I have been here many times before to check out the art installations. Admission to the museum and…read morethe parking lot is free. Get the tickets online. They have a parking lot, and the security guard will let you in once you let them know your purpose. The security guards at the gate and inside the building are very nice. Some of the art installations are really cool based on what you are interested in.

This is probably one of the best contemporary art museums I've ever been to. The staff is…read moreabsolutely amazing. They are all incredibly informative, welcoming, and so very professional. The exhibits were so interesting and the flow of the museum is so unique in itself. I'll definitely be back for another visit.

A beautiful, serene space; right across the street from David Zwirner Gallery. When I visited I saw…read morea fantastic exhibit by Gary Lang.

Found this place on Instagram and wanted to check out the giant ball pit, and I'm glad I did!…read more It was pretty simplistic, but it was pretty fun trying to get into the pit and bounce around the balls. The curator was kind enough to let us wonder and explore the gallery. I recommend you check in this place out after getting some coffee from Stumptown, which is right down the street. Very cool! Balloon gallery ends July 24!

Small cool art gallery. Dropped by for Aaron Rose's Suitcase City. Outside they had drinks and…read morefrenetic dancing by a performer. There is a cluster of other studios and galleries (one is Ed Ruscha's old studio) that you can visit during Open House or if you make appointment. I believe they are all part of Western Ave Collective.

Loved the concert we saw there the other night. My husband is ADA and they were so kind to bring us…read more2 chairs so he could sit during the concert. Also, can't recommend the restaurant more! Everything we had there was top notch h. Definitely coming back here for the food alone!

Highly recommend the Neutra VDL House! Great for LA locals, visitors, or even a solo trip. The…read moredocents are knowledgeable, friendly, and funny. Interior is beautiful. I went when there was an art installation so I couldn't see how the house was normally staged, which was disappointing, but looks like I'll just have to go back! Tours are only $15 and great value. I booked my ticket the day of on Saturday and there was quite a bit of availability.

When planning our trip to LA, we were interested in taking a couple of architectural tours. Hot off…read morethe heels of my recent trip to Chicago where I took an architectural river cruise tour, I thought this would be a perfect way to explore one of the interesting houses in the city. Neutra VDL House was on our list of places to explore, so we made plans to check it out. We initially were unsure if we would be able to see Neutra; they only offer tours on Saturdays from 11 to 3, and when we checked booking there never seemed to be the option to book a tour the one Saturday we were going to be in LA. We decided to check it out the day of anyway, and were pleasantly surprised to find out upon arrival that they were accepting walk-ins for tours. Neutra VDL House is located in Silver Lake, and was designed by Austrian architect Richard Neutra and his son Dion. The house was originally built in the 30s, but burned down in the 60s and was rebuilt into the present structure. The home was originally financed by Cees H. Van der Leeuw, hence the name Neutra VDL House. The house is now owned by Cal Poly Pomona, and their students conduct tours of the house once weekly. The tour was great - it lasted around a half hour, where we were taken through most areas of the house. We learned about the history of the structure and the specific design features that made the house unique. My favorite part of the house was the upstairs area which served multiple uses and had great views of the reservoir. Overall, this was a great way to spend part of an afternoon. The surroundings are very serene, and the interesting architecture was right up my aesthetic alley.

We stumbled across this place randomly and stopped to see what it is. We are probably not the…read moretarget audience as we are not knowledgeable on architecture nor knew who Schindler was. Pros: 1) the site offers a variety of discounts, but military is not one of them. When my mother asked if it was an option, we were able to get in for free which was great and so appreciated. 2) they had some contemporary art exhibits that were pretty cool and that we enjoyed. Cons: 1) we wished we chose an audio tour option or had a guide so we could better appreciate the exhibit. It was unclear outside of reading the guide book what exactly you were looking at/experiencing. 2) this is so random but were the bathrooms real?? They are built into the maps but we thought everything was to not be touched but people were using them??

I didn't know of this place until we visited the Neutra house. If you are a fan of modern…read morearchitecture, this is a place you must visit. It's fascinating to learn of the architects and roots of some of the most famous houses in LA.

Watts Towers has been named to the World Monuments Fund's inaugural Irreplaceable America list…read more recognizing 10 U.S. historic sites considered essential to preserving the nation's cultural heritage, officials announced Tuesday. The list was created as the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and highlights historic places facing significant preservation challenges. The Watts Towers, created over more than three decades by Italian immigrant Sabato "Simon" Rodia, consist of 17 hand-built reinforced-concrete structures decorated with tile, glass and found objects. The tallest tower rises nearly 100 feet. The Watts Towers are a monumental achievement by one individual, Simon Rodia, yet are of cultural significance and meaning to all of the local community, and its visitors," Daniel Tarica, general manager of the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, said in a statement. "The conservation and preservation of the Watts Towers ... reinforces a message to the community of investment, value, and stewardship, while also supporting increased cultural tourism and generating economic opportunities that benefit both the immediate Watts community and the wider region."

I grew up knowing that the Watts Towers were there. Sometimes, they were the photo on the front of…read morethe phone book. More often than that, they showed up as background photos of the Southland displayed between commercial breaks on TV news programs. I would have liked to have seen them in real life. It's just that you didn't go there because of the reputation of this part of South-Central Los Angeles. Things have changed. The 105 Freeway now provides that much needed link across between the top of the Gateway Cities and LAX, going but a few blocks south of the Watts Towers. What was called the Blue Line of Metro's light rail has a stop at 103rd Avenue, within walking distance of the towers. I'm also older than when Watts might have seemed ominous. Then, the neighborhood is changing, which is par for the course everywhere in Los Angeles. Predominantly African-American Watts has now become predominantly Hispanic. When I visited, I lowered the car window and asked two Hispanic twenty-somethings taking a very relaxed walk near this historic site what Watts was currently like. While not a "meet and greet" sort of neighborhood, the mixing of cultures probably helps bring a broader swath of people closer to seeing the towers. I took the 105, got off the large well-designed interchange at Central Avenue, and drove a few blocks north. The Watts Towers didn't seem as tall as I would have thought, but, when put under a different lens, they are very tall! The towers are the work of one man - Simon Rodia - and the tallest one stands about 100 feet (think 10 stories)! I am writing to review the towers and believe that, on the day I went, the Arts Center and tours were not operative. There are additional exhibits that can be seen and would be explained by taking the tour. However, you can definitely park within a block and visit the site. There is even a hardscaped plaza with tiered seating to the north of the towers. The towers are a little strange. They look like pyramidal cone shaped and opened up Slinky toys. Their cage structures are made of structural steel. However, the ribs are not just the steel. The ribs are "coated" with ceramic material, glass, mosaics, tiles, shells, and other objects that give them color and texture. They reminded me of some of the work that Antonio Gaudi designed in his native Barcelona, Spain in that the effect is organic ... and even a little hippie dippy. Knowing about the Watts Towers and knowing about Simon Rodia are intertwined. The Watts Towers are the largest major project built by just one individual, thus of historical import. He worked on them for 33 years! They are now under the purview of the California park system. Rodia was an Italian immigrant from a small town in the region of Italy in which Naples is the principal city. He was trained as a stone mason. I was fascinated by his trajectory. Upon coming to the United States from Italy, he first lived in Pennsylvania. From there, he moved to Seattle, WA, where he married, to Oakland, CA, where he had children, and then to both Long Beach and Watts in Southern California. People told him he was odd and criticized his work, but he persevered and we are richer for it. I'd say that a person had to have some unique wiring to push the envelope in terms of innovation, and even eccentricity, to be able to visualize and build the towers. Eventually, Rodia's health worsened and he moved north within California, dying closer to family members in Martinez, CA at 86 years of age. I had a school friend who lived not too far from the Watts Towers. He was Japanese-American. His parents did not move away until they retired. And I remember that there was a neighboring household where the couple occupying the house, and who also remained, was from France and that I would speak to them in my high school French. That said, it could explain how other immigrants, such as Simon Rodia from Italy, might have lived in the area, along with other newcomers. While not as singularly intriguing as the Watts Towers themselves, the evolution of and rationale for demographic changes in almost all of big L.A.'s neighborhoods would make for volumes of interesting accounts. I highly recommend visiting the Watts Towers, especially to Angelenos who have yet to do so.

Great facility. Good security. Great staff. Interesting selection of exhibits which were centered…read morearound one theme. Excellent value as this just requires a reservation. Parking is pretty challenging. Neighborhood is not suburban, but parking was available and seemed safe enough during our daytime visit.

Phenomenal space and wonderful important shows We are…read moremembers - in heart and concept

Art gallery has another room next door so don't miss it…read more Enjoyed the R. Crumb exhibition and they have plenty of his books and comics for you to peruse.