garden were also perfect for a million cliche macro photos. The swamp garden/bog was a little gross, but entertaining. My favorite was the Japanese Garden, which was as picturesque as an unrealistic fight scene from "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon". Last time I went, the Chinese Garden was still getting it's feet on the ground, but all the baby cherry blossom trees were planted and the little temple (complete with random monks) was in full swing. There were a little too many orange spray paint markers around to call this a full garden yet. I'm sure by now it is.
The payment for entrance is well worth the experience and I couldn't think of a better way to spend a relaxing weekend. Is it "Good for Kids"? Hell yeah. I'm even considering going here alone sometime to read or ponder, or read and ponder. Is that weird? Should I bring a laptop too? I don't wanna look pathetic. Maybe I can just hide in the foresty parts of the gardens.
I have issues.
Beautiful, but so expensive. Go on the free day. The collection is remarkable and the grounds are tranquil and gorgeous, but it's too expensive for families.
I'm sure upkeep is high, but I do wonder if this is a profit-making library. In other cities you may have to go to a museum and botanical gardens separately, but it's still cheaper than the one ticket here.
Fellas, instead of wasting your money going to see the latest brain-dead romantic comedy, shell out the 40 bucks (that's 20 bucks each for you adult types) and bring your girlfriend and/or wife here. Show her that you do, in fact, possess an ounce of sophistication in that knuckle-head body of yours by taking her to "The H."
This place will have her telling all of her friends (even the ones you want to see naked) how great of a guy you are. There are lots of things to see here.
Colorful things:
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Things in water:
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Desert things:
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Japanese AND Chinese things:
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All of this and so much more! Expect to stay at LEAST 3 hours at this place. If you're like me, you'll revert back to your old self by wanting to go to Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles afterwards for lunch. Why not - it's only a few miles away.
Alas, I hate to be the bringer of bad news but this place doesn't have any rides. Some angry, old prune told me that and I almost cried. Despite the absence of rides, The H is definitely worth visiting.
Uh oh, macho men beware. Your manhood will be severely challenged at the Huntington library and gardens. Perhaps your normal routine involves crushing beer kegs on your forehead and lifting gas barbeques with your teeth while high-fiving your bros. If that sounds like you, going to the Huntington library will not be easy. Hell, you're going to paying money to spend hours looking at Impressionist paintings...and flowers. Yes, flowers. Looking at flowers ranks well below synchronized swimming and crocheting in the machismo factor. So, consider yourself warned.
THAT SAID...
The Huntington library and gardens are flippin' awesome. For $20 (or $10 if you still have your student ID, like I do), you can while away your entire afternoon wandering around and getting lost in some of the most stunning displays of flora in southern California. And once you've gotten your fill of that (or if you've gotten totally sunburned while trying), you can hop inside the museum and admire rooms upon rooms of classical paintings, with an emphasis on Impressionist pieces.
The LA area has some great cultural attractions, but the culture always seems to hide behind a veneer of tackiness. (The Getty Center & Villa and the Disney Concert Hall come to mind.) But not here. The Huntington library and gardens are pure class, and not something you'd really expect to find in the outskirts of Pasadena (technically San Marino). Definitely check it out.
It's Thursday 18 June and today's the day. Hollywood stars are probably sensing that paparazzi and thousands of fans have shifted eastward, albeit temporarily, because all attention is on Big Stinky at The Huntington.
Big Stinky a/k/a Amorphophallus titanum a/k/a Titan Arum a/k/a Corpse Flower is revealing her deep purple cloak at this very moment and it's gorgeous. The surprising thing is that Big Stinky don't stink. I was told that it seems to be limiting its corpse-like odor so, if you want a whiff you may have to schedule a return visit and stand in the long line before the flower deteriorates in a few days.
I wonder whether any of The Huntington's art exhibitions have garnered the throngs of people lining up to see this flower. If you're a struggling museum, you might think about buying a corpse flower to help your bottom line.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/13/2009
It's the afternoon of Saturday 13 June, but actually time has stopped in the western hemisphere as… Read more »
The Huntington has a beautiful museum and gardens located in San Marino. I volunteered at the plant sale this past weekend and found everyone to very nice and the plants were awesome. They even let you shop before it opens so you get top picks!
They have different sections of the gardens such as the new Chinese area. I suppose you could go and view the current exhibit of Chinese painting and calligraphy in the museum too. Of course they have Gainsborough's "Blue Boy", after you deal with the crowd around that it's worth exploring the rest of the offerings in the museum. Some notable stops I enjoy are pieces by Mary Cassatt, Winslow Homer, John Singleton Copley, Albrecht Dürer, Rembrandt , Charles Demuth, J.M.W. Turner, and even a gutenberg bible.
You probably won't be disappointed, if you are then you're too damn fancy. So load up the car, bring water, sunscreen, and give the kids some plant and cultural goodness.
