Six Stars if I could. I love small museums. This is a small museum and the quality of the art and the presentation of the art is absolutely phenomenal!!! Yes Pheenomenal!!! There are shows set for a few months and I can hardly wait for the the next one, Oh, and I want to come back to the current show LA Woman, art by 24 (? or more) women of LA. It is top quality. Then the bronzes in the next room are oh so lovely, then the replica of the Paradise Doors, then the church next door that rivals Westminster Abby! (no kidding and I have been there too!) SO if you catch my drift I am excited about this little museum. Just figure out the maze of serpentine roads and get to the top of the hill and be sure to have you camera for the panoramic views of the surrounding area! Double WOW. read more

"Forest Lawn, not just for Dead People" They actually have a little Museum a top the hill with various exhibits that change throughout the year and the best part............. it's FREE, and plenty of FREE parking too! Adelante! Mexican American Artists: 1960's and Beyond The Forest Lawn Museum in Glendale presents "¡Adelante! Mexican American Artists: 1960s and Beyond," a collection of works by an array of talented Mexican American artists, many who helped forge the Chicano Art Movement that began in the 1960's, as well as a number of the new generation of artists. This extraordinary exhibit includes paintings, drawings, sculpture, and photography. Not only did the Chicano Arts Movement seek social justice and equality for Mexican Americans, but it also sought to educate people of their rich heritage. The diverse art was fueled by heightened political activism and energized cultural pride, and remains as dynamic and complex as the individual life experiences of the artists that created it. In addition, a number of the works in the exhibit are on loan from the Cheech Marin Collection, one of the largest private collections of Chicano art in the United States. The influential artists who are participating in the exhibit include Lalo Alcaraz, Judith F. Baca; Benjamin Botello; David Rivas Botello; Joseph Botello; Joe Bravo; Barbara Carrasco; Lupe Duarte; Yami Duarte; Ofelia Esparza; Paul G. Fuentes; Lalo García; Margaret García; Deanna Gomez; Elysa Gomez; Ignacio Gomez; Imelda Gomez; Yolanda González; Jaime Guerrero; Roberto Gutiérrez; Wayne Healy; Sergio Hernandez; jaxiejax (Jacqueline Sanders); Leo Limón; David A. Lopez; Pola Lopez; Los de Abajo Printmaking Collective; Heriberto Luna; Frank Martinez; David J. Negrón; Antonio Pelayo; Steven Botello Rivera; Bill Robles; George Rodriguez; Frank Romero; Shizu Saldamando; Steve Santillan; August H. Santistevan; Maria "Frances" Santistevan; John C. Santistevan (1974 - 1993); Melly Trochez; Patssi Valdez; Mark Vallen; George Yepes; ZANlovesEastLA (Rosanna Esparza Ahrens). These artists, many of whom are East Los Angeles natives, explored, created and/or reinvented alternative art venues for the positive expression of a renewed cultural identity. THESE WERE MY TWO FAVORITES, PAINTINGS ON TORTILLAS http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/VJZowef4kTiw3BvEyK1BTg?select=GgIKFi8fcGe--XI6zHProA http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/VJZowef4kTiw3BvEyK1BTg?select=QXdZ5mMB-qpOOC7KWuey1g http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/VJZowef4kTiw3BvEyK1BTg?select=iPo8Wgb5MJ6tMeybwm8Nsw http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/VJZowef4kTiw3BvEyK1BTg?select=BoPgD-6k6m6oJL_LhTQggg http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/VJZowef4kTiw3BvEyK1BTg?select=ug_gs1dIxooS3y4Wd9ssPA http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/VJZowef4kTiw3BvEyK1BTg?select=OTO72UlDKYBUpATtEHz-Qw http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/VJZowef4kTiw3BvEyK1BTg?select=aEYiar_G-h1zJqksiexmAA http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/VJZowef4kTiw3BvEyK1BTg?select=w-_55bJCa4XfU7LyS9cCYA http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/VJZowef4kTiw3BvEyK1BTg?select=CXAfGvkyezNO8_q0lUwc3g http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/VJZowef4kTiw3BvEyK1BTg?select=ifA0M0jdon4IvPkCrQdPLA http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/VJZowef4kTiw3BvEyK1BTg?select=ANaHAYd6Jum0jbAmtxEZCg http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/VJZowef4kTiw3BvEyK1BTg?select=wnYyCh1i-gB6pwFaai66rg http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/VJZowef4kTiw3BvEyK1BTg?select=ibTwmN6JbFteWvQ08l_TsA http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/VJZowef4kTiw3BvEyK1BTg?select=IBr9j_y5jH5s8BalFADceg http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/VJZowef4kTiw3BvEyK1BTg?select=SOv2lzGt1PjjRaS06ugGUw http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/VJZowef4kTiw3BvEyK1BTg?select=NI-0KmZFmpHqHXkuLCREkw http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/VJZowef4kTiw3BvEyK1BTg?select=6jQQ6sATYOBf4Z3OH566sQ http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/VJZowef4kTiw3BvEyK1BTg?select=GrPCozDUutld3fYMzEQMyg read more

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It seems odd to have a LEGO sculpture/art exhibit at a cemetery, but, trust me, it's all good! It's a large, beautiful cemetery and you feel very "not-in-LA" when you're there. I am not very familiar with LA (we live in Santa Clarita Valley), and I felt totally comfortable with the drive there and being there with my 2 kids (ages 11 and 8). The LEGO exhibit is great! We all loved it. It's not huge; it's all in one room of the museum, but the pieces are each so awesome that this will probably be the one museum exhibit in their lives that your kids will actually stop to look at each item! :) No photos allowed, but they do have a hardcover book and a coloring book available for purchase if you want to take something with you. The museum also holds a room of Christian-related religious art and artifacts, including some nice stained glass and some full knights' body armor. We're not really into the religious stuff, but my kids still liked to look around. Then at the back there's a room of bronze sculptures which my kids actually enjoyed (to my surprise). They will recognize sculptures of people like Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt, as well as sculptures of animals like bears and antelopes. There are some bare-breasted sculptures which will intrigue the tweens and pre-teens, hahaha. And there's even an actual Maori sculpture from Easter Island there! As well as a replica of golden doors from Italy that took 27 years to carve. The museum is very calm and peaceful and clean, and when we were there (Wednesday at 10:30), it wasn't crowded at all, so the kids felt comfortable, I think, and not rushed. And I didn't feel like I had to discipline every two seconds -- they could roam around the rooms at their own paces and study the pieces they liked. I'll pass along the questions/comments that my kids seemed to respond well to: - In the LEGO room, "Which sculpture represents you the best?" - In the LEGO room, "What do you think the fist coming out of the Earth represents?" - In the LEGO room, "How is Nathan (the artist) an innovator?" - In the LEGO room, "How will seeing this exhibit influence the way you look at and build with your LEGOs from now on?" - In the bronze room, "Can you imagine devoting 27 years of your life to carving 2 doors?" - In the bronze room, "Notice how the sculptor can take something hard like metal and make it look like it's moving." There are clean restrooms out the back door, as well as a soda machine ($0.85 to $1.35). There's a nice view from there as well (You're up on a hill). We spent a nice, relaxing hour at the museum, between the three rooms and the bathroom. ;) TIP: On Saturdays during the LEGO Exhibit, they have free LEGO build sessions for kids. Call ahead to reserve a spot. read more

I am a huge Lego fan and once I quickly passed through the billboard sign that they were having a sculpture event here I was shocked. Hyperventilating with the words "OMG" repetitively. I needed to make sure if this was for real or if I missed it (billboard signs tend to be there longer than expected). I went online to search it. YES!!! It was totally happening and I did not miss the exhibit, Nathan Sawaya's The Art of the Brick. More excitement came on to me like a little school girl getting a brand new barbie doll. Once I tamed down I started telling everybody about the event, mind you I was still excited and all I got was 'OK' stares and probably thought I was nuts. For all Lego fans this is the place to be. Sadly, no photography or video was allowed (in any of the buildings). I was bummed because I wanted to take pictures of the beautiful and creative artwork that were created :(. This made my "OMG" to "Oh man!" The exhibit was great, a lot of sculptures of mainly figures and a few non relations. The one thing I did not like was the exhibit was quite small. I was expecting it to be a bit bigger (only about 1/4 of the building) and more time worthy to examine the pieces, since it was a bit crowded. One of my favorite was the fairy tale castle, reminded me of Disney. The rest of the building consisted a gift shop and an exhibit of religious art, artifacts and people. Overall great museum and outside on to the parking lot gives you a wonderful view of LA/Glendale. read more

From September 9, 2011 - Jan 1, 2012 The museum is hosting Adelante! Mexican American Artists: 1960's and Beyond. This is a beautiful exhibit of Chicanco artists. Find the time in your schedule to visit this exhibit - it really is wonderful. The museum is at the top of Forest Lawn - which allows you a spectacular view of Glendale, the Valley and Downtown. This is a perfect spot to take out of town guests - or locals who say they have seen it all! read more

Hubby had commented that he wanted to look at some art. My oldest was complaining about not being able to play on his tablet, 'cause he wanted to look up stuff to draw. The little one didn't want to look at art. I wanted to avoid crowds. What to do?...Remember that castle-looking place I always see from the train and exclaim, "We're going to a museum in a graveyard!" Everyone was game. The place did not disappoint. Free parking, free admission, and some damn pleasing art. You get to it by following the road with the white reflectors up the hill from the entrance. Now, for starters, the museum is NOT in the castle (that is the mausoleum, where apparently there is a Last Supper stained glass). It is farther up the hill, in the other structure you see from the train, which is actually the large Hall of the Crucifixion-Resurrection. From the train it looks like a big, modernist church. From the parking lot, it looks like an old European cathedral. Hubby commented that such a building could only exist in Los Angeles, and I do have to say I agree. The adjacent museum has a rotating gallery in front (we saw one on LA Women); a room of some amazing stained glass dating back centuries (three displayed together date from the 13th, 14th and 16th centuries, respectively, and it was a great lesson for my son on how studying cadavers positively informed artists' knowledge of the human body--if you are me); and a room with 19th and 20th century sculpture (my sons' favorite). There are more stunning stained glass windows in the Hall of the Crucifixion-Resurrection. If you haven't visited yet, I highly recommend it. read more

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Well Lets face it nobody likes to go to a Cemetery unless you're there to visit a Loved one or Buying a Burial Plot . I had the unfortunate task to accompany my Grandmother to Purchase her Final resting place, and the reason I say it's unfortunate because honestly nobody likes to think of their loved ones dying, & my Grandmother surprised me by buying me a Burial plot! Thanks? That part was kind of terrifying but fortunately we were given a tour which sort of lightened up the somber mood. We found out they have a Museum and I honestly thought it was about Dead people or something but They had a Lego art Showcase which was truly incredible. Overall this is a very Clean, professional establishment. Suffice to say that my Family and I have been pleased with their Service. read more

What a fantastic venue! We drove around the complex on a very nice and beautiful day. We were on our way up, for the first time, to the museum. I wanted to check out the last day of the Drew Struzen show. Spectacular museum! We even SAW Drew Struzen!!! The museum was awesome! Truly a diamond in the rough of LA. The entire Forest Lawn is great! We'll be back soon! read more

What a cute, quiet little museum. Unfortunately when I went the art exhibit in the cathedral looking building was temporarily closed. The other "wing" had some fun artwork on animals, there was a collection of stain glass paintings and some knight suits. And in the last room there were interesting sculptures, one of a young Abraham Lincoln that made him look all rugged and handsome. I wish the day I went wasn't so hazy because otherwise the view is amazing from up there. There are also a few statues behind the museum with a view that looks out to Glendale and the foothills. read more

Quite simply one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. With over 300 acres there was not enough time in my few hours to see it all. I will definitely be back to take in its grandeur. It was so peaceful there! read more

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What a nice little gem of a place. I had a lovely day exploring the architecture and sculptures outside the museum before going in. There's a lot to see. The motorcycle show was interesting and the motorcycles on display were awesome. I had to go see the huge painting in the other building and it was breathtaking. I was moved by the presentation as well. What a nice Saturday afternoon I had here. read more

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Very interesting museum! This place is small, but worth stopping in at for a bit. Be sure to check the opening days and hours. When we were there, it was a very interesting exhibit of paintings by a Chinese artist named Cao Yong, who has traveled all over the world and painted pictures of his destinations. One thing to be prepared for-- this museum is in an active cemetery. There are historic graves, but also new ones still going in, so you may pass funerals, mourners, etc. on your way up to the museum. Lots to check out in the cemetery itself, too! Also, there is a fantastic view from the museum, as it's on the top of a tall hill. read more

Came here with a friend to visit the David Bowie among the Mexican masters exhibition. The museum is located inside the memorial park. The park is very green spacious and beautiful. The museum itself has many interesting collection of American figures. They are all very animated and lively, very untypical of most museum collection. We also went to see the Last supper glass window at the mausoleum. It was painted with heavy paint so it was hard to tell it was glass. Very deceiving read more

The soccer World Cup exhibit at the museum was great! They have some really neat memorabilia and it is free to the public. The museum is a bit small but great exhibits that they do year round. read more

Forest Lawn memorial garden (aka cemetary) has a surprising art museum with beautiful views of Glendale, Burbank and SFV and SGV.

go see the worlds largest painting of Jesus and friends, bring a date, enjoy the show. i've been several times. wow wow wow wow. read more

i can understand the enthusiasm all the other reviewers have for the forest lawn museum but i can't really jump aboard that love train. it's an okay museum, not excellent but also not terrible. there are two parts to the place, the large cathedral (with the world's largest painting of jesus- a bit strange) at the top of the hill and the smaller museum with a couple of galleries next door. two of those galleries are devoted to the forest lawn's permanent collections and host a display of stained glass with religious iconography alongside an amalgamation of bronze statuary. there were a couple of interesting animal statues but, otherwise, i wasn't too thrilled with the permanent collections. however, the front gallery in the museum space serves as a revolving exhibition space and it is fantastic. i'm not sure who does the programming for this gallery or how art ends up here but they host several different shows a year and they're usually quite interesting. currently there is a syd mead exhibition with art from his entire career featured and it's a stunning show, a beautiful retrospective of the artist's body of work. read more

Been here once for a specific exhibit and it included Disney work! That was a surprise~ I loved seeing all the art and different parts of the museum. The church next door is gorgeous and honestly its a shame visitors can't explore the area since there are so many interesting areas to explore in Forest Lawn. I understand of course but I'd still like to walk around the nice displays scattered about. read more

Was recently rated top 10 free museums in America. They had a Van Gogh and lots of big artist. Right now is a women in LA which features important women artist from LA read more

Seriously people need to know about this activity to do in Glendale. It is practically free, allows for you to get some walking in and see recreations and stained glass art that is top notch. I had gone several years ago with my art history class to tour all the art located within the cemetery...it sounds creepy, but it is actually very nice. Now, I am working on planning a ticketed tour throughout the park and hope that several others will learn of the Forest Lawn Museum. read more

Such a random place for a museum. My bf is a huge fan of tiki art and he found out that there was an exhibit here, so we headed up her for a look. The exhibit was really cool, lots of tiki statues and paintings. Shag's personal collection of tiki mugs were on display too. In another room, there's also a collection of stained glass windows. Definitely worth a look if your a tiki aficionado or at Forest Lawn for other reasons. Just disappointed that their weren't any prints from the tiki exhibit for sale. read more

The FL:G museum is one of my very favorite places to visit in LA. It's a real hidden gem!

Definitely an unexpected place to find a small museum. Great location on top of a hill, overlooking Glendale. We checked out the Art of Brick exhibit & the light and color exhibit. Beside the museum displays the crucifixion and resurrection painting. A good activity for a quick getaway, and it is free :)) read more

Awesome place too visit, if your not bothered by a cemetary, there is a certain serenity, which is a nice break from all the bustle. I drive a small bus for an apt. complex and took a few guests here on Sunday the 16th of March. People can be a bit put off by it, but, whatever. The Museum is nice, on top of the hill, with a nice view of the glendale area, the indoor Mural "Crucifiction Ressurection" is next door. The Masoleum has beautifull stained glass windows with a replica's of famous statues. The Victory Masoleum is nice, they play music in that one and have an incredible air filtration system, "I am prone too allergies, after 10 mins in there, I felt refreshed" The Mystery of life Statue is interesting, I stared and ponder that one for a while. I so get the founders Idea in creating Forest Lawn, A place that wouldn't be forgotten and become dilapidated, like alot of older cemetary's, a place the living would like to visit. read more

Beautiful grounds and buildings. The exhibit was fantastic and curated perfectly for diehard Bowie Fans like me. read more

Forest Lawn Museum - Museums Near Me - Glendale, California

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Went on a field trip when I was younger and was awe struck with everything I saw and was able to touch, I pushed the fact that I was in a cementary far back into my mind. read more

Go see the Lego exhibit. Visit the website for more info on current exhibitions. Behind it are sculptures and a few paintings. Further out is a beautiful view of the city. read more

Nice little art museum, oddly located at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park. The day I went there were some paintings of Native Americans, as well as the stained glass exhibits, busts and sculptures. Plenty of parking, which is always nice. read more

It's sometimes a little strange to come here, especially when there's a funeral happening nearby, but the museum is pretty cool. It has a revolving exhibit in the front and a permanent section in the back with American art, Medieval art and religious items. Really cool stuff! And the view is awesome! Check this out if you want something free, interesting, and unique to do in L.A. read more

I have never been to Glendale Forest Lawn as I have no interest in cemetary. However, after listening to many good comments about the place and the lego exhibition, I decided to go there as the exhibition will end on Memorial Day. I enjoyed the visit although I went there alone, had a little struggle to find myself back to the main gate while leaving. The museum is small but has good collection. I look forward to another visit when they have new exhibition as the price is right: Free admission. i also would like visit the Masoleum although I know that there is no public access to Micahel Jackson's tomb. read more

Never realized there's a museum on the site of a cemetery but there is and it's a pretty good one for its size. It's very small with only three rooms for exhibit. When we went, one of the room had the Art of Brick where artist Nathan Sawaya's sculpture of life size models using Lego bricks. There was maybe about 20 pieces on display. There were portraits of people or landscape made out of Legos similar to paintings of jellybeans or macaronis. There was several sculpture I thought was really really good. One showing an upper torso of a man pulling apart his chest with his hands and out pours the bricks. Another piece titled "Grey" where he used all grey pieces showing a man with just his head poking through a pulled apart box. The way he did the pieces where simply amazing. The exhibit will be there through 7/21. I highly recommend a trip whether you're a fan of Legos or not. The other room of the museum includes several bronze statutes and a few paintings. The middle room had really beautiful stain glass panels and a couple of metal life size armors. There's also a small courtyard in the back. The museum is next to a church but was closed during our visit. read more

Beautiful location for a museum and the exhibit openings are great as well. The museum always has something new going on and is worth a visit every couple of months. A real gem!!! read more

A peaceful place. I admire his founder. He was not ashamed of being a Christian, and to show a little of Jesus history to the public.

I always encourage Los Angeles visitors to visit Forest Lawn in Glendale. It's free, and because of its location, it's possible to go there and see a lot in an hour or two. The place is an American landmark, a hill with I don't know how many acres, overlooking the city. If you drive to the museum at the top of the hill, the almost 360 degree vista from the perimeter of the parking area will astonish you. The museum, voted one of the top 10 free museums in the USA, features a permanent collection that features family friendly original pieces and copies of masterpieces, is worth seeing. The traveling exhibits I've seen there are varied... from LEGO furniture to David Bowie photos to Charles Schultz Peanuts work to the movie posters of Drew Struzan and Bob Peak. They change three or four times a year, and info about the current show is usually available online. On the hills roads curl around graves and statues, at the bottom of the hill sits the mausoleum, which is a beautiful sociology lesson about how wealthy people try to maintain formidable physical evidence of their presence on earth. read more