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Free museums in Los Angeles, and when

Official sources checked Oct 4, 2026

Three rules cover most of it. The big always-free museums want a timed reservation: required at both Getty sites, recommended at The Broad and MOCA. LACMA is free to everyone only on the second Tuesday of the month, and the weekday after-3 pm deals at LACMA and the Natural History Museum are for L.A. County residents with ID. The Autry and The Huntington each have one free day a month that you must book ahead.

Los Angeles

At a glance

MuseumFree whenFor whomBooking
LACMA free second TuesdaySecond Tuesday of each month · 11 am–6 pm. On other days adults from outside L.A. County pay $30.Everyone on the second Tuesday. Bank of America cardholders also get in free on the first full weekend of each month.Timed-entry ticket required for all visitors. Reserve the free ticket on lacma.org ahead of time, slots do run out.
LACMA free after 3 pm for L.A. County residentsMon, Tue, Thu after 3 pm until 6 pm, Fri after 3 pm until 8 pm. Closed Wed.L.A. County residents with valid ID only. Visitors from outside the county pay $30 at these times. County residents 17 and under are free at all times.Timed-entry ticket required, reserve the free resident ticket on lacma.org and bring ID showing a county address.
Natural History Museum free hours for L.A. County residentsMon–Fri 3–5 pm. The museum is closed on the first Tuesday of each month, except June to August. Regular adult admission is $18.L.A. County residents with ID or a utility bill. Also free every day: California teachers and school staff, active or retired U.S. military, EBT cardholders, USC students and faculty, and children 2 and under.Free resident tickets can be reserved online with an ID upload, or picked up at any ticket desk from 3 pm.
Autry Museum free first WednesdayFirst Wednesday of each month · 10 am–4 pm. Regular adult admission is $20.Everyone on the first Wednesday. Active-duty U.S. military and veterans are free every day. Parking is free for Autry visitors.Register for a free spot on theautry.org before you go.
Getty CenterAlways · Tue–Fri and Sun 10 am–6:30 pm, Sat 10 am–9 pm. Closed Mon. Some North, East and South Pavilion galleries are closed for renovation.Everyone. Admission is free, parking is not: $25 per car, $15 after 3 pm, $10 after 6 pm, free on Saturdays after 6 pm.Free timed-entry reservation required, booked on getty.edu. Weekday slots are easy, weekends go a few days ahead.
Getty VillaAlways · Wed–Mon 10 am–5 pm. Closed Tue.Everyone with a reservation. Parking is $25 per car, $15 after 3 pm. There is no street parking, and people on foot are turned away unless they arrive by public bus or are dropped off inside the gate.Free timed-entry reservation required, online or at (310) 440-7300. Every person needs one, including those arriving by bus or rideshare.
The BroadAlways · Tue, Wed, Fri 11 am–5 pm, Thu 11 am–8 pm, Sat–Sun 10 am–6 pm. Closed Mon. An expansion is being built next door, so expect some construction noise.Everyone. General admission is free. Some special exhibitions carry a separate charge.Timed tickets recommended, booked on thebroad.org. Extra same-day tickets are released online each day and walk-ups are taken. Kusama's Infinity Mirrored Room needs its own advance reservation.
MOCA Grand AvenueAlways · Tue–Fri 11 am–5 pm, Sat–Sun 11 am–6 pm, until 8 pm on the first Thursday of the month. Closed Mon. The Geffen Contemporary branch in Little Tokyo is closed between installations, check before going.Everyone. General admission is free.Advance reservation recommended on moca.org, walk-ins usually fine on weekdays.
Hammer MuseumAlways · Tue–Sun 11 am–6 pm. Closed Mon.Everyone. Parking under the museum is $9 for the first 3 hours with validation.Not needed
California Science CenterAlways · Daily 10 am–5 pm. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Endeavour is off display until the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center opens on November 13, 2026.Everyone. The core galleries are free. IMAX and special exhibitions are paid. Parking in the Exposition Park lot is about $20 per car.Not needed for the core galleries. From November 13, 2026 the Air and Space Center will use timed reservations that carry a small service fee, and walk-up entry may be very limited.
California African American MuseumAlways · Tue–Sat 10 am–5 pm, Sun 11 am–5 pm. Closed Mon.Everyone. Paid parking in the Exposition Park lots.Not needed. No large bags, the bag check is closed.
Wende MuseumAlways · Fri–Sun 10 am–5 pm. Closed Mon–Tue, school groups only Wed–Thu.Everyone. Exhibitions, programs and tours are all free. Free parking in the city lots next door.Not needed. Free guided tours usually run Fri at 11:30 am and Sat–Sun at 2:30 pm, RSVP encouraged.
Fowler Museum at UCLAAlways · Wed 12–8 pm, Thu–Sun 12–5 pm. Closed Mon–Tue.Everyone. Campus parking in Lot 4 is $5 an hour, $17 a day maximum.Not needed
Institute of Contemporary Art, Los AngelesAlways · Wed–Sun 11 am–6 pm. Closed Mon, Tue and public holidays.Everyone. Free onsite parking during opening hours.Not needed

Museums with a free day or free hours4

LACMA free second Tuesday

Miracle Mile
Free on certain daysBooking requiredIndoorGood with kids

The county art museum, now centered on the new David Geffen Galleries spanning Wilshire Blvd. General admission is free for everyone one Tuesday a month.

Free when
Second Tuesday of each month · 11 am–6 pm. On other days adults from outside L.A. County pay $30.
Free for whom
Everyone on the second Tuesday. Bank of America cardholders also get in free on the first full weekend of each month.
Reservation
Timed-entry ticket required for all visitors. Reserve the free ticket on lacma.org ahead of time, slots do run out.
Time needed
2–3h
How to get there
Metro D Line to Wilshire/Fairfax, right at the museum. Metro bus 20 or 720 on Wilshire also stops outside.
Worth it? Yes.The only way a visitor from outside the county sees LACMA for nothing, so plan the trip around it if you can. Urban Light, the lamppost installation on Wilshire, sits outside the ticketed area and can be seen any day.
Source: LACMA · checked Oct 4, 2026Open in Maps

LACMA free after 3 pm for L.A. County residents

Miracle Mile
Free on certain daysResidents onlyBooking requiredIndoorGood with kids

The standing weekday deal at the county art museum for people who live in Los Angeles County.

Free when
Mon, Tue, Thu after 3 pm until 6 pm, Fri after 3 pm until 8 pm. Closed Wed.
Free for whom
L.A. County residents with valid ID only. Visitors from outside the county pay $30 at these times. County residents 17 and under are free at all times.
Reservation
Timed-entry ticket required, reserve the free resident ticket on lacma.org and bring ID showing a county address.
Time needed
2h
How to get there
Metro D Line to Wilshire/Fairfax. Metro bus 20 or 720 on Wilshire.
Worth it? Depends.Friday is the one to pick, since you get five hours instead of three. Tourists should not count on this: staff check ID, so use the second Tuesday instead.
Source: LACMA · checked Oct 4, 2026Open in Maps

Natural History Museum free hours for L.A. County residents

Exposition Park
Free on certain daysResidents onlyBooking recommendedIndoorGood with kids

Dinosaur Hall, the gem vault and the Becoming Los Angeles galleries, free for locals in the last two hours of each weekday.

Free when
Mon–Fri 3–5 pm. The museum is closed on the first Tuesday of each month, except June to August. Regular adult admission is $18.
Free for whom
L.A. County residents with ID or a utility bill. Also free every day: California teachers and school staff, active or retired U.S. military, EBT cardholders, USC students and faculty, and children 2 and under.
Reservation
Free resident tickets can be reserved online with an ID upload, or picked up at any ticket desk from 3 pm.
Time needed
2h
How to get there
Metro E Line to Expo Park/USC, then 5 minutes on foot.
Worth it? Depends.Two hours is enough for the dinosaurs and one more hall, so go straight upstairs at 3. Special exhibitions and the Butterfly and Spider Pavilions still cost extra.
Source: Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County · checked Oct 4, 2026Open in Maps

Autry Museum free first Wednesday

Griffith Park
Free on certain daysBooking requiredIndoorGood with kids

A museum of the American West, from Native California to Hollywood westerns, on the northeast side of Griffith Park across from the zoo.

Free when
First Wednesday of each month · 10 am–4 pm. Regular adult admission is $20.
Free for whom
Everyone on the first Wednesday. Active-duty U.S. military and veterans are free every day. Parking is free for Autry visitors.
Reservation
Register for a free spot on theautry.org before you go.
Time needed
1.5–2h
How to get there
Metro bus 96 to the L.A. Zoo and Autry stop. By car, free parking in the museum lot at 4700 Western Heritage Way.
Worth it? Depends.Better than its cowboy reputation suggests, and one of the few free days in town with free parking attached. The Colt firearms gallery and the movie costumes are the parts people remember.
Source: Autry Museum of the American West · checked Oct 4, 2026Open in Maps

Museums that are always free10

Getty Center

Brentwood
Always freeBooking requiredIndoorGood with kids

European paintings, photography and a hilltop garden in Richard Meier's travertine campus, with a view from Downtown to the ocean. The tram ride up from the garage is part of the visit.

Free when
Always · Tue–Fri and Sun 10 am–6:30 pm, Sat 10 am–9 pm. Closed Mon. Some North, East and South Pavilion galleries are closed for renovation.
Free for whom
Everyone. Admission is free, parking is not: $25 per car, $15 after 3 pm, $10 after 6 pm, free on Saturdays after 6 pm.
Reservation
Free timed-entry reservation required, booked on getty.edu. Weekday slots are easy, weekends go a few days ahead.
Time needed
3–4h
How to get there
Metro bus 761 stops at the entrance on Sepulveda Blvd at Getty Center Dr. Catch it at the E Line's Expo/Sepulveda station or in Westwood. The tram from the gate is free.
Worth it? Yes.The best free museum day in the city if you skip the garage. Take the 761, or drive up on a Saturday after 6 pm when parking costs nothing and the museum stays open until 9.
Source: Getty · checked Oct 4, 2026Open in Maps

Getty Villa

Pacific Palisades
Always freeBooking requiredIndoorGood with kids

Greek and Roman antiquities inside a re-created Roman country house on the coast, with a long reflecting pool and herb garden. It reopened in June 2025 after the Palisades fire.

Free when
Always · Wed–Mon 10 am–5 pm. Closed Tue.
Free for whom
Everyone with a reservation. Parking is $25 per car, $15 after 3 pm. There is no street parking, and people on foot are turned away unless they arrive by public bus or are dropped off inside the gate.
Reservation
Free timed-entry reservation required, online or at (310) 440-7300. Every person needs one, including those arriving by bus or rideshare.
Time needed
2–3h
How to get there
Metro bus 134 from downtown Santa Monica stops at Pacific Coast Hwy and Coastline Dr, across from the entrance. Rideshares must pull inside the gate to drop you off.
Worth it? Yes.Smaller and calmer than the Getty Center, and the building is the main exhibit. If you do both on the same day, ask the information desk for the pay once, park twice coupon (not valid Mon or Tue).
Source: Getty · checked Oct 4, 2026Open in Maps

The Broad

Downtown, Bunker Hill
Always freeBooking recommendedIndoorGood with kids

Postwar and contemporary art from the Broad collection: Koons, Basquiat, Kusama, Warhol, Kara Walker. Two floors, easy to see in one visit.

Free when
Always · Tue, Wed, Fri 11 am–5 pm, Thu 11 am–8 pm, Sat–Sun 10 am–6 pm. Closed Mon. An expansion is being built next door, so expect some construction noise.
Free for whom
Everyone. General admission is free. Some special exhibitions carry a separate charge.
Reservation
Timed tickets recommended, booked on thebroad.org. Extra same-day tickets are released online each day and walk-ups are taken. Kusama's Infinity Mirrored Room needs its own advance reservation.
Time needed
1.5–2h
How to get there
Metro A or E Line to Grand Av Arts/Bunker Hill, 2 minutes on foot. The garage under the museum is $19 for 3 hours with validation.
Worth it? Yes.Book the Infinity Mirrored Room at the same time as your entry ticket or you will not get in. Thursday after 5 pm is the quietest slot.
Source: The Broad · checked Oct 4, 2026Open in Maps

MOCA Grand Avenue

Downtown, Bunker Hill
Always freeBooking recommendedIndoor

The Museum of Contemporary Art's main building, across the street from The Broad, with a strong permanent collection of Rothko, Pollock and Los Angeles artists.

Free when
Always · Tue–Fri 11 am–5 pm, Sat–Sun 11 am–6 pm, until 8 pm on the first Thursday of the month. Closed Mon. The Geffen Contemporary branch in Little Tokyo is closed between installations, check before going.
Free for whom
Everyone. General admission is free.
Reservation
Advance reservation recommended on moca.org, walk-ins usually fine on weekdays.
Time needed
1–1.5h
How to get there
Metro A or E Line to Grand Av Arts/Bunker Hill, then cross Grand Ave. It is 250 S Grand Ave, directly opposite The Broad.
Worth it? Yes.Pair it with The Broad and you have a full afternoon of contemporary art for nothing. The galleries are below street level, so look for the stairs down from the plaza.
Source: MOCA · checked Oct 4, 2026Open in Maps

Hammer Museum

Westwood
Always freeIndoor

UCLA's art museum on Wilshire, mixing a small old-master collection (Rembrandt, Van Gogh) with ambitious contemporary shows and a courtyard to sit in.

Free when
Always · Tue–Sun 11 am–6 pm. Closed Mon.
Free for whom
Everyone. Parking under the museum is $9 for the first 3 hours with validation.
Reservation
Not needed
Time needed
1.5h
How to get there
Metro bus 20 or 720 along Wilshire Blvd to Westwood Blvd. The museum is on the corner.
Worth it? Yes.No tickets, no line, and the exhibitions are often better than the paid ones across town. Check the calendar, the evening talks and screenings are free too.
Source: Hammer Museum · checked Oct 4, 2026Open in Maps

California Science Center

Exposition Park
Always freeIndoorGood with kids

A big hands-on science museum with a kelp forest tank, a desert flash flood and a sports science floor. Space shuttle Endeavour belongs here but is off display until the new Air and Space Center opens.

Free when
Always · Daily 10 am–5 pm. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Endeavour is off display until the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center opens on November 13, 2026.
Free for whom
Everyone. The core galleries are free. IMAX and special exhibitions are paid. Parking in the Exposition Park lot is about $20 per car.
Reservation
Not needed for the core galleries. From November 13, 2026 the Air and Space Center will use timed reservations that carry a small service fee, and walk-up entry may be very limited.
Time needed
2–3h
How to get there
Metro E Line to Expo Park/USC, then 5 minutes on foot through the Rose Garden.
Worth it? Yes.Great with kids on any day, including Mondays when most museums are shut. If you are coming for the shuttle, wait until after November 13 and reserve ahead.
Source: California Science Center · checked Oct 4, 2026Open in Maps

California African American Museum

Exposition Park
Always freeIndoor

Art, history and culture of African Americans with a focus on California and the West, in a bright building next to the Science Center.

Free when
Always · Tue–Sat 10 am–5 pm, Sun 11 am–5 pm. Closed Mon.
Free for whom
Everyone. Paid parking in the Exposition Park lots.
Reservation
Not needed. No large bags, the bag check is closed.
Time needed
1h
How to get there
Metro E Line to Expo Park/USC, then 7 minutes on foot. It is at 600 State Dr, just east of the Science Center.
Worth it? Yes.Small, well curated and rarely crowded. An easy add-on after the Science Center since they share a plaza.
Source: California African American Museum · checked Oct 4, 2026Open in Maps

Wende Museum

Culver City
Always freeIndoor

A museum of Cold War life in a former National Guard armory: East German furniture, Soviet posters, surveillance gear and a sculpture garden.

Free when
Always · Fri–Sun 10 am–5 pm. Closed Mon–Tue, school groups only Wed–Thu.
Free for whom
Everyone. Exhibitions, programs and tours are all free. Free parking in the city lots next door.
Reservation
Not needed. Free guided tours usually run Fri at 11:30 am and Sat–Sun at 2:30 pm, RSVP encouraged.
Time needed
1–1.5h
How to get there
10808 Culver Blvd, near Overland Ave. Culver CityBus runs along Culver Blvd, or it is a short ride from the E Line's Culver City station.
Worth it? Yes.Unlike anything else in Los Angeles and nobody seems to know about it. Time your visit for the guided tour, the open storage only makes sense with someone explaining it.
Source: Wende Museum · checked Oct 4, 2026Open in Maps

Fowler Museum at UCLA

Westwood, UCLA campus
Always freeIndoorGood with kids

Art and objects from Africa, Asia, the Pacific and the Americas, shown in a brick building in the middle of the UCLA campus.

Free when
Always · Wed 12–8 pm, Thu–Sun 12–5 pm. Closed Mon–Tue.
Free for whom
Everyone. Campus parking in Lot 4 is $5 an hour, $17 a day maximum.
Reservation
Not needed
Time needed
1h
How to get there
Buses to the UCLA transit stops at Hilgard and Strathmore, then a 10-minute walk across campus. From the Hammer it is about 25 minutes on foot up Westwood Blvd.
Worth it? Depends.Worth it if you are already at the Hammer or want a look at the UCLA campus. Royce Hall and the sculpture garden are a few minutes away and cost nothing.
Source: Fowler Museum at UCLA · checked Oct 4, 2026Open in Maps

Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles

Arts District
Always freeIndoor

A non-collecting contemporary art space in a converted warehouse on 7th St, showing three or four exhibitions at a time.

Free when
Always · Wed–Sun 11 am–6 pm. Closed Mon, Tue and public holidays.
Free for whom
Everyone. Free onsite parking during opening hours.
Reservation
Not needed
Time needed
45 min
How to get there
Metro bus 60 or 62 to 7th/Decatur. It is at 1717 E 7th St, about 25 minutes on foot from Little Tokyo/Arts District station.
Worth it? Depends.One of the few museums in town where the parking is free as well. Short visit, so combine it with a walk around the Arts District murals.
Source: ICA LA · checked Oct 4, 2026Open in Maps

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