Explore the real Los Angeles by visiting its more than 30 culturally vibrant neighborhoods. With over 300 days of sunshine each year and 75 miles of coastline, the city offers a pleasant setting for cultural discovery. Metropolitan Los Angeles also boasts more museums and performing arts venues than any other U.S. city, so residents and visitors are always close to outstanding art, music and theater.
This winter, Los Angeles and the surrounding sun-drenched region host Southern California’s landmark arts festival, PST ART: Art & Science Collide, running through the end of February 2025.
Los Angeles County Museum of Art © La Tourism
With more than 70 gallery and museum exhibitions and over 800 participating artists, the Destination Crenshaw project continues to emerge in South Los Angeles. The surrounding neighborhood has become a cultural hub with arts organizations, galleries and a growing dining scene. Major local institutions are also unveiling important expansions and new programming, including the Natural History Museum, Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), The Broad and the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art.
“Los Angeles is renowned for our museums and cultural institutions, but through this fall and winter there is an extra level of cultural collaborations and innovation that can’t be missed,” said Adam Burke, president and CEO of LA Tourism. “From PST ART to the highly anticipated debut of Destination Crenshaw, the city’s vibrant street art and museum developments reinforce L.A.’s role as a global cultural destination.”
Getty Museum © La Tourism
Notable exhibitions across the city include Abstracted Light: Experimental Photography at the Getty Museum, showcasing international artists who use experimental light exposures in their photographic practice. The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on Wilshire’s Museum Row will present Cyberpunk – Envisioning Possible Futures Through Cinema, an exploration of science fiction and film. In Downtown Los Angeles, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) will feature interactive works by Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson, including a new large-scale installation that anchors the exhibition.
The Destination Crenshaw initiative is shaping a meaningful public space that celebrates Black culture and creativity in South Los Angeles. The project transforms 1.3 miles of Crenshaw Boulevard into an engaging streetscape with new trees, pocket parks and commissioned artworks installed on a rolling schedule. It will be one of the largest commissioning efforts for Black artists, with large-scale sculptures by creators such as Charles Dickson, Melvin Edwards and Maren Hassinger. A key element of the project is the 800-foot Crenshaw Wall, which debuts the mural The Saga Continues, created by the RTN Crew. Earlier this year, local artist Anthony “Toons One” Martin unveiled a major mural as one of the first works in the project.
© La Tourism
South L.A.’s Crenshaw district sits among historic neighborhoods including Baldwin Hills, Baldwin Village, Hyde Park and View Park, with Leimert Park Village serving as a lively cultural center once described by filmmaker John Singleton as the “Black Greenwich Village.” A day exploring the Crenshaw area can include visits to local arts organizations such as Art + Practice, The World Stage and the Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center.
Across Los Angeles, established museums have been refreshed and expanded while new institutions rise, signaling a long-term commitment to arts and culture. The Natural History Museum recently opened NHM Commons, a new indoor-outdoor wing that celebrates the connection between nature and culture and includes a 400-seat theater, a café and a landmark mural by Los Angeles artist Barbara Carrasco titled L.A. History: A Mexican Perspective.
Los Angeles County Museum of Art © La Tourism
LACMA continues construction on the David Geffen Galleries, a two-story facility planned to include galleries, theaters, classrooms, event spaces and a restaurant. The Broad is preparing a major expansion that will add 55,000 square feet of courtyards, galleries and flexible performance spaces ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games. Meanwhile, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Exposition Park is progressing toward completion and will showcase visual storytelling across painting, sculpture, photography, video, performance and installation.