Topline:
Los Angeles has its share of world-class museums, from the Broad to The Getty to the Natural History Museum.
Explore some niche alternatives: There are many more off the beaten path that are as worthy of your time.
Read on... to find six niche and wonderful museums — from one dedicated to street lamps, to another on death — we think you'd enjoy.
Los Angeles has its share of world-class museums, from the Broad to The Getty to the Natural History Museum.
But there are many more off the beaten path that are as worthy of your time. So we decided to suggest some hidden L.A. museums that are worth a visit at any time.
Most of them are small, and several schedule visits by appointment or have very limited hours, so get out your calendar and go discover a new side of the city.
Housed in one large room at the Department of Public Works, this museum has some of the more unusual lights from the collection of 400-plus styles that have kept the streets safe since the first gas lamps were installed in 1882. It is a surprise to see how ornate (and large) many of the earlier designs were — frosted glass, lanterns, dragons, fruit, stars, and many with Art Deco accents — while some like the Aladdin’s Lamp are still in use today. Next time you’re walking through your neighborhood, be sure to look up to appreciate not just their utilitarianism, but their beauty.
Location: 1149 S. Broadway, Los Angeles
Hours: Open third Wednesday of every month at 10 a.m. Reservations required: contact Edgar Orozco at (323) 385-9530
Tickets: Free
The name says it all. This small basement museum is an illuminating look into binocular stereopsis and all that is stereoscopic. Alongside antique viewers with exotic names like Sculptoscope and Diableries there are 3-D comics, a host of zany 3-D glasses, and the red thick binocular-style View-Masters familiar to all kids of a certain generation.
Few art forms link the Three Stooges with guitarist Brian May from Queen — a noted collector who has been here for a visit — while the highlight is an unassuming yellow box, one of perhaps only three Terryscopes, a prototype arcade kiosk that encyclopedic host Eric Kurland brought back to life to play its Mighty Mouse clips.
Location: 1200 N. Alvarado St., Los Angeles
Hours: By appointment only here; or call Eric at (818) 636-1311
Tickets: Free
A chance to relive genteel Victorian L.A. just blocks from the hubbub of MacArthur Park, this 1898 house was built in the Queen Ann style, and Huell Howser loved it so much he visited twice. Created by craftsmen but also from recycled wood, glassware and furniture found on the sidewalk or at yard sales, this house is a showcase for the immense and still-growing antique collections of several Musser generations. Real family photos line the walls, and residents Susan Tejada and her son Ray will explain the china, chandeliers, paintings, dresses and hats, as well as the Disney “Haunted Mansion” memorabilia.
Location: 403 S. Bonnie Brae St., Los Angeles
Hours: Open Wednesday to Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. By appointment in advance, call (213) 413-1814
Tickets: Adults $15, Seniors/Students $13, Children $6
Part exhibition space and part art exhibit, this museum looks at how different cultures perceive the end of mortal life. JD Healy and his wife Cathee Shultz started by sending letters to “Night Stalker” Richard Ramirez, and their collection has grown to include countless shocking and bizarre items. California stories like The Black Dahlia, Manson and the Heaven’s Gate cult are here, but also a room of mortuary promotional items, photos of car accidents and natural disasters, shrunken heads, skulls, odd taxidermy, serial killer paintings and much more. Enter at your own risk, indeed.
Location: 6363 Selma Ave., Los Angeles
Hours: Open daily 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Tickets: $20 + $1 transaction fee per card (cashless)
This first L.A. firehouse was built in 1884, and housed the 38 volunteers who worked shifts manning Engine Company No 1 until 1897. After many incarnations, it was fully restored as a museum in 1960, with a sliding pole reinstalled from the bedrooms upstairs, the walls covered with historic photos and maps of L.A., a collection of fire helmets and other artifacts from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The horses that pulled the carriage, engine and hose also lived here in stalls; their open bridles still seem ready for when the alarm bell rings.
Location: 501 N Los Angeles St., Los Angeles
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Tickets: Free
Located on the slope that leads up to the Box Office, this museum looks at the story behind this iconic music venue. There are displays about past events and performers, and exhibits featuring scale models of the different stage designs — including a pyramid. Colorful retro posters warning pilots to be aware of the spotlights are a surprise, as are two stone fossils dated to 15 million years ago. They were found on a hill above the stage in 2000, and remind you that while the Bowl has hosted almost every major music artist from the last century, it is a natural feature of the Santa Monica Mountains.
Location: 2301 N. Highland Ave, Los Angeles
Hours: Summer Hours: Sunday/Monday — 4 hours prior to show time; Tuesday to Saturday 10 a.m. to showtime | Off-Season: Tuesday to Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Saturday to Monday
Tickets: Free