ESMoA is an experimental museum that embrace visitors, partners, and featured artists to contribute…read moreto the interpretation and creation of art. This place hosts periodically just draw sessions, complimentary to public with general free admission to the museum.

Came here for a date with my wife after we left the kids with the grandparents. It is a nice…read moreintimate art gallery. We liked how they structured the gallery to focus on enjoying and feeling the art as opposed to reading a bunch of texts. They had some really cool pieces in there and some great programing that interested us to come back and try. Would recommend this for anyone who enjoys the arts:

If you have a child who likes dinosaurs this place is amazing and affordable and such a gem.read more

I recently visited Wonders of Dinosaurs with my family to take my three-year-old nephew, and…read moreunfortunately it was not worth the money. The space has two floors -- one floor is strictly jumping castles, and the other floor has mini rides and mini golf. The issue is that the rides and mini golf cost additional money on top of the admission price ($2 per ride). It's about $30 for a child and $10 for an adult just to get in, so having to pay extra for most of the activities felt excessive. There was also only one employee working the entire floor with the rides and mini golf, which made things feel understaffed and unorganized. Cleanliness was another big concern. There were crumbs and dirt all over the floors, and the men's restroom changing station was very dirty -- the baby changing platform was especially unpleasant. Overall, this place did not feel like a good value for the price. I wouldn't recommend it, especially considering the additional costs and lack of cleanliness.

Free admission for all with a suggested donation of $5, a small neighborhood museum with rotating…read moreexhibits that reflect current events.

I would call this a hidden gem in Torrance. I had heard about it, but finally decided to visit…read more Best part, it's free. No charge. It's located in the civic center, in the back, so you can't see it off of the street. It's almost a game of hide and seek, where you need to find it. Even when I did finally find it, I wasn't sure I was at the right place or if it was even open. However, I was not disappointed when I finally walked inside. It's a teeny place. More like a gallery than what I would call a museum. Open floor plan. Great art though. An eclectic collection of paintings and mixed media when I visited. There were a couple other parties viewing the artwork. Not crowded. Parking: Free lot.

I think this is my favorite art gallery of all time, and it's gate kept for a good reason. The…read moreliteral entrance is modeled after ancient Chinese palace gates, how's that for gate keeping? Anyway, for those not in the know, Chen Art Gallery is tucked away in the Sunrider office building. You have to call to make an appointment and parking is free on the street. But it's all free so book away! Anyway, once you're in, there's a heavy emphasis on no phones or photography, and you'll discover why once you step foot inside. Holly was an amazing tour guide and knows her Chinese history really well, better than most of us probably. Anyway, where to even start? There's 15 rooms of artifacts from all dynasties of China, as young as Qing dynasty up to the 19th century to as old as 3000BC. And you'll be seeing things from authentic thrones to lavish silk embroideries to beautiful jade to sculptures to ceramics to gold, gold and more gold. Everything is carefully curated and honestly, if photos got out, big museums might hound them to borrow their exhibits hah! Anyway, you will be blown away by the sheer proportion of this lowkey museum/art gallery and by the sheer quantity AND quality of everything in here. This is a must visit and I'm very lucky to live so close by cause I hope to visit again in the future. Props to Dr. Chen for having such good taste and literally paying for all of this!

What a hidden gem. There is so much to see and learn. Holly is so knowledgeable and friendly.read more

We spent countless nights in Redondo Beach hotels but this was the first time we visited the cities…read morehistorical museum. Parking was easily with two lots on each side of the museum as well as the street. Two wooden buildings were part of the museum but only one was open to visitors. There was a nice garden in between and a small water fountain bubbling in the middle. We made our way inside and greeted by the on site docent. He was friendly, outgoing and spent a few minutes briefly relating the history of the city and exhibits inside. A mixture of photos, artifacts, and timelines about the city were in the front room. I thought this room was nice to understand how the city evolved over time. The 2nd room display was about George Freeth who moved from Hawaii and credited with introducing surfing to California. Room 3 was not as interesting to us since it was mostly about local high schools but Room 4 highlighted local companies like the former GTE phone company and previous Olympic Games in LA. We spent less than half an hour here before we made our way back to the PCH. If in the area then it would be a nice stop but not necessary to go out of your way.

Katrina was awesome really enjoyed my time learning about Redondo Beach and the local history!read more

An amazing free aquarium located at the end of the pier in Manhattan Beach. It's free, but of…read morecourse donations are welcomed. It's not a big place, but they've got plenty to see in the small little two-floor building they have overlooking the beach at the end of the pier. We saw sharks, different types of fish, many starfish, and jellyfish. They also have a pretty decent-sized touch tank. We easily spent a good 45 minutes just looking at all sea life and learning about the sea creatures that roam the beach. Kids loved every minute of it, and I had a blast watching them enjoy themselves. It's not the Long Beach Aquarium by any means but is amazing for what it is and the small size that it is. Worth checking out anytime you're here visiting the beach.

At the end of the pier you'll encounter this quaint aquarium…read more You can touch some sea stars and I'm not sure what else was in the touching tank with a volunteer manning it. Just be cautious if you're wearing any sunscreen. I'm not sure if it does any harm but I erred on the side of caution. They have an upstairs but can get tight with not a lot of room if many come at a time. They do have a way to bring up wheelchairs and strollers but you will need the assistance of staff. My favorite tank was the one with the eels in it. I can't remember the fish names but there's a big funky-looking fish in it. I think it was a parrotfish. It's free to enter but please leave a donation if you can.

The American Honda Collection Hall displays a cool collection of cars, motorcycles, and more to…read morecheck out--they even have a small Honda gift shop and cafe. Free admission, tons of parking, clean bathrooms, and just a cool lil' spot to quickly check out if you're a car enthusiast or into Hondas.

What a cool place for car enthusiasts, especially those who love Honda autos and motorcycles... 5…read morestars!!!!! Since I started driving, most of my cars have been Honda/Acura, and the American Honda Collection Hall gave me the chance to learn about one of my favorite brand's history and legacy as well as the chance to see various historic cars and motorcycles. The line-up changes regularly, but I was extremely excited to see a showroom quality 1st generation Honda CR-V, which is the model that I've driven for the majority of my driving years. I still miss my 2000 Honda CR-V! The collection hall is housed in the 1st floor main lobby of the American Honda headquarters and offices. It is open weekdays, from 8 am to 6 pm. There are also special Saturday events with different themes, held every 2 months. Check out the American Honda Collection Hall website for the exact dates and themes. Reservations are not required and it is absolutely free to visit. Just show up when the collection hall is open, and you can expect to spend anywhere from 30 minutes to hours for the self-guided experience. Right next to the exhibits is also a small gift shop as well as a Starbucks! Finally, plenty of free parking is available to visitors.

This is probably the most unique place I've ever visited in Southern California. Three of our…read moredocents were actual workers on the castle, so we got an inside view of its origins. I'll never forget the experience and highly recommend that you make it a priority to visit. When a person has a vision and spends 25 years fulfilling it with hundreds of friends and neighbors, you have a masterpiece! Go as soon as you can!

I cannot say enough wonderful things about our experience here at Rubel Castle. Our host, guide,…read moreand local "Rubelligent" volunteer, Ms. Kathleen had all the intel about this historical property. She was so knowledgeable and helped set the stage for us to slip into a forgotten era and get a glimpse of how imagination met inventiveness with a DIY charm. ~ A LITTLE BACKSTORY FOR YOU ~ It's not pronounced Rubel as Barney from Flintstones. Rather, it's like Target is to Targét when we are trying to be fancy. So that's Rubel as in "Roo-bell." Unlike modern-day construction, Rubel Castle wasn't built overnight. It was made of collected recyclables and construction rubble that spanned many decades and took several friends and volunteers to build it. For Michael, however, the lifetime inspiration was first sparked at the age of 9. His love for canons was where it started and the rest is history you can hear about on the tour. But don't just show up like we did randomly one day. To book, visit RubelTours.org and make a reservation. ~ OUR TOUR EXPERIENCE ~ It's as if Michael Rubel, the creator and mastermind of this enchanted dominion had intended it to be--magical. Built in the castle period of wood and tin, every corner captured our interests, from antique cars to the 1890's Seth Thomas Tower Clock with a unique backstory (and only six in existence today). There were old vending machines, tools, trinkets, and machinery that time had long forgotten. Did I mention there was a drawbridge? Yes, and a dungeon too. I was just waiting for a dragon to come swoop down on us next. Walk in the footsteps of famous visitors like Alfred Hitchcock, Dwight Eisenhower, Jack Benny, and Bob Hope. It's a feast for the eyes no matter where you glance. I particularly enjoyed the bottle house that Michael built in 1968 as his "home" as a kid. That independent spirit was quite charming to see. ~ WATERCOLOR NATURESCAPE ~ We were fortunate to have our gracious host lead us on a tour and organize a special art crafting experience outdoors. It was absolutely lovely beneath the trees and between rusted vintage cars from the turn of the century. We each got a small canvas to paint our flowers in watercolor. (This particular experience takes place in the Spring and Fall, weather permitting.) We heard the squirrels rattling in the leaves and birds chirped and sang in the trees above. We discovered that peacocks apparently originated from this property, compliments of Michael Rubel. And did I mention that on the far side of the property, a custom garden was in full bloom? BOOK A TOUR Help support the Glendora Historical Society and keep this magnificently unique city-castle maintained. It's worth it.

Attended a foil printing class here and enjoyed it immensely. Easy to book online, enter through…read morethe roller door at the back of the museum, free easy parking, friendly volunteer staff and free cold water bottles. You use vintage presses and your choice of coloured foil to create foiled letterhead on the envelopes and cards provided. (If you are wanting something a little special, bring your own stationery to print on). Printing does require some dexterity, fiddliness, patience and reverse thinking for the images, but it will click quickly and you will be off on your own printing your own phrases or some that are already prepared, feeling like a pro! There are a lot of different classes held here, including book binding which looks popular and is definitely on our list for future classes. Amazing little museum we didn't know about, and we should have! Go enjoy a class or just peek in the museum, it is extremely well laid out and very interesting.

Visited the International Printing Museum with the Boy Scouts and really enjoyed it. It's a…read morecharming, slightly off-the-beaten-path museum run by passionate and knowledgeable volunteers. You can essentially trace the entire history of printing, letterpress, and the graphic arts through an impressive collection of working machines and exhibits. Very cool place and well worth a visit.

My toddler loves playing at Pretend City. We bought a membership and visited often over the summer…read more(on weekdays). It's well maintained and kept clean in the morning. There were times staff kept putting back toys so quickly and frequently I was getting annoyed (in my head) because I had to keep getting boats and fish back out for him in the water area. I love that they switch out the sensory items in the art room throughout the month so it's a different experience each visit. Their Wonder Lab area with painting was sooo fun! It's too bad it was only seasonal. My son loves all of it - harvesting fruits and veggies in the farm, pushing his own cart in Trader Joe's, cooking in the restaurant, etc. It is truly a great, fun space for kids. Once, the CEO played in the construction area with him for a few minutes - that impressed me. They also regularly have special event days with dance and music demonstrations, author read alouds, etc. Members Only hour is the best time to visit (they open an hour early). Once 10:00 hits, the floodgates open and it's gets substantially more crowded. With all that said, we visited on a recent Sunday afternoon - never again! Every exhibit was in total disarray (every single toy on the floor and rarely even in the right zone), older kids zooming around on kid cars like scooters, a child climbing the fake fountain in the center and standing at the top (where were the parents?! No staff member present either...it was really dangerous). I've never seen Pretend City look like that before but if that's what it was like on my first visit it would scare me away! There's lots of parking but mostly in the back lot. The front lot gets full fast and many spots are reserved for other businesses. You can bring your own food/drinks to eat in their Cafe area or purchase some from vending machines. Wish they sold coffee... Again, amazing spot and 5/5 on weekday mornings. 1/5 on weekend afternoons.

The place is wonderful, filled with lots of hours of play and excitement but I definitely feel…read moreit's over priced.. if you have EBT or Wick then you can get in for $5 a person.. The man at the front desk has a ton of attitude so beware.. only reason why I left 3 stars.. he was extremely rude to me for not understanding something with the pricing.. The vending machines are expensive but it's pretty cool that you can bring your lunch. Definitely worth checking out .