The best arts & culture spots in Los Angeles

“Educational museum with a focus on kids offers over 100 hands-on exhibits, plus special programs.”

“Famous Hollywood sidewalk area emblazoned with stars & celebrity names since 1960.”

“Historic landmark site featuring soaring steel towers adorned with glass, shells & colorful tiles.”

“Open Friday to Sunday, this museum stars 170+ military vehicles from WWI to Operation Desert Storm.”

“Museum in a grand Victorian residence with period furnishings & decor, plus landscaped gardens.”

“Miniature, mile-long train ride that circles the Travel Town Train Museum in Griffith Park.”

“Part of Ramona High School, this theater hosts musicals and other live performances.”

“Modern locale featuring family-friendly, interactive exhibits about space, including a simulator.”

“Skip the endless scroll and go hands-on at Hello Pottery, where you can pick from pottery bisque, fluid art pours, Cream Glue decorating, or mosaics, then leave with a one-off piece that actually looks intentional. Perfect for a low-key weeknight reset.”

From the Orange newsletter, August 5, 2026

“Soul on Fire Dance is an adult-only OC studio built for expression and community, with trauma-informed instructors and a proudly LGBTQ+/BIPOC-owned heartbeat.”

From the Buena Park newsletter, August 6, 2026

“The Los Angeles Museum of Love takes you and your person through a low-tech journey of loneliness, romance, intimacy, maybe a little storm, then a victory lap in the fun room, complete with a keepsake memory book and interactive games that actually spark conversation. Cue the feels this week.”

From the Los Angeles newsletter, August 6, 2026

“Mr. Brainwash’s 2019 cast resin sculpture, Beverly Hills is Beautiful, doubles as a city sign and feel-good pop art moment. Skip the selfies with visitors and use it as your midweek reminder that home really is beautiful.”

From the Beverly Hills newsletter, August 5, 2026

“Skip the doomscroll and wander Bowers Museum this week, where The American Quilt: Cloth and Commerce is in full stitch through August 30, plus California Watercolor keeps the SoCal vibes flowing. Cap it with something delicious from Ada's Table and call it a pretty great week.”

From the Anaheim newsletter, August 7, 2026

“This week, The Crafty Lefty has easy DIY tutorials, decor ideas, and custom party supplies that actually save you time, from free printable games for the kids to felt succulent how-tos and clever holiday cards, so you can look wildly prepared without leaving the living room.”

From the Santa Monica newsletter, August 6, 2026

“Need a little visual pick-me-up between errands this week? Santiago Park Mural is a roughly 300-foot acrylic burst by Roberto Del Hoyo that lights up the Santiago Creek bike trail underpass, a perfect excuse to stretch the legs, snap a pic, and remember OC has creative bones. Check it out.”

“Nocturne Theatre is serving up big, heart-first musicals and deliciously dark rock operas that actually make you forget your phone. Catch The Full Monty right now, then line up Dracula: The Musical starting August 6, and turn a random weeknight into quality theater with friends.”

From the West Covina newsletter, August 3, 2026

“Need a quick jaunt for color therapy? The Greetings from Altadena mural, a 2022 postcard-style piece by Victor Ving and Lisa Beggs from the Greetings Tour, packs local legends into each letter, from Christmas Tree Lane to Octavia Butler, perfect for a low-key photo op and a mini history hit.”

From the Glendora newsletter, August 4, 2026

“Tom Ward Artist Mural Painter turns empty walls into stories, collaborating with you to design and paint one of a kind murals across SoCal with serious craft and on-time execution. If your space is begging for color and character, this is your reminder to get that vision out of your head and onto the wall.”

From the Long Beach newsletter, August 5, 2026

“Need a quick wow this week? March Field Air Museum lines up more than 100 historic aircraft, from the B-17G and B-29A to a B-52D and MQ-1B Predator, and it sits by an active flight line, so you might spot modern military aircraft while you wander.”

From the Fontana newsletter, August 4, 2026

“Part shrine, part classroom, Museum of Woman uplifts Goddesses, Queens and Wisewomen with immersive exhibits and embodied enactments, plus a women's circle and Ava's Queen Teachings exploring the Four Powers of Woman (Maiden, Mother, Queen, Wisewoman). Refuel your spirit this week, then bring that glow to Monday.”

From the Dana Point newsletter, August 6, 2026

“Sneak in a small dose of inspiration this week. Symphony Mural is a sweeping public artwork in Riverside with a curved, wall-hugging design that punches up your day in under five minutes, perfect for a quick detour when you need some color and calm.”

From the Fontana newsletter, August 5, 2026

“Forest Lawn Museum is the small-but-mighty gallery tucked inside a memorial park, serving rotating shows that range from Renaissance love letters to Convergence: Contemporary Artists of Armenian Descent, on view through August 9. Thoughtful, beautifully curated, and quietly inspiring...”

From the Downey newsletter, August 5, 2026

“This art deco landmark from 1935 features a high-tech planetarium, public telescopes & city views.”

“From T. rex skeletons to an insect zoo, popular attraction holds more than 35-million artifacts.”

“Ornate Queen Anne–style Victorian guest cottage, open to the public for guided tours.”

“Modern art museum with a honeycomb-like facade housing rotating exhibits, plus a shop & restaurant.”

“Affiliated with the Church of Scientology, museum examines psychiatry from a skeptic's perspective.”

“Indoor play area with interactive activities for toddlers, such as a kitchen, teepees & costumes.”

“Contemporary Latin American art & educational programs featured at a museum with a sculpture garden.”

“This 20-acre campus with diverse collections spanning art history also offers screenings & concerts.”

“Set up as a pretend city, this kids' museum has a post office, cafe, farm & other interactive areas.”

“This museum with an expansive outdoor play area features hands-on arts & science exhibits.”

“This dance school has classes in traditional & modern styles, plus fitness workouts such as Zumba.”

“One of Anaheim's first buildings, this Victorian home hosts tours on the first Saturday of each month.”

“Museum & a cafe on a bluff-top site featuring galleries with works by Southern California artists.”

“Unconventional building housing a noted collection of European & Asian art plus a sculpture garden.”

“Films & other educational exhibits on the Holocaust & ways to confront modern-day discrimination.”

“Quaint open-house destination featuring 2 historic homes, plus a barn and a fig tree.”

“Classic performance venue showcasing a variety of theater, music & dance productions.”

“Public artwork consisting of a large rock balanced on a steel supports over a walkway.”

“Modern university venue featuring a wide range of theater productions & artistic programs.”

“Old Hollywood photos, props & more displayed in Cecil B. DeMille's former office, a 1901 barn.”

“Iconic contemporary art museum with a vast collection of multimedia works produced since 1940.”

“Small, contemporary showcase of neon & electric art with historic signs & rotating exhibits.”

“Famous, sizable free museum highlighting American & European art, architecture & manicured gardens.”

“Monthly tours are offered at this historic home of a woman doctor with displays & artifacts.”

“Novelty & vintage memorabilia store also featuring a small museum for Ouija boards, oddities & more.”

“Spanish mission-style theater since 1929, showing Broadway revivals, name concerts & classic films.”

“Hollywood history, including props, costumes, scripts & photos, housed in a historic building.”

“Gallery with a permanent collection of historical works & special exhibits of edgy contemporary art.”

“Family-friendly museum featuring exhibits on martial arts & their relationship to Asian cultures.”

“This intimate space is a local destination for new works & revivals, including award-winning plays.”

“Collection of microscopic sculpture & other eccentric curiosities in art, science & natural history.”

“Tours and exhibits devoted to the life and work of L. Ron Hubbard, founder of Scientology.”

“A dazzling, French baroque-style movie palace from 1931, preserved & available for special events.”

“Downtown historic district, now a popular destination for shopping, dining & entertainment.”

“Opened in 1995, this unusual museum explores death-related topics such as crime scenes and serial killers.”

“Small museum displaying art, textiles & artifacts from the Pacific Islands, especially Micronesia.”

“Community, colorful center for the arts hosting classes, cultural events and theatrical entertainment.”

“Spacious museum featuring exhibits with artwork & artifacts, plus a cafe & children's activities.”

“Small museum featuring a Mexican statuary collection, artwork and rotating exhibitions. Free admission.”