Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)

Despite an outdated reputation to the contrary, LA has defiantly built itself a rich, lively culture. Nowhere is that culture more thriving than at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Known to locals simply as LACMA, it's the city's most popular museum and an absolute must on the destination list for visitors and residents alike. The museum's staggering permanent collection of over 100,000 works is displayed throughout five buildings. Stunning pieces spanning time and artistic movements from across the world form one of the largest collections in the US, including masterpieces like 'Water Lilies,' by Monet, and a specially designed pavilion for Japanese art. Traveling exhibits keep the museum's offerings fresh and compelling, from artists like Bartolome Estaban Murillo, whose works are rarely seen in the Western Hemisphere, to an extensive compilation of the photographic power of California's Ansel Adams.

Los Angeles County Museum of Art

LACMA even treats the city itself as an art form on display, with an outdoor design that includes a sculpture park and a cafe where you can nosh in the sun and people-watch - another of LA's favorite pastimes. Labeling itself as "anything but stuffy," LACMA delivers on that claim with myriad events, performances and offerings to keep the entire family entertained every day of the week. Treat your palate and your soul with the popular Friday Night Jazz series (runs April through December), where you can wine and dine while listening to some of the city's best jazz musicians. Eclectic, themed film screenings happen every Friday and Saturday night in the Bing Theater. The Boone's Children's Gallery, designed specifically for kids and families, proves to kids that there's more to art than just pastels and oils with intriguing exhibits, including several from LACMALab, an experimental unit of the museum. Hands-on workshops, family tours and interactive storytelling, along with acclaimed performances and lively discussions from artists of all kinds at the Institute for Art & Culture make LACMA as uniquely diverse an attraction as the city it calls home. Added bonus: Admission is free to all on the second Tuesday of each month.



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