EDITOR'S NOTE: Multimedia journalist Sarah Pilla spoke with the Zimmerman Automobile Driving Museum director of public relations about the Free-For-All museum event. Click the arrow above to watch the video.
SoCal has some of the most varied museums, where visitors can see everything from art to natural history and science.
This year, the Museums Free-for-All is back and taking place on March 23. More than thirty museums will open their doors and offer free general admission.
Note that the offer is for general admission to museums only and does not apply to specially ticketed exhibitions or parking fees.
“We are thrilled, once again, to invite visitors from across Southern California to see the remarkable range of art, cultural heritage, natural history, film, and science that our museums and cultural organizations have to offer. The Museums Free-for-All has always been an opportunity for people to see something new or to revisit a treasured spot,” Alexa Nishimoto, SoCal museums president and marketing associate at the Japanese American National Museum, said in a news release. “The Free-for-All also serves as a reminder that many museums here in Southern California are always free and others offer these types of opportunities year round.”
For times and dates of when museums in the area are free, visit the SoCal Museums website.
Below are some of the museums across SoCal taking part in the Free-for-All:
Academy Museum of Motion Picture
From a look at the evolution of the Oscar statute to an exhibit on filmmaker and writer John Waters, who is best known for the films “Cry Baby” and “Hairspray,” this museum gives visitors a glimpse at the history of film. Advance reservations are encouraged.
The Getty Center and The Getty Villa
While both museums are always free, the Getty Center is temporarily requiring a timed-entry ticket much like its sister museum, the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades. Both offer splendid views of the city and art from the middle ages till today. To make a reservation, visit their respective websites.
Japanese American National Museum
Learn about the Japanese American experience with historical and art exhibitions at this museum in Little Tokyo. Advance tickets are recommended and can be obtained on the museum's website.
The Autry Museum
In front of the LA Zoo sits this museum in Griffith Park that offers a look at a wide variety of topics related to the art, history and cultures of the American West. Free parking is available to visitors and advanced reservations are encouraged.
La Brea Tar Pits & Museum
Just a few feet away from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Academy Museum, visitors can discover beasts that were excavated right at the Tar Pits. Watch paleontologists make discoveries and clean up bones right in front of visitors. Make reservations for advance tickets on their website.
Orange County Museum of Art
The museum’s collection of more than 4,500 works of art includes modern and contemporary art and artists inspired by or working in California, including: John Baldessari, Chris Burden, Vija Celmins, Bruce Conner, Richard Diebenkorn, Robert Irwin, Catherine Opie, Charles Ray and Ed Ruscha.
Museum of Ventura County
This museum celebrates the history, art and culture of Ventura County and the Channel Islands. The museum currenlty has an exhibition about everyone's least favorite chore: laundry. Titled Spin Cycle: Unfolding The Science of Laundry, the exhibit showcases laundry items from the 19th and early 20th century to teach visitors why some workd and others didn't.
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
From a prehistoric forest to the newly renovated exhibit on minerals, there's lots to check out at this museum. Note that the Sea Center is not included and advanced reservations are encouraged.
For a full list of particiapting museums, visit visit the SoCal Museums website, and make sure to check museum websites for more information.