I went to the Hollywood Heritage Museum yesterday to see the Broadcast from "Hollywood: When Movie Stars Met Television" exhibit. I was thoroughly impressed by what items I saw on display throughout the museum. The presentation of items on display was perfect. I liked the mix of media on display. I really enjoyed seeing puppets on display, along with costumes and props from popular television shows. I stayed at the museum a bit past closing (as did some other folks) and heard what I believe to have been a staff member say a comment in poor taste. The staff member said as they passed through a room, "Alright, now we can close. You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here." I didn't like this comment as it made me feel unwelcome. Of course, upon closure of the museum everyone would exit, and I didn't think it was neccessary to say such a comment for guests to hear. read more

See all

Great museum of Hollywood history, so much to see and admire. They change the museum on a regular basis. Everyone was so nice and friendly. Free parking lot. read more

See all

If you know me... you would know I Love Lucy So excited to attend this Collectors Panel Discussion in The Lucy Room at Hollywood Heritage Museum one of the collectors, actually knew Lucy and told some great stories I was surprised to know that Lucy loved using Clinique Strawberry color lipstick Lucy was gifted expensive earrings but returned them because her ears were not pierced read more

See all

Maybe you passed many times in front of the place, and never stopped. You should go one day. The building is the first studio in Los Angeles, 1912, first movie shot inn1914. They have all collections by donating, cameras used in silence movies. Who is fanatical about cinema, will love this museum. Talk to volunteers who work there, they know a lot about cinema. read more

See all

I've visitsed the Hollywood Heritage Museum a few times since the 1990's. It was interesting, but always had kind of a worn down, somewhat unorganized feel to it. I visited again recently to see their Summer 2024, 'Out With The Stars/Hollywood Canteen' exhibit and was tremendously impressed. I've alwaya been facinated with the Hollywood Canteen, and it was definitely cool to see so many artifacts from it. Such a unique and entertaining subject to present. What really struck me though, was just how much more organized and vibrant the overall museum is. What was once a darkly lit, thrown together affair is now bright and organized. The hard work that went into to creating this new vibe is obvious. Hats off to Angie Snyder, the Director of the Museum, and her team for the excellent job they've done. If you've been to this museum in the past or this would be your first time, I highly recommend a visit! read more

See all

What squandered potential! It's a terrific mission and a terrific location, even some terrific IDEAS for exhibitions. The problem is in the execution. It's super-tiny -- I was in & out in under 45 minutes. I might have been there longer, but I couldn't see most of the exhibition signage. I am assuming the exhibitions are curated by volunteers because no professional would think of putting the signage ON THE FLOOR. Seriously, there were little signs that were in itsy-bitsy fonts and placed on the floor. So, if you were unable or unwilling to squat repeatedly to read the signs, you simply had to move on, wondering about the context of what you were seeing. One of the signs was actually at a decent height, but was extremely wordy and the font was Times Roman, about 12 pt, and white writing on a black background. Again, no professional would make that choice. I saw the recent Lucille Ball exhibition and I am guessing that the show's curator thought autographed scripts were pretty cool because there were a lot of them. If you are interested in seeing an "I Love Lucy" script, I think the average person would be more interested in seeing the INSIDE of the script so he could match up what he sees on the page with what is burned into his memory of a beloved episode. Not William Frawley's signature. There really wasn't a lot of educational material at all. A few times I was prompted to think "why?" as in: why was that decision made by Ms. Ball, the writers, etc., but no explanation was given. Just: this is what happened. Well, OK, but you're not telling me why I should care or why you felt it necessary to include it. One of Ms. Ball's outfits was described as "pink" but it was clearly brown -- no explanation for the change in color. And so on. And I couldn't fathom why a response card to Rue McClanahan's wedding from Bea Arthur was included. It was actually a little embarrassing -- Ms. Arthur sent a pointed note about how she would have loved to have been there but the invitation was late in arriving. Yikes. It's good they're both gone or someone would have been humiliated by the inclusion of that card (it didn't tell us anything about Hollywood history -- it was just an awkward little personal exchange, better left hidden). I will probably go again to see an exhibition on a topic of great interest, but I will manage my expectations and maybe bring a strong magnifying glass. read more

I knew about Hollywood Heritage Museum for years, have attended their silent movie screenings at Paramount Ranch, always wanted to visit, passed by it on Highland 1000 million times. Recently, I realized we can't take things for granted in our city, fires, flooding can change things, destroy our local history and better visit now than never. The Woolsey fire is just an example, a disaster that marked our city, locals and me forever. The museum is opened only on Saturdays and Sundays, from Noon - 4 pm. Call during the summer when they have concerts at the Bowl, just in case. The barn (transported here from Paramount's lot with the financial help from director William Friedkin) is surrounded by greenery, lush vegetation, beautiful hills and shady picnic areas for the Bowl customers. There's a big and free parking lot easy to access from Odin St. We paid the $7 admission (money well spent) and we were greeted by a docent, nice and knowledgeable who offered us a small tour, gave us useful information and was fun to chat with since we're movie buffs and love Old Hollywood stories. The museum is located in the original barn owned by Producer Lasky and Director Cecil B. De Mille. This is where they ran their production company after they moved West, first to Arizona, then to California. There's Cecil B. De Mille office in a small room, full of his personal items. Statues of Laurel and Hardy. Rudolph Valentino Memorabilia, posters, props and costumes from movies directed by De Mille ("Ten Commandments", etc), 35 mm movie cameras, various models (a Technicolor one, as well), projectors, paintings, old sets models, temporary exhibits (the new one on Laurel and Hardy), bios and photos of the major silent era stars. Lots to learn, I spend more time here that I thought. The restrooms have cool signs and decorated in Old Hollywood style, the gift shop is fun to browse, they have cool items, or home decor, totes, books, even used DVD-s and books, on the cheaper side which is great, nice selection of film history books, bio-s, etc. We had a very pleasant visit at the museum. It contains a lot of silent era history. If you live in LA, this is a cool place to check out for film lovers. If you visit, love Old Hollywood, this is a cooler, authentic piece of film history that our city has to offer. And it's off the beaten path, but located in the middle of Hollywood, easy to find. The Hollywood Heritage Museum is a great place that preserves film history. Their site isn't the best, but it has good information. I registered my Ralphs rewards card to contribute to Hollywood Heritage Museum -each time I shop they get a bit of $$$$, great idea. They also organize events, screenings, books signings so check their calendar. This museum is so needed in this town, we all should understand its importance and support it even more! read more

See all

I visited the museum for the first time in order to see the MGM Studios exhibit and it was fascinating. I believe the exhibit only lasts through June so I recommend getting tickets soon. The museum is on the small side but is packed full of interesting items, especially costumes worn in classic Hollywood movies along with restaurant menus, handwritten letters, premiere programs and tickets. But the best part is the HUGE free parking lot--totally stress free parking. read more

An unassuming barn once gave birth to Hollywood itself. The former offices of Cecile B Demille (and Charleston Heston's gym during The Ten Commandments) is now a bustling, quaint museum documenting the early days of the Golden Age of cinema. Formerly located on the Paramount Lot, and before that Hollywood and Vine, the museum can be found across from the Hollywood Bowl entrance. Brian, the tour guide, gave a quick overview and history of the building itself, including the recreation of Demille's office, before I spent about 30-45 minutes browsing original props and set pieces and other informative exhibits of the Silent Era. $15 admission, ample parking, and interesting gift shop! The Hollywood Heritage Museum is a hidden treasure of a bygone, yet still fondly remembered, age. read more

See all

I've driven past this museum for years and made a point to stop by today...finally! I love learning about Old Hollywood history and the preservation of precious items from the golden era of film, so it was a no-brainer to visit. Located across from the Hollywood Bowl, the museum is housed in the restored Lasky-Demille barn from 1901 and features historic photographs, movie props, ephemera, and other relics from the first years of the Hollywood film industry. Admission was free the day I visited, courtesy of Ciclavia, which was a nice surprise. After an introduction from the friendly docent about the museum, I spent around an hour checking out the memorabilia. There is a special section devoted to Rudolph Valentino, headshots and bios of silent film stars, a miniature replica of Paramount Studios, movie props from The Ten Commandments movie, Mary Pickford's stage makeup, seats from the Los Angeles theatre, and other novelties. They also have a gift shop in the front with new and used books on Hollywood history & film stars, postcards, coffee cups, tote bags, and other souvenirs. I picked up two used books, one on Rita Hayworth and another on Bette Davis for $7 total. Parking is free and located in front of the museum- the Hollywood Bowl was having an event later so some of the entrances were closed, but I was able to enter via Camrose. Definitely stop by on an afternoon weekend if you're a LA native, transplant or just visiting town- you're bound to learn a bit of Hollywood history and will support a piece of the past. Plan to spend 1-1.5 hours here, more if you're a true film history buff. If you're visiting from elsewhere, the museum is within walking distance of Hollywood + Highland, the Walk of Fame, and other tourist destinations. They also have regular events for the public worth checking out- visit their website for their events calendar. read more

See all

A small museum with a lot of heart! I haven't been able to attend an event here but am glad that I was able to stop by and enjoy the museum. DeMille's office alone is worth the visit, as is Mary Pickford's make-up kit, Buster Keaton's projectors, the Technicolor camera used to film the burning of Atlanta in GWTW--the list goes on. I loved seeing Oliver Hardy's personal items and hope to return for a event. read more

See all

I love this place. The Hollywood Heritage Museum is a gem located right off Highland. Plenty of free parking here, too. It is open here and there, so be sure to call ahead to make sure the barn is open. The volunteers are always happy to be sharing Hollywood lore. They have a nice little library of books for sale, and inside you can find all sorts of film artifacts. read more

Never heard of this before.....but now I really want to get there. Did attend silent films at Paramount Ranch.....but never knew about this fantastic museum...........Sandy Levy read more

I was curious about this place so I was standing close to observe the signs and see what it was all about. While I was doing so a rather rude woman came up and demanded that I leave because it's "private property". All I was doing was reading about what the building was...? Her tone and how close she got to me (in the middle of a pandemic no less!) was startling and quite disrespectful. I'm still not sure what this place is but if the people who work here are any indication I bet it was absolute trash. read more

This is yet another place I've passed several times without knowing it was here. You can never have enough Hollywood history. I arrived early on a Sunday morning and observed a woman shorter than myself struggling to put up the flags that hang from the building. I jumped right in to help. She returned the kindness by given me a thorough overview of the museum and its history before letting me go off on my own. I spent about an hour here and had the place mostly to myself. I loved looking at the vintage cameras, the old theater seat display, and picking out my favorite silent actors. I believe admission was around $12. Parking was free and ample. There are several museums close to here, such as the Hollywood bowl museum across the street. There are many more if you'd like to make your way to Hollywood Blvd. read more

See all

This is a great little museum stop (it has free parking immediately surrounding it in the Hollywood Bowl lot closest to Hollywood on the Easthand side), and fills a void between the slick museums and the studio tours. It's a resettled barn from the original site, nicely preserved. It doesn't seem the displays change much, but it's a "homey" small museum for those interested in old early 1900s movie history. Not sure it's of interest to kids, though it's a quick stop and has bathrooms so that might help if you have kids. The docent when I was there was wonderful, knowledgeable, passionate, and helpful. Worth an hour or two, and although some might find the $7 admission steep, your $$ will go to a good cause to keep this place running. I liked the old films, which are "dated" in terms of production value, but show a lot of historical video of old Hollywood. read more

who would have thought that cecil b. de mille could create such grand theatre in such a small barn! this modest, chick-yellow building now houses a small, but excellent museum about very early hollywood, on this site, and elsewhere. wonderful ephemera as well as other vestiges of material culture at the dawn of the moving picture. i recommend joining the museum, or the los angeles conservancy if such things interest you. read more

See all

There are many places long forgotten or often over looked in LA. One of those spots I feel is this museum. You can easily over look if not observing the area closely. In fact it's right across the Hollywood Bowl. Most never gaze left as they drive down south to the famous boulevard. In fact if you ever did glimpse at it, most likely appeared to you as a simple little house on a large property. But this little joint is not your typical museum, this little place is one of the original stepping stones of Hollywood. Where dreams came true to many filmmakers and actors. Inside the museum I feel as though you are time traveling into the past and seeing famous items lost in time. Buried treasure found for the first time again. A certain vibe of nostalgia and importance can fill you viewing some of these historical pieces. Hopefully this spot stays with us forever, which is why I highly recommend visiting. Any film buff will be at awed at this little museum, even if it's not as gigantic as those other spots, it gives ya quite punch of history. On certain Saturday's, they offer walking tours of the real Hollywood. None of your pop culture trivia but the real guts and glory on how this town became what it is now. Truly a treasure to this epic and eccentric city. read more

The place itself is a bit unassuming. Museums these days are all gaudi eyesores. This is HISTORY. For those who are interested in the grand old days of the silver screen, come on down here. It's amazing to see how the general set up of how the movie industry works is essentially the same, except technology has gotten better. I went to this museum after having a few drinks at the Highland-Hollywood area, walked up and made a nice afternoon out of it. I am an actor and I think that every actor should check this out to get a sense of how things were, and get tips on how things should be. read more

The first Hollywood film was shot here, not at this location, it was closer to Vine & Sunset; however, in this building. Great piece of Hollywood history. Volunteer staff is friendly and close to Metro. Stop by the Hollywood Bowl Museum across the street and have lunch in the Highland Camrose Park read more

Definitely need to see this place--particularly because it is the actually barn that the movie business started in. It's right across from the Hollywood Bowl and does have free parking there for the museum. It has things not seen in other museums . Also go on their Saturday 3 hour walking tour of Hollywood. It is separate and you have to Google it. It happens once a month at least. TOTALLY the way to start off in Hollywood and see what the true history of Hollywood really is about. Have fun! read more

If you enjoy the history of Hollywood, you'll love the Barn. It was where the first movie was filmed. How can you not love that? Also, it's not the yellow it used to be, it's now a darker color, like a dark green. It has great history on the Inside. Highly recommended you visit this museum at least once. read more

A local at a crosswalk in Studio City recommended that we check this place out, and I'm so glad we did! It's not a flashy place, and is run by volunteers; it's a very laid back environment to learn about Hollywood's early film history. Admission is only $7 (free for kids 12 and under), and is a great break from the glitz and loud noises. read more

This museum is a gem. It is a small museum but one packed with exhibits that fans of Hollywood and it's history will appreciate. The staff is knowledgeable and eager to enrich your experience with anecdotes and little known facts. They regularly receive new offerings of costumes, photos, etc. read more