The Hammer Museum

The Hammer Museum is one of my favorite museums. Affiliated with UCLA, this art museum and cultural center is known for its artist-centric and progressive array of exhibitions and public programs. Founded in 1990 by local entrepreneur/industrialist Armand Hammer to house his personal art collection, this museum has since expanded its scope to become, in my opinion, one of “the hippest and most culturally relevant institutions in town.” Particularly important to note, this museum focuses on exhibitions that showcase historically over-looked and emerging contemporary artists. The picture carousel has a collection of images from recent exhibitions, including its “Made in L.A.” biennial (see the SoDoesRichard blog on the Home page for occasional posts on the Hammer, including http://suzyknowsla.com/sodoesrichard/bradford-wall-gauguin-hammer/ ).

The Hammer also hosts over 300 programs throughout the year… from lectures, symposiums, and readings to concerts and film screenings. And, it’s FREE! And for families visiting L.A. that is a great price, plus parking is $6 for the first three hours with validation. Personally, if you are traveling with kids and don’t have the energy or time to do an ‘all-day museum day’, such as you would if you did LACMA, The Getty, or The Broad, this is an excellent museum to consider. It’s small and you can get in and out of there in a few hours. The swivel /rolling chairs in the open-air courtyard are great for kids and the gift shop is fantastic! Plus, it is conveniently located in Westwood on the corner of Wilshire and Westwood and there are a number of wonderful restaurants that are super close and easily walkable. As I have mentioned before, I love this museum!  Gift shops and Los Angeles Magazine named the Hammer bookstore/gift shop as one of THE BEST!  It has an extraordinary range of books on art, architecture, and design, including hard-to-find titles. The store also offers a unique selection of jewelry and gifts, many handmade by local artists, as well as children’s books and toys. It has a sale section, too!

Hammer Museum
10899 Wilshire Blvd
L.A. 90024
310-443-7063

 

HOURS
Tuesday-Wednesday: 11AM-7PM
Thursday: 11AM-9PM
Friday-Saturday: 11AM-7PM
Sunday: 11AM-5PM
Closed Mondays, July 4, Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Year’s Day.

DIRECTIONS
The Museum is located at the northeast corner of Westwood and Wilshire Boulevards in Westwood Village, 3 blocks east of the 405 freeway’s Wilshire Boulevard exit.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
The Museum is easily accessible via public transportation with bus stops right across the street!