List of museums in Los Angeles County, California facts for kids
A list of museums located within Los Angeles County of southern California.
Museums located within the City of Los Angeles, while also within LA County, are found separately listed on the List of museums in Los Angeles, California.
The list includes museums and art galleries — of historical, cultural, ethnic, science, and arts organizations, nonprofit organizations, government departments, university and college facilities, and private or corporate collections — that have galleries, buildings, and or open air spaces with exhibits and works open for public viewing.
It currently does not include virtual museums, although some of the listed physical museums have notable online collections also.
Museums
Current
| Name | Image | Town/City | Region | Type | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adamson House | Malibu | Greater Los Angeles Area | Historic house | 1929 home decorated with Malibu Potteries tile, tour includes adjoining Malibu Lagoon Museum in the former garage, with exhibits of local history | |
| Adobe de Palomares | Pomona | San Gabriel Valley | Historic house | 1850s adobe ranch home, operated by the Historical Society of Pomona Valley | |
| Alhambra Historical Society Museum | Alhambra | San Gabriel Valley | Local history | Located in Burke Heritage Park | |
| American Military Museum | El Monte | San Gabriel Valley | Military | website, military vehicles and artillery | |
| American Museum of Ceramic Art | Pomona | San Gabriel Valley | Art | Also known as AMOCA, collection includes Southern California dinnerware, Mettach ceramics, industrial ceramics, factory made ceramics, ancient vessels from the Americas, fine porcelains of Asia and Europe, and functional and sculptural contemporary ceramics | |
| Antelope Valley College Art Gallery | Lancaster | Antelope Valley | Art | website, located in building FA1, the Fine Arts Building | |
| Antelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic Park | Lake Los Angeles | Antelope Valley | Native American | objects created by the American Indian cultures of the western Great Basin, California and the Southwest | |
| Armory Center for the Arts | Pasadena | San Gabriel Valley | Art | ||
| Art Center College of Design Galleries | Pasadena | San Gabriel Valley | Art | Includes the Alyce de Roulet Williamson Gallery, Public Programs Gallery and Lobby, Student Gallery, Undergraduate Fine Art Galleries, Wind Tunnel Gallery | |
| Automobile Driving Museum | El Segundo | South Bay | Automotive | restored antique, classic and special interest cars | |
| Baldwin Park Museum | Baldwin Park | San Gabriel Valley | Local history | Operated by the Baldwin Park Historical Society, located inside the Arts and Recreation Center | |
| Battleship USS Iowa Museum | San Pedro | Los Angeles Harbor Region | Maritime Museum / Ship | Operated by the Pacific Battleship Center, the USS Iowa (BB-61) served during WWII, Korean War, and the Cold War, and hosted 3 Presidents (President Franklin D. Roosevelt, President Ronald Reagan, and President George H. W. Bush.) | |
| Bert Rodriguez Museum | West Hollywood | Westside | Art | website | |
| Blackbird Airpark Museum | Palmdale | Antelope Valley | Aviation | annex of the Air Force Flight Test Museum at Edwards AFB, museum and outdoor displays including a Lockheed SR-71A, a D-21 drone and a U2 “D”; near the Joe Davies Heritage Airpark | |
| Bunny Museum | Pasadena | San Gabriel Valley | Commodity | Over 26,000 bunny collectibles | |
| Burbank Police and Fire Museum | Burbank | San Fernando Valley | Multiple | Open to the public one Saturday a month | |
| California Heritage Museum | Santa Monica | Westside | Art | American decorative and fine arts, includes Monterey Furniture and many examples of California tile and pottery | |
| Casa Adobe de San Rafael | Glendale | San Fernando Valley | Historic house | information, owned by the City of Glendale | |
| Catalina Island Museum | Santa Catalina Island | Los Angeles Harbor Region | Local history | Located in the Catalina Casino, includes Native American artifacts, over 10,000 photographs and images, a large collection of Catalina-made pottery and tile, ship models and maritime artifacts | |
| Centennial Heritage Park | Glendora | San Gabriel Valley | Open air | Operated by the Glendora Preservation Foundation, includes Hamilton House, carriage house, windmill, citrus grove, print shop | |
| Claremont Museum of Art | Claremont | San Gabriel Valley | Art | website | |
| Clarke Estate | Santa Fe Springs | Gateway Cities | Historic house | ||
| Craft Contemporary | Mid-Wilshire | Los Angeles | Art | Located on Miracle Mile, it is Los Angeles' only arts institution dedicated to craft | |
| dA Center for the Arts | Pomona | San Gabriel Valley | Art | website, community arts center with exhibitions | |
| Descanso Gardens | La Cañada Flintridge | San Gabriel Valley | Historic house | Botanic gardens, also features Boddy House,a 22-room mansion | |
| Destination Crenshaw | Hyde Park | South Los Angeles | open-air museum | 1.3-mile-long (2.1 km) portion of Crenshaw Boulevard preserving the history and culture of African Americans | |
| Doctors House Museum | Glendale | San Fernando Valley | Historic house | late 19th-century Victorian house, operated by the Glendale Historical Society | |
| Dominguez Rancho Adobe Museum | Rancho Dominguez | Los Angeles Harbor Region | Historic house | Adobe ranch home, also known as Rancho San Pedro | |
| Downey History Center | Downey | Gateway Cities | Local history | website, operated by the Downey Historical Society | |
| Duarte Historical Museum | Duarte | San Gabriel Valley | Local history | Operated by the Duarte Historical Society | |
| Durrell House Museum | Azusa | San Gabriel Valley | Historic house | Also known as Azusa Historical Museusm, operated by the Azusa Historical Society | |
| El Monte Historical Museum | El Monte | San Gabriel Valley | Local history | website | |
| Firehouse Jail Museum | Covina | San Gabriel Valley | Local history | Operated by the Covina Valley Historical Society, former jail, features orange industry documents and artifacts | |
| Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale | Glendale | San Fernando Valley | Art | The Forest Lawn Museum exhibits western bronzes, stained glass, historical American pieces, original paintings and cultural artifacts, with specific displays for different locations around the world | |
| Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art, California | Malibu | Greater Los Angeles Area | Art | Part of Pepperdine University, works from the collections of the Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation | |
| Gallery 825 | West Hollywood | Westside | Art | Operated by the Los Angeles Art Association | |
| Gamble House | Pasadena | San Gabriel Valley | Historic house | 1908 Craftsman-style house | |
| George Westmore Research Library & Museum | Burbank | San Fernando Valley | Cosmetics | website, cosmetics and hair styling memorabilia, currently closed and seeking new location | |
| Gilb Museum of Arcadia Heritage | Arcadia | San Gabriel Valley | Local history | website | |
| Gilbert Sproul Museum | Norwalk | Gateway Cities | Local history | Operated by the City of Norwalk, open on the first Sunday of the month | |
| Glendora Historical Society Museum | Glendora | San Gabriel Valley | Local history | website | |
| Gordon R. Howard Museum | Burbank | San Fernando Valley | Local history | Operated by the Burbank Historical Society, includes the 1887 Victorian Mentzer House, a memorabilia building including a Lockheed Aviation display, vintage vehicles, 19th century era rooms | |
| Hargitt House Museum | Norwalk | Gateway Cities | Historic house | Operated by the City of Norwalk, late 19th-century Victorian house, open on the first and third Saturdays of the month | |
| Hathaway Ranch Museum | Santa Fe Springs | Gateway Cities | Local history | Early California ranch life and the oil boom of the 20s and 30s | |
| Hayes House & Museum | San Gabriel | San Gabriel Valley | Local history | Operated by the San Gabriel Historical Association | |
| Heritage House, Covina | Covina | San Gabriel Valley | Historic house | Operated by the Covina Valley Historical Society, early 20th-century period Craftsman-style home | |
| Heritage Junction Historic Park | Santa Clarita | Santa Clarita Valley | Open air | operated by the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society, includes several historic houses, a railroad station, schoolhouse, chapel | |
| Heritage Park | Santa Fe Springs | Gateway Cities | Open air | includes authentic Tongva Native American village, ranch home, and train depot complete with locomotive | |
| Hermosa Beach Historical Museum | Hermosa Beach | South Bay | Local history | Operated by the Hermosa Beach Historical Society | |
| Historical Society of Long Beach Museum | Long Beach | Los Angeles Harbor Region | Local history | ||
| Huntington Library |  |
San Marino | San Gabriel Valley | Multiple | Library, art collection, historic Beaux-Art mansion and botanical gardens |
| Hurst Ranch Historical Center | West Covina | San Gabriel Valley | Agriculture | website, early 20th century ranch and farm with equipment, tools | |
| International Printing Museum | Carson | Los Angeles Harbor Region | History | Working demonstrations of antique printing machines, history of books and printing, inventions and inventors that have changed the world | |
| Joe Davies Heritage Airpark | Palmdale | Antelope Valley | Aviation | outdoor display of military and civilian aircraft flown, tested, designed, produced or modified at United States Air Force Plant 42 | |
| Justice Brothers Private Automotive Collection | Duarte | San Gabriel Valley | Automotive | History of the Justice Brothers and auto racing | |
| Kidspace Children's Museum | Pasadena | San Gabriel Valley | Children's | ||
| La Casa Primera de Rancho San Jose | Pomona | San Gabriel Valley | Historic house | 1837 adobe home, operated by the Historical Society of Pomona Valley | |
| La Historia Historical Society Museum | El Monte | San Gabriel Valley | Ethnic | Culture of the barrios of El Monte | |
| Lancaster Museum of Art and History | Lancaster | Antelope Valley | Multiple | also known as MOAH, three locations focusing on the art, history and culture in the Antelope Valley, includes the Western Hotel Museum | |
| Lanterman House | La Cañada Flintridge | San Gabriel Valley | Historic house | 1915 Arts & Crafts-style bungalow | |
| Latino Art Museum | Pomona | San Gabriel Valley | Art | website, Latin American contemporary art | |
| Leonis Adobe | Calabasas | San Fernando Valley | Living | California ranch life of the late 19th century | |
| Lomita Railroad Museum | Lomita | South Bay | Railroad | Steam locomotives | |
| Long Beach Firefighter's Museum | Long Beach | Los Angeles Harbor Region | Firefighting | website | |
| Long Beach Museum of Art | Long Beach | Los Angeles Harbor Region | Art | American decorative arts objects, early 20th-century European art, California Modernism and contemporary art of California | |
| Lopez Adobe | San Fernando | San Fernando Valley | Historic house | ||
| MAK Center for Art and Architecture | West Hollywood | Westside | Art | Changing exhibits that challenge the relationship between art and architecture; located in the Schindler House | |
| Mayme A. Clayton Library & Museum | Culver City | Westside | African-American | history and culture of African Americans in the United States, with a special focus on Southern California and the American West, collections of Mayme Agnew Clayton | |
| Manhattan Beach Historical Society Museum | Manhattan Beach | South Bay | Local history | Located in the cottage at Polliwog Park | |
| Martial Arts History Museum | Burbank | San Fernando Valley | Multiple | A historic and cultural look at Asian art, history, music and culture and its impact on American society | |
| Mission San Gabriel Arcángel | San Gabriel | San Gabriel Valley | Historic church | Also contains a museum about the church's history | |
| Monrovia Historical Museum | Monrovia | San Gabriel Valley | Local history | ||
| Monterey Park Historical Museum | Monterey Park | San Gabriel Valley | Local history | Operated by the Monterey Park Historical Society | |
| MOCA at The Pacific Design Center | West Hollywood | Westside | Art | Presents new work by emerging and established artists, branch of Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles | |
| Museum of Flying | Santa Monica | Westside | Local history | Includes 50 vintage aircraft, and the desk/office of Donald Wills Douglas, Sr. and executive boardroom of Douglas Aircraft Company, which was headquartered in Santa Monica | |
| Museum of Jurassic Technology | Culver City | Westside | Art | This is a meta-museum, full of loving irony. Includes a Russian Tea Room. | |
| Museum of Latin American Art | Long Beach | Los Angeles Harbor Region | Art | Contemporary Latin American art | |
| Museum of Neon Art | Glendale | San Fernando Valley | Art | Art that incorporates neon lighting including neon signs and kinetic art | |
| Nan Rae Gallery Woodbury University | Burbank | San Fernando Valley | Art | website, | |
| Neff Park | La Mirada | Gateway Cities | Local history | website, contains Neff Home, a historic house museum, and Neff Barn with local history exhibits | |
| Norton Simon Museum | .jpg) |
Pasadena | San Gabriel Valley | Art | Collections include European Impressionist paintings, sculpture, tapestry and some South Asian sculpture |
| Old Mill | San Marino | San Gabriel Valley | Mill | 1816 adobe grist mill for Mission San Gabriel, also known as El Molino Viejo Museum | |
| Oldest McDonald's Restaurant | Downey | Gateway Cities | Food | Third McDonald's restaurant, features original design and museum | |
| ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives | West Hollywood | Westside | LGBT | Exhibitions of LGBT art, photography and history from the archives, part of the University of Southern California Libraries | |
| Pacific Railroad Society Museum | San Dimas | San Gabriel Valley | Railroad | website, operates from former San Dimas AT&SF Depot | |
| Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum | Long Beach | Los Angeles Harbor Region | Art | website, art works and artifacts from Pacific islander nations | |
| Paley Center for Media | Beverly Hills | Westside | Media | Formerly the Museum of Television & Radio | |
| Palos Verdes Art Center | Rancho Palos Verdes | South Bay | Art | community visual art gallery and school | |
| Pasadena City College Art Gallery | Pasadena | San Gabriel Valley | Art | website | |
| Pasadena Museum of California Art | Pasadena | San Gabriel Valley | Art | Art and design that originates from California | |
| Pasadena Museum of History | Pasadena | San Gabriel Valley | Multiple | Includes Fenyes Mansion with turn-of-the-20th-century furnishings and art, the Finnish Folk Art Museum and changing exhibits of local culture and history | |
| Paul Gray PC Museum | Claremont | San Gabriel Valley | Technology | Part of Claremont Graduate University, history of personal computers, located in the Center for Information Systems and Technology | |
| Pico Rivera Historical Museum | Pico Rivera | San Gabriel Valley | Local history | information, housed in an 1887 train depot, operated by the Pico Rivera History and Heritage Society | |
| Pio Pico State Historic Park | Whittier | San Gabriel Valley | Historic house | Adobe home of Pío Pico, the last Governor of Alta California under Mexican Rule | |
| Point Vicente Interpretive Center | Rancho Palos Verdes | South Bay | Natural history | website, adjacent to Point Vicente Light, natural and cultural history of the peninsula with a special emphasis on the Pacific gray whale | |
| Point Vicente Light | Rancho Palos Verdes | South Bay | Maritime | Lighthouse tours | |
| Benton Museum of Art |  |
Claremont | San Gabriel Valley | Art | Part of Pomona College; collection includes 15th- and 16th-century Italian panel paintings, Pre-Columbian to 20th-century American Indian art and artifacts, American and European prints, drawings, and photographs |
| Pomona Ebell Museum of History | Pomona | San Gabriel Valley | Local history | website, operated by the Historical Society of Pomona Valley | |
| Queen Mary |  |
Long Beach | Los Angeles Harbor Region | Museum ship | Ocean liner |
| RailGiants Train Museum | Pomona | San Gabriel Valley | Railroad | Located at Fairplex, historic locomotives | |
| Ramona Museum of California History | San Gabriel | San Gabriel Valley | History | website, California history, operated by the Native Sons of the Golden West | |
| Rancho Los Alamitos | Long Beach | Los Angeles Harbor Region | Historic house | Early 19th century adobe ranch house and barns with animals | |
| Rancho Los Cerritos | Long Beach | Los Angeles Harbor Region | Historic house | 1844 two-story Monterey-style adobe home | |
| Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology | Claremont | San Gabriel Valley | Paleontology | Part of The Webb Schools, vertebrate, invertebrate, and track fossils | |
| Redondo Beach Historical Museum | Redondo Beach | Greater Los Angeles Area | Local history | Located in the 1904 Queen Anne House | |
| Richardson House and Lizzie's Trail Inn | Sierra Madre | San Gabriel Valley | Historic site | website, operated by the Sierra Madre Historical Preservation Society | |
| Rowland Home & Dibble Museum | Hacienda Heights | San Gabriel Valley | Historic house | Currently closed | |
| Rubel Castle | Glendora | San Gabriel Valley | Art | Eclectic mix of rock buildings, discarded items and a renovated citrus packing house | |
| Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery | Claremont | San Gabriel Valley | Art | Part of Scripps College, collection focuses on contemporary ceramics; American 19th and early 20th century paintings and works on paper; American, European, and Japanese prints; photography; Asian paintings and decorative arts | |
| Salvation Army Museum of the West | Rancho Palos Verdes | South Bay | History | history of the Salvation Army in the Western United States | |
| San Dimas Museum | San Dimas | San Gabriel Valley | Local history | Operated by the San Dimas Historical Society | |
| San Gabriel River Discovery Center | South El Monte | San Gabriel Valley | Natural history | planned museum to complement the existing Whittier Narrows Nature Center, focus on local watershed issues | |
| Santa Monica History Museum | Santa Monica | Westside | Local history | operated by the Santa Monica Historical Society | |
| Santa Monica Museum of Art | Santa Monica | Westside | Art | Contemporary art | |
| Saugus Train Station Museum | Santa Clarita | Santa Clarita Valley | Railroad | website, operated by the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society at Heritage Junction Park | |
| Schindler House | West Hollywood | Westside | Historic house | Designed by architect Rudolf Schindler, also features the MAK Center for Art and Architecture | |
| South Pasadena Historical Museum | South Pasadena | San Gabriel Valley | Local | website, operated by the South Pasadena Preservation Foundation | |
| Southern California Medical Museum | Pomona | San Gabriel Valley | Medical | located at Western University of Health Sciences, history, photos and artifacts of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing and allied medical fields | |
| Taylor House | West Covina | San Gabriel Valley | Historic house | website, 1912 Craftsman style farmhouse | |
| Temple City Historical Museum | Temple City | San Gabriel Valley | Local history | website, operated by the Historical Society of Temple City | |
| The Museum of the San Fernando Valley | Northridge | San Fernando Valley | History, Art & Culture | exhibits on The Art of Tarzan, Birmingham General Hospital, Then and Now, African American History in the SFV | |
| Torrance Art Museum | Torrance | South Bay | Art | modern and contemporary art | |
| Torrance Historical Society & Museum | Torrance | South Bay | Local history | ||
| Toyota USA Automobile Museum | Torrance | South Bay | Automobile | Toyota automobiles and history, open by appointment only | |
| University Art Museum | Long Beach | Los Angeles Harbor Region | Art | on the campus of California State University, Long Beach | |
| USC Pacific Asia Museum | Pasadena | San Gabriel Valley | Art | Arts and culture of Asia and the Pacific Islands | |
| Vincent Price Art Museum | Monterey Park | Eastside | Art | part of East Los Angeles College, includes art from Africa, Peruvian and Mexican artifacts dating from 300 B.C., North American Indian Art, and important works from the renaissance to the present day | |
| Virginia Robinson Gardens | Beverly Hills | Westside | Historic house | Early 20th century period landscape, historic mansion and botanical gardens | |
| Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum | Pomona | San Gabriel Valley | Automotive | Memorabilia, automobiles and motorcycles related to the sport of hot rodding | |
| Warner Bros. Museum | Burbank | San Fernando Valley | Media | Part of the VIP Tour of Warner Brothers Studio, motion picture and television memorabilia | |
| Wende Museum | Culver City | Westside | History | History and culture of the Cold War, particularly in East Germany, Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union | |
| Western Museum of Flight | Torrance | South Bay | Aviation | Operated by the Southern California Historical Aviation Foundation, collection of notable jet and propeller-drive airplanes | |
| Whittier Museum | Whittier | San Gabriel Valley | Historic house | Operated by the Whittier Historical Society | |
| William S. Hart Ranch and Museum | Santa Clarita | Santa Clarita Valley | Historic house | Spanish-revival home of William S. Hart, contains original furnishings, western art, mementos of early Hollywood and Native American artifacts; operated by the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County | |
| Workman and Temple Family Homestead Museum | Industry | San Gabriel Valley | Historic house | Features the 1870s Workman House, 1920s La Casa Nueva, a Spanish Colonial Revival mansion, and El Campo Santo, one of the region's oldest private cemeteries |
Former
- Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Galleries
- Downey Museum of Art, Downey, website, closed in 2009 and seeking new location
- Eames Office, Santa Monica
- Angels Attic, closed in 2017
See also
- List of museums in the City of Los Angeles, California
- Lists of museums in California
- Museums in Los Angeles County, California
- Art in Greater Los Angeles
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List of museums in Los Angeles County, California Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.