5 Exciting Museum Experiences in Los Angeles

At Orange Coast CJDRF, we love checking out all of the fun and exciting places Los Angeles has to offer. There’s no shortage of fun events going on in the city, and some of our favorite places to visit are the many museums and educational programs available to the public.

Los Angeles has the bragging rights to many spectacular sights, featuring its iconic architecture, monuments that nod to Hollywood’s past and present, the dazzle and celebrity of Rodeo Drive, and miles of gorgeous beach and coastline. Among these quintessential Los Angeles landmarks, numerous museums invite you to experience their interesting, inspiring, and often interactive exhibits. From the subterranean to the cosmos, the historical to the hysterical, these sights are sure to amuse and amaze visitors of all ages.

La Brea Tar Pits & Museum

Address: 5801 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036

With 3.5 million fossils and counting, La Brea Tar Pits and Museum is a fascinating venture into our planet’s past. As the “world’s only active, urban Ice Age excavation site,” La Brea Tar Pits coexists with, and in, contemporary Los Angeles. This antique and unique location unearths, assembles, and displays fossils of formerly functioning creatures now frozen in time. Observe digs of fossils and skeletons as they are released from the tar pits’ centuries-old hold.

Guests can watch the fossils undergoing careful cleansing to unveil nature’s abundance as the water rinses away the covers of darkness, revealing some of the Earth’s buried secrets. As you walk beside odiferous puddles and bubbling pools of tar, picture the dinosaurs and other life that roamed the same path millions of years ago. Simultaneously, La Brea Tar Pits shares the landscape with many native Californian birds, reptiles, squirrels, and insects.

Their gardens provide homes and habitats for species from all over the world that coexist with 600 different types of plant life. You can enjoy a quiet respite beside placid water features or pathways that coax you to linger and explore more at La Brea’s gardens. The La Brea Tar Pits and Museum offers an extraordinary slice of Earth’s natural history without leaving the bustle of LA. Who said you need to leave the city to take a vacation?

Museum of Illusions

Address: 6751 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

If you are like most of us, you find optical illusions at least intriguing, if not mind-boggling. There is an undeniable delight and mystery felt as our brains attempt to make reason out of the illogical images appearing directly in front of us. If optical illusions appeal to you, you’ll love the sensory feast that awaits you at the Museum of Illusions in LA.

With over 30 3D illusions created by artists from all reaches of the globe, the Museum of Illusions easily lends itself to photo opportunities and fun. The friendly staff will provide a tripod stand for no charge to allow you to create photographic evidence of your defiance of physics using the museum’s exclusive images.

Imagine capturing yourself, friends, or family as they ride on a trunk of an elephant. How about balancing on the very edge of a giant skyscraper? What about peering out from the iridescent interior of a giant bubble? But wait! There’s more. The Museum of Illusions also has an Upside Down House. Picture seven rooms where you can oddly “challenge” gravity and common sense as you move about overhead rooms of furnishings. Photo ops abound at this interactive and innovative Los Angeles must-see.

Discovery Cube LA

Address: 11800 Foothill Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 91342

With other installations in the USA and London, Discovery Cube has been making a name for itself through a variety of hands-on activities geared for both the young and the young-at-heart. Come primed to learn through play on three different levels of play equipment.

Be prepared for the thunder of the Discovery Cube LA’s huge animatronic dinosaurs on the move. In their Aquavator exhibit, guests ride a special elevator down into a simulation of the Earth’s crust. Through their programs, Discovery Cube LA encourages a greater understanding of the benefits and limits we encounter from Mother Earth. Through viewing and learning about the numerous geological features (including aquifers), Discovery Cube LA promotes guardianship of our environment and thoughtful use of our resources.

Guests should be on the lookout for the Mythical Megalodon that could appear during their visit deep down into the Earth. There is also a 3D Theater, a floor dedicated to the history of hockey, a planetary research station, and other stimulating exhibits. Family-friendly scholarship and science are both at the ready at the Discovery Cube LA. Pack up the kids for a memorable day out that provides takeaway lessons they won’t soon forget.

Museum of Selfies

Address: 6757 Hollywood Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90028

Have you ever wanted to pose like an Instagram influencer or celebrity? The Museum of Selfies has got you covered. Whether you are interested in posting your pics or just posing for fun, grab your camera or cell phone and hightail it to the Museum of Selfies. Their immersive installations are perfect for voguing in front of the camera. The variety of options open for posturing invites spirited and sprightly sport for all ages.

Pose leisurely in a twinkling gold bathtub or relax in a pool of emojis. If you are feeling more adventurous, try their Upside Down room. Imagine yourself walking on the ceiling, staring at the furniture from a bird’s eye view, or sitting near the overhead lighting. Take the ultimate peacock-walk down the red carpet to receive your Oscar award. At the Museum of Selfies, plan to capture the funny moments and inspire ear-to-ear grins.

Griffith Observatory and Planetariums

Address: 2800 E Observatory Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

The Griffith Observatory and Planetariums are owned by the City of Los Angeles for public enjoyment. Admission is free. There are also public telescopes available for use at no charge.

From the height of the Griffith Observatory, you can experience a panoramic view of the magnificent Los Angeles landscape, including the outstanding Hollywood sign and the sprawling Los Angeles basin. Some of their exhibits offer programming and presentations through their theater venues, “Sunset walks and talks” that highlight the magnificence of the Griffth property, the gift of nature, and the importance of stewardship.

When you leave, you need not worry about missing out on the Griffith Observatory’s spectacular scope of stars and space. From your computer or another device, you can view current cosmic events and sightings through the Griffith Observatory TV website. Experience the serenity of the Griffith Observatory grounds with flora and a waterfall just a short distance from the busy LA scene.

If its beautifully landscaped grounds look familiar, you may have seen them featured in one of many hit movies. Griffith Observatory has been one of the locations for The Terminator (1984), La La Land (2016), and Rebel Without a Cause (1955). James Dean still presides over the property. He maintains watch over the Griffith Observatory in the form of a statue erected in his honor.

Don’t Forget to Stop by Orange Coast CJDRF

While you are out cruising the many wonders that await you in Los Angeles, remember to check out our latest inventory of new and used cars. Arrive in style to your next outing with a great ride from our dealership.