If it weren’t for Hollywood, showbiz, and celebrities, Los Angeles would probably be known as the city of museums. According to Statista’s report from 2019, there are 219 museums in LA, the third-most in the world, and they cover almost any area of interest that you could have.
For those that want to get the full tourist experience of the city, hitting the most famous museums like The Getty Center, Petersen Automotive Museum, and Madame Tussauds Hollywood is usually enough. However, those that want to get a more authentic experience often dive a bit deeper into the LA’s museum offering and rarely get disappointed.
If you want to try the latter but don’t know where to start, here are four lesser-known museums you should definitely check out when in Los Angeles.
Martial Arts History Museum
Martial Arts History Museum is a great place to get to know more about the history of martial arts, check out famous memorabilia, and the impact that martial arts had on American culture. The museum has several permanent exhibitions dedicated to the most famous martial arts like karate, kung fu, and judo.
Location: 2319 Magnolia Blvd, Burbank
Opening Hours: 11 AM – 6 PM
The Zimmerman Automobile Driving Museum
Forget about the “no-touch” policy at The Zimmerman Automobile Driving Museum. Dedicated to antique, vintage, and muscle cars, the museum allows its visitors to not only touch and sit in most vehicles but also drive them during Sunday Car Rides events.
Location: 610 Lairport St, El Segundo
Opening Hours: 10 AM – 4 PM
The Bunny Museum
Do you like rabbits and stuffed toys? You’ll love The Bunny Museum then. The place opened in 1998 and is dedicated to everything rabbit-related. There are currently more than 35,000 items on display in the museum, including bunny plushies, bunny figurines, bunny cookie jars, and much more.
Location: 2605 Lake Avenue, Altadena
Opening Hours: 12 PM – 6 PM
The Museum of Jurassic Technology
A lot of people actually know about The Museum of Jurassic Technology, but that’s because it became one of LA’s most famous “hidden gems.” The museum is home to all sorts of unusual and sometimes bizarre items and objects like magician Ricky Jay’s decomposing antique dice, micro sculptures carved out of a single human hair, and stereographic radiographs of flowers.
Location: 9341 Venice Blvd., Culver City
Opening Hours: 2 PM – 8 PM