I was excited to show my kids the Jasper Johns exhibit at The Broad, figuring his iconic American flag paintings would appeal to my budding museum-goers. What I didn’t anticipate was nearly being evicted by security when my toddler lunged at a priceless work of art, trying to get up close and personal with all those enticing stars and stripes.
The Broad may have to wait another few years for my family, but luckily, many Los Angeles museums feature interactive displays that kids are not just allowed to but encouraged to touch. Some even let littles get messy with water and paint, which is always welcome as long as it’s nowhere near my couch! And while LA families are fortunate to have access to several fantastic children’s museums (Zimmer, Kidspace, Discovery Cube), the museums below features kid-friendly exhibits within grown-up cultural institutions. In other words, something for everyone.
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
5905 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA
Your kid will love: Boone Children's Gallery
What to expect: This free creative space provides abundant paints, brushes and paper plus tips from educators to get kids started on their very own masterpieces. Even babies can get in on the action thanks to available high chairs. And on Friday afternoons, Boone Gallery staff offer a free story time for children of all ages.
Insider tip: While at Boone, sign kids under 18 up for a free NextGen museum membership, which allows each child plus an accompanying adult free admission to LACMA on every visit! Plus, they score a very official looking ID badge on a lanyard.
The Getty Villa
17985 Pacific Coast Hwy
Palisades, CA
Your kid will love: The Family Forum
What to expect: Travel back in time to Ancient Greece, where kids can decorate life-sized replicas of Greek urns using dry erase markers and create charcoal rubbings of classic Greek designs. For the ultimate photo op, grab some costumes and props to dress up like a musician, warrior or monster and perform scenes behind a backlit screen in the shadow-pose area.
Insider tip: Check the museum calendar for additional drop-in art-making workshops such as Play-Doh play inspired by Getty Villa sculptures.
The Getty Center
1200 Getty Center Drive
Los Angeles, CA
Your kid will love: The Family Room
What to expect: Go on an art treasure hunt, add your own flourish to an illuminated manuscript wall, build a sculpture out of tubes, interact with a David Hockney collage and stretch out on a replica of an 18th-century French bed. There is so much to do in this well-thought-out kids’ education space, you might never get to the rest of the museum.
Insider tip: Plan your visit for a summer weekend when the Getty Villa offers free children’s music concerts on the lawn, perfect for picnicking.
Skirball Cultural Center
2701 North Sepulveda Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA
Your kid will love: Noah’s Ark
What to expect: Prepare to have your mind blown by this award-winning installation of nearly 400 life-sized animal sculptures, many of which can be touched, climbed on and manually operated. The animals were crafted using recycled and found materials resulting in wildly creative combinations like a zebra mane made from a keyboard and a flamingo with fly swatter feet. Kids can pull levers to make weather sound effects, “feed” the animals, and scale a massive climbing structure featuring ramps, suspension bridges and rope nets.
Insider tip: Noah’s Ark usually has a fee, but free tickets are available Thursdays only on a first come, first served basis, so get there early.
Autry Museum of the American West
Autry Museum of the American West
4700 Western Heritage Way
Los Angeles, CA
Your kid will love: Imagination Gallery
What to expect: Want to make like The Lone Ranger or Calamity Jane and star in a Western movie? Saddle up on a pretend horse in front of a green screen while moving footage is digitally inserted in the background for a cool Wild West effect. Kids can also learn how movie sound effects are made at a hands-on station.
Insider tip: Visit on the weekend (and during the week in the summer!) when children are invited to pan for gold outdoors. They can even pocket a bit of fool’s gold.
The Grammy Museum
800 W Olympic Blvd
LA, CA
Your kid will love: Roland Live
What to expect: Named for the musical instrument manufacturer, the Roland Live exhibit is a dream come true for rock stars in training. Take the stage and pound a drum kit, shred the guitar, tickle the ivories or sing lead into a mic, complete with harmonies. If it sounds headache-inducing, fear not—kids wear headphones for a personal audio experience while you enjoy the show more quietly.
Insider tip: Visit during the week to avoid LA Live crowds on the weekends.
Los Angeles Police Museum
6045 York Blvd
Los Angeles, CA
Your kid will love: Going to jail
What to expect: This fascinating history of the LAPD—housed in the former Highland Park Police station built in 1925—really takes cops and robbers to the next level. Kids can sit in a booking chair, stand for a line-up in the interrogation room and enter a real jail cell. While you’re there, don’t miss the chance to board a real police helicopter and press all the buttons.
Insider tip: An interactive children’s CSI exhibit is in development; check the website for updates!
California Science Center
700 Exposition Park Drive
Los Angeles, CA
Your kid will love: Ecosystems
What to expect: The Science Center is bursting with interactive exhibits and attractions, but a great place to start is the Ecosystems wing, an exploration of living things and their interaction with the environment. Hands-on highlights include a touch tank where mini oceanographers can pet a sea star, urchin or sea cucumber, and an outdoor activity table for getting wet and sandy while learning about the ways water changes our landscape.
Insider tip: Traveling with toddlers? Make a beeline to the Discovery Rooms on each floor of the museum where the littlest learners can play house, fly a pretend space shuttle and dig into discovery boxes.