Culture in Los Angeles

6th Street Viaduct

Los Angeles

Angels Flight

Los Angeles

Angelus Temple

Los Angeles

Battleship USS Iowa

Los Angeles

The USS Iowa is the lead ship of the Iowa-class and one of the most formidable battleships ever to sail under the American flag. Built in the early 1940s, she served first in the Atlantic during World War II before being transferred to the Pacific, where she supported assaults on Iwo Jima and Okinawa. After the war she entered the reserve fleet, was reactivated for the Korean War, and played a key role in shore bombardment operations. In the 1980s she underwent an extensive modernization under President Reagan. Since 2012, the Iowa has been anchored as a floating museum in San Pedro, Los Angeles. Visitors can explore gun turrets, engine rooms, and the historic presidential cabin where Franklin D. Roosevelt stayed during his 1943 Atlantic crossing.

Burbank City Hall Annex

Los Angeles

The Burbank City Hall Annex is a civic administration building in central Burbank, California, constructed in 1943. Built as a supplement to the main city hall during a period when Burbank was a hub of wartime aviation and defence manufacturing, the structure reflects the functional architecture of the era. It continues to serve municipal government purposes today and offers a modest but authentic glimpse into mid-century civic planning in Southern California.

California African American Museum

Los Angeles

The California African American Museum (CAAM) in Exposition Park, Los Angeles, is one of the most significant museums in the United States dedicated exclusively to the history, art, and culture of African Americans. Founded in 1981, CAAM places particular focus on California and the American West — a perspective often underrepresented in broader narratives. The collection spans paintings, sculptures, photographs, and historical objects ranging from the era of slavery through the civil rights movement to contemporary art. Rotating exhibitions, educational programs, and community events make it a vibrant cultural hub. Admission is free, making it one of the most accessible museums in the city. It sits adjacent to the Natural History Museum and California Science Center within the leafy Exposition Park.

Campo de Cahuenga

Los Angeles

Campo de Cahuenga is a historic museum in North Hollywood, Los Angeles, marking the site where California history pivoted. In 1847, the original adobe building on Rancho Cahuenga land was where the Treaty of Cahuenga was signed, effectively ending the Mexican-American War in California. The current structure is a faithful reconstruction of that adobe, designated both a California Historic Landmark and a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument. It sits near the Universal Studios lot, close to the historic Cahuenga Pass.

Canoga Park Church

Los Angeles

Canoga Park Church is a congregation of the True Jesus Church, a Chinese independent Christian denomination founded in Beijing in 1917. Rejecting the doctrine of the Trinity, it venerates Jesus as the sole God and spread globally among the Chinese diaspora after 1949. In Los Angeles, the community found a home in Canoga Park in the western San Fernando Valley. The congregation maintains worship services, community life, and the preservation of Chinese Christian traditions in the American diaspora.

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels

Los Angeles

Completed in 2002 to designs by Spanish architect José Rafael Moneo, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels is one of the most architecturally significant religious buildings in the United States. Its warm sand-colored concrete exterior gives Downtown LA an unexpected landmark, while the interior rewards visitors with alabaster windows that flood the nave with soft, diffused light. The tapestries lining the nave — depicting 135 saints and beati — stretch nearly 25 meters high and were created by artist John Nava. The crypt below holds the remains of several notable Angelenos. As the mother church of the largest Catholic archdiocese in the country, the cathedral offers free guided tours daily. Even for secular visitors, it delivers architecture, art, and genuine quietude in the midst of a busy city.

Crypto.com Arena

Los Angeles

Known as the Staples Center from its 1999 opening until late 2021, Crypto.com Arena is one of the most famous indoor arenas in the world. Located in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles, it holds up to 20,000 spectators and serves as home to the LA Lakers and LA Clippers (NBA) and the LA Kings (NHL). The arena has hosted the Grammy Awards multiple times, world-tour concerts by virtually every major act, and landmark sporting moments including multiple Lakers championship celebrations. Owned by the Anschutz Entertainment Group and connected to the LA Convention Center, it is well served by Metro rail. An evening here — whether for sport or music — is as close to the beating heart of Los Angeles as it gets.

Disney California Adventure

Los Angeles

Opening in 2001 right next to the original Disneyland, Disney California Adventure celebrates the history, diversity and adventurous spirit of the Golden State across nearly 29 hectares. Themed lands range from the Pixar Pier and Cars Land to the Avengers Campus, each with immersive theming down to the smallest detail. The park offers dozens of rides spanning gentle family attractions and stomach-dropping roller coasters, alongside spectacular live shows and seasonal festivals. Following major expansions, it ranks among the most visited amusement parks on the planet.

Disneyland

Los Angeles

Disneyland in Anaheim, California, is Walt Disney's original theme park – and one of the most visited leisure destinations on the planet. Opened in 1955 with Walt Disney's vision of a place where children and adults could dream together, the resort encompasses two parks – Disneyland Park with classics such as Fantasyland and Main Street U.S.A., and Disney California Adventure – plus three hotels and the Downtown Disney shopping and dining district. From fairy-tale rides and evening parades to spectacular fireworks, Disneyland remains a touchstone of American pop culture and childhood wonder for millions of visitors each year.

Disneyland Resort

Los Angeles

The Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Southern California, is the original home of all Disney theme parks worldwide. Walt Disney opened the first Disneyland here in 1955; today the resort comprises two parks, three hotels, and the Downtown Disney shopping and entertainment district. The classic Disneyland Park houses the original rides — Pirates of the Caribbean, the Haunted Mansion, Main Street USA — while California Adventure explores the Golden State theme. The resort consistently ranks among the most visited leisure destinations in the world, drawing families with young children as well as adults who grew up with Disney. Booking ahead and planning your day early are strongly recommended for a smooth visit.

Dodger Stadium

Los Angeles

Dodger Stadium is one of the most iconic sports venues in the United States, set in the Chávez Ravine valley north of downtown Los Angeles. Home to the Los Angeles Dodgers since its opening in 1962, it is the third-oldest currently active baseball stadium in the country and the largest baseball stadium in the world by seating capacity, holding over 56,000 fans. Privately financed at a cost of $23 million and technically ahead of its time at opening, it has hosted countless World Series games and landmark concerts — from the Beatles to Frank Sinatra. Evening games under the Los Angeles sky, with the illuminated skyline and San Gabriel Mountains visible beyond the outfield, rank among the most memorable sports experiences in North America.

Dolby Theatre

Los Angeles

The Dolby Theatre is an entertainment venue on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles that has served as the permanent home of the Academy Awards since 2002. Opened in 2001, it became the symbolic centre of global cinema almost immediately, hosting the Oscars annually and making its forecourt and staircase some of the most televised steps in the world. With a capacity of around 3,400, the theatre also boasts some of the most advanced stage technology in the United States. Outside Oscar season, it hosts major concerts, theatrical productions, and live TV events. Located inside the Hollywood & Highland complex next to the Walk of Fame, guided tours are available year-round — a genuine experience for film lovers.

Dorothy Chandler Pavilion

Los Angeles

The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion is one of the most important concert halls on the US West Coast, located in the Music Center in the heart of Los Angeles. Opened in 1964, it bears the name of Dorothy Buffum Chandler, the publisher, arts patron, and tireless promoter of cultural life in Los Angeles, who was instrumental in financing and building the venue. Since 1986 the Pavilion has been home to the Los Angeles Opera, one of the most prestigious opera companies in the United States. For decades the hall also served as the venue for the Academy Awards ceremony, lending it additional fame. The impressive acoustics and elegant interior make attending an opera or concert here a memorable experience.

Egyptian Theatre Hollywood

Los Angeles

The Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard – officially Grauman's Egyptian Theatre – is one of Hollywood's oldest and most iconic cinemas. Sid Grauman commissioned the building in 1922 in the Egyptian Revival style, inspired by the era's fascination with ancient Egypt following major archaeological discoveries. It hosted the first Hollywood premiere in an outdoor courtyard theatre and played a defining role in shaping the glamour culture of early Hollywood. After extensive restoration, it now operates as the American Cinematheque's flagship venue, screening retrospectives, special events and world cinema classics.

El Capitan Theatre

Los Angeles

El Capitan Theatre at 6838 Hollywood Boulevard is one of the finest surviving movie palaces of the silent film era. Opened in 1926 as a stage theater, it was converted to a film house in the 1940s and fell into disrepair for decades. Walt Disney acquired the building and lavishly restored it in the early 1990s to its original Art Deco splendor. Now owned by The Walt Disney Company, it serves as an exclusive premiere venue for Disney Studios productions. The adjacent Hollywood Masonic Temple rounds out the complex. Inside, gilded columns, hand-painted ceilings, and a Wurlitzer organ performance before screenings transport guests back to Hollywood's golden age.

First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Los Angeles

Los Angeles

The First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Los Angeles (First AME) is the oldest African American congregation in Los Angeles, founded in 1872. What began as a small community in a racially segregated city has grown into one of Southern California's most influential religious institutions, with approximately 19,000 predominantly African American members. The church played a central role in the civil rights movement in Los Angeles and has hosted figures from Martin Luther King Jr. to Barack Obama. First AME's Sunday services are known for their vibrant gospel choirs and strong community spirit — a cultural experience extending well beyond the religious.

First Congregational Church of Los Angeles

Los Angeles

The First Congregational Church of Los Angeles, located in the Wilshire district, belongs to the United Church of Christ and is one of the city's oldest and most prominent Protestant congregations. The current building was consecrated in 1932 and holds the designation of Historic-Cultural Monument of the City of Los Angeles. Its imposing neo-Gothic facade and spacious courtyard offer a tranquil counterpoint to the busy Wilshire Boulevard. The church is well known for its active community life, concert series, and social outreach programs across Los Angeles.

Forest Lawn Memorial Park

Los Angeles

Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills is one of the world's most famous cemeteries and the final resting place of an extraordinary roll call of film legends, musicians, and artists. Founded in 1906, it was conceived as a park-like sanctuary — manicured lawns, sculpture groupings, and faithful reproductions of celebrated European artworks. Among those buried here are Bette Davis, Liberace, and many other icons of the entertainment world. Located on Forest Lawn Drive in the San Fernando Valley, the site transcends its function as a burial ground and is experienced by many as an open-air museum: a quiet green island amid the sprawling metropolis of Los Angeles.

Forest Lawn Memorial Park

Los Angeles

Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, Los Angeles, is far more than an ordinary cemetery. Since its founding in 1906, it has evolved into a place where art, architecture and nature combine in a unique way. Life-size replicas of famous artworks — including Michelangelo's David — and elaborate recreations of historic churches dot the sweeping grounds. The park serves as the final resting place of numerous Hollywood icons, among them Clark Gable, Walt Disney and Jean Harlow. Today Forest Lawn is a popular destination that invites visitors to reflect and discover artistic masterpieces in a serene setting.

Getty Center

Los Angeles

The Getty Center in Brentwood, western Los Angeles, has been one of the USA's most important cultural destinations since opening in 1997. Perched high above the city, it offers access to the world-renowned J. Paul Getty Museum collection — European paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, and photographs — along with spectacular panoramic views of Los Angeles and the Pacific. The sprawling ensemble designed by architect Richard Meier, clad in travertine and white enamel panels, is itself a work of art. The campus also houses the Getty Research Institute and Getty Conservation Institute. Museum admission is free (parking fees apply).

Getty Villa

Los Angeles

Perched in the hills of Pacific Palisades with views toward the Pacific Ocean, the Getty Villa is one of the most extraordinary museum buildings in the world — a meticulous recreation of the ancient Villa dei Papiri, which was buried by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. Oil magnate J. Paul Getty commissioned it in the 1950s and 60s to house his growing collection of ancient art: Greek, Roman, and Etruscan works spanning prehistory to late antiquity. Today the Villa holds around 44,000 objects, including significant sculptures, painted vases, bronzes, and jewellery representing more than three thousand years of Mediterranean civilization. The gardens — with fountains, ancient planting patterns, and open peristyle courtyards — are as remarkable as the collections inside. Admission is free, but tickets must be reserved in advance.

Hammer Museum

Los Angeles

Hollywood Sign

Los Angeles

The Hollywood Sign in the Santa Monica Mountains above Los Angeles is one of the most recognised landmarks in the world. The white letters, each around 14 metres tall, stretch 137 metres across the slopes of the Hollywood Hills — together the sign weighs around 220 tonnes of steel. Originally erected in 1923 as an advertising hoarding for a real estate development called "Hollywoodland", it lost its last four letters, fell into disrepair, was renovated, and was finally replaced in 1978 by a new sign sponsored by celebrities and companies. Today the sign is one of the most photographed spots in Southern California. Several trails in Griffith Park lead close to it, including the popular Mount Hollywood Trail. The sign itself is fenced off for safety; the best viewpoints are found below it.

Mark Taper Forum

Los Angeles

The Mark Taper Forum is a performing arts venue at the Los Angeles Music Center on Bunker Hill in Downtown LA. Built in 1967 to designs by Welton Becket, it seats 739 and features a thrust stage where the audience surrounds the performance on three sides, creating an intense intimacy between actors and viewers. It is operated by the Center Theatre Group and is considered one of America's most important stages for contemporary drama. Numerous plays have had their world premieres here before transferring to Broadway.

Ahmanson Theatre

Los Angeles

The Ahmanson Theatre is one of four main venues at the Los Angeles Music Center in Downtown LA. Since its 1967 opening it has staged major musicals, dramas, and operas, produced by Center Theatre Group — one of the most respected theatre organisations in the United States. Many Broadway productions come here before or after their New York runs. With around 1,600 seats, it is the anchor of LA's performing arts scene and functions as the West Coast's counterpart to a classic Broadway house.