Best Museums In California

It’s not just the movie industry that makes LA such a draw for many guests of romantic hotel packages in the city. With hundreds of years of history and many different cultures coagulating in the largest Californian settlement, it’s art, music and even extreme sports that draw people to visit. 

There’s a lot to see and do in Los Angeles, from hiking trails to the best restaurants in California, and if you have a day to spare during your visit to the city, there’s nothing quite like visiting one of its many historic museums. This blog will explore the best galleries and museums in California, spanning exhibitions on the city’s history, art and culture. Whether visiting with kids, a partner or solo, the many museums of California will never disappoint. 

Huntington Library

The Huntington Library and its surrounding botanical gardens are located in San Marino and are just over a 33-mile drive from the Miyako Hybrid Hotel near Redondo Beach. For those looking for a great all-day outing, the Huntington Library, dating back to 1919, combines 18th and 19th-century European art as well as 17th to mid-20th-century American art galleries. On top of this, the research element of the institution means that there is an extensive library in the institution that focuses on American and European history, the history of science and art and holds millions of objects including original Chaucer manuscripts and original works from Bukowski, Mark Twain and many other prominent writers. If that wasn’t enough, the botanical gardens surrounding the Library are some of the most beautiful examples of Chinese landscaping in California. 

Getty Center

The Getty Center was once the home of J Paul Getty’s massive art collection but was opened to the public in 1997 as the Getty Center after moving to the Santa Monica Mountains from the Pacific Palisades. The huge collection from the wealthy industrialist is housed within a series of white metal pavilions, within which ornate and antique furniture line the rooms. With incredible views over Downtown LA, guests at Los Angeles romantic hotels could make quite the date out of the Getty Center and its collection, which is free of admission and includes famous artworks by Van Gogh and Gauguin.

Academy Museum Of Motion Pictures

A new addition to the museum scene of Los Angeles, the AMMP is a museum that pays tribute to the film industry through eye-opening and interactive exhibits. From Studio Ghibli and Almodovar retrospectives to deep dives into the history of cinema, this newly opened museum on Wilshire Boulevard is the perfect day out for cinephiles the world over. 

Los Angeles County Museum Of Art

One of the most expansive art museums in the United States, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art currently hosts Chris Burden’s Urban Light which has now become a prominent landmark on Wilshire Boulevard. Amassing over 200 cast-iron street lamps from the LA area, this piece of art is not only a draw for the Instagrammers hitting the lights at dusk but a hypnotising work in and of itself. We’re only getting started with LACMA though, an expansive museum that hosts modernist masters and contemporary art spanning 6000 years of creativity through 147,000 different pieces. The museum spans 20 acres and is currently seeing even more expansion in its eastern half, what will soon be called the David Geffen Galleries in 2024, named after the art-loving film and record producer.