Southern California can be generous with their free days and discounts at local attractions. Good thing, too. It can get pretty expensive to take the whole family out for a day of enlightenment and education at SoCal’s wonderful institutions. Here’s my rundown of free days in Los Angeles, Orange County, Inland Empire, and Desert cities.
Note: For any museum that has a “Museums On Us” free day listed below, here’s how that works. Just show your Bank of America credit card or Merrill Lynch card at the door. Only the cardholder gets in free, so family and friends will need tickets. Plus find out more about the Go Los Angeles Discount Pass that can save you a bunch.
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Los Angeles County Free Days & Deals
Orange County Free Days & Deals
Other SoCal Free Days & Deals
Also See: San Diego Free Days & Deals
LOS ANGELES COUNTY FREE ADMISSION
Griffith Park Observatory in Los Angeles, California
1. Autry Museum of the American West
ADDRESS: 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles, CA 90027 (inside Griffith Park); phone 323-667-2000.
FREE: Museums On Us free first Sundays with BofA or Merrill Lynch card. Free admission for active military, veterans, and peace officers.
DISCOUNT: Seniors/students get discounts. Save 20 percent or more with Go Los Angeles Card.
2. California Science Center
ADDRESS: 700 Exposition Park Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90037 (323-724-3623)
FREE: Always free admission to exhibits. But you’ll need tickets for IMAX and simulators.
DISCOUNT: Seniors/students get discounts. Save 20 percent or more with Go Los Angeles Card pass.
3, The Griffith Observatory
ADDRESS: 2800 East Observatory Road, Los Angeles, CA 90027 (inside Griffith Park (213-473-0800).
FREE DAY: Free admission to exhibits and nighttime telescope viewing. Free parking. Tickets required for Planetarium shows. (Closed Mondays, Tuesdays.)
4. The J. Paul Getty Museums
ADDRESS: The Getty Center – 1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90049 (Closed Mondays.); The Getty Villa (Malibu) – 17985 Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 (Closed Tuesdays).
FREE: Always free admission.
Hammer Museum in Los Angeles
5. The Hammer Museum
ADDRESS: 10899 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024 (310-443-7000).
FREE: Admission to all exhibitions and public programs always free.
6. The Huntington Library
ADDRESS: 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, CA 91108 (626-405-2100).
FREE: Free admission on the first Thursday of every month with advance tickets (they go fast, so plan ahead). Parking is free. Closed Tuesdays.
DISCOUNT: Seniors/students/children always get discounts.
7. Japanese American National Museum
ADDRESS: 369 East First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (213-625-0414).
FREE: Admission is free every Thursday from 5pm to 8pm, and every third Thursday of the month. Closed Mondays.
DISCOUNT: Seniors/students get discounts. Save 20 percent or more with Go Los Angeles Card.
8. Kidspace Children’s Space Museum
ADDRESS: 480 N. Arroyo Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91103 (626-449-9144).
FREE: Free Family Night on the first Tuesday of every month from 4pm-8pm. Parking is free.
9. La Brea Tar Pits, Page Museum
ADDRESS: 5801 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90036 (323-934-PAGE).
FREE: Admission is free on the first Tuesday of each month.
DISCOUNT: Seniors/students/children get a discount. Save 20 percent or more with Go Los Angeles Card.
10. Long Beach Museum of Art
ADDRESS: 2300 East Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90803 (562-439-2119).
FREE: Admission is free every Friday, and Thursdays 5pm-8pm. Parking is free. Closed Monday- Wednesday.
DISCOUNT: Seniors/students get discounts.
11. Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanical Garden
ADDRESS: 301 North Baldwin Avenue, Arcadia, CA, 91007 (626-821-3222).
FREE: Admission is free on third Tuesdays of every month (no tram on Free days).
DISCOUNT: Seniors/students get $2 off + $4 off Tram.
12. Los Angeles County Museum of Art
ADDRESS: 5905 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, 90036 (323-857-6000).
FREE: Free admission on the second Tuesday of each month to the permanent galleries and non-ticketed exhibitions. Also free admission after 5 pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday to the permanent galleries and non-ticketed exhibitions for all Los Angeles County residents with proof of residency. Museums On Us free first full weekend with BofA or Merrill Lynch card. Also free admission on selected holidays offered by Target. Closed Wednesdays.
DISCOUNT: Students/seniors get discounts.
MOCA PDC in Los Angeles
13. Museums of Contemporary Art
ADDRESS: MOCA Main Museum- 250 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (213-626-6222); The Geffen Contemporary – 152 North Central Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012; MOCA Pacific Design Center – 8687 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood, CA 90069.
FREE: Free admission to MOCA Grand Avenue/Geffen Contemporary every Thursday 5–8pm. Closed Tuesdays, Wednesdays. MOCA PDC always free admission. Closed Mondays.
DISCOUNT: Save 20 percent or more with the Go Los Angeles Card.
14. Museum of Latin American Art
ADDRESS: 628 Alamitos Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90802 (562-437-1689).
FREE: Museums On Us free first full weekends with BofA or Merrill Lynch card. Closed Mondays, Tuesdays.
DISCOUNT: Seniors/students $2 off.
15. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles
ADDRESS: 900 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90007 (213-763-DINO).
FREE: Admission is free on the first Tuesday of each month. Always free for active military, and USC students (except on USC game days), must present photo ID.
DISCOUNT: Seniors/students/children get around $2 off. Save 20 percent or more with Go Los Angeles Card.
Nethercutt Collection in Sylmar CA (San Fernando Valley region of LA)
16. The Nethercutt Museum and Collection
ADDRESS: 15151 Bledsoe Street, Sylmar, CA 91342 (818-364-6464).
FREE: Admission is always free. Reservations suggested for The Collection, one of the world’s greatest automobile collections. Closed Sundays, Mondays.
17. Norton Simon Museum
ADDRESS: 411 W. Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91105 (626-449-6840).
FREE: Admission is free on the first Friday of every month from 6pm to 9pm. Free admission for students. Parking is free.
DISCOUNT: Seniors get a few dollars off.
18. Pacific Asia Museum
ADDRESS: 46 North Los Robles Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101 (626-449-2742).
FREE: Free admission the fourth Friday of each month. Closed Mondays, Tuesdays. Parking is free.
DISCOUNT: Other days seniors/students $2 off.
19. Rancho Los Alamitos Ranch and Gardens
ADDRESS: 6400 Bixby Hill Road, Long Beach, CA 90815 (562-431-3541).
FREE: Always free admission. Closed Monday, Tuesday.
20. Rancho Los Cerritos Museum and Library
ADDRESS: 4600 Virginia Road, Long Beach, CA 90807 (562-570-1755).
FREE DAY: Always free admission. Closed Monday, Tuesday.
21. Southcoast Botanical Gardens
ADDRESS: 26300 Crenshaw Boulevard, Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA 90274 (310-544-1948).
FREE: Admission is free on the third Tuesday of each month.
DISCOUNT: Seniors/students get $2 off.
22. Travel Town
ADDRESS: 5200 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90027, inside Griffith Park (323-662-5874).
FREE DAY: Admission is always Free. Parking is also Free.
23. Zimmer Children’s Museum
ADDRESS: 6505 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048 (323-761-8989).
FREE: Grandparents get in free when accompanied by a grandchild. Closed Mondays, Saturdays. Parking – FREE.
DISCOUNT: Save 20 percent or more with the Go Los Angeles Card.
ORANGE COUNTY MUSEUM FREE ADMISSION
Bowers Museum, Santa Ana, California
24. Bowers Museum
ADDRESS: 2002 North Main Street, Santa Ana, CA 92706. 714-567-3600
FREE: Free admission to permanent exhibits for Santa Ana residents with proof of residency on the first Sunday and third Tuesday of every month. Closed Monday.
25. Discovery Science Center
ADDRESS: 2500 North Main Street, Santa Ana, CA 92705.
FREE: Museums On Us free first Sundays with BofA or Merrill Lynch card.
DISCOUNT: Save 20 percent or more with Go Los Angeles Card.
26. Fullerton Arboretum
ADDRESS: 1900 Associated Road, Fullerton, CA 92831. 657-278-3407
FREE: FREE admission. Parking – FREE.
27. La Habra’s Children’s Museum
ADDRESS: 301 South Euclid St, La Habra, CA 9063 (562-905-9793).
FREE: FREE Target day the first Saturday of the month. Closed Mondays. Children 2 and under Free.
28. Laguna Art Museum
ADDRESS: 307 Cliff Drive, Laguna Beach, CA 92651 (949-494-8971).
FREE: Free first weekends with BofA or Merrill Lynch cardholders via Museums On Us promo.
29. Orange County Museum of Art
ADDRESS: 850 San Clemente Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660. 949-759-1122
FREE: Admission is free on the second Sunday of every month. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Parking is free.
OTHER SOCAL MUSEUM FREE DAYS
Palm Springs Art Museum
30. The Living Desert
ADDRESS: 47900 Portola Ave, Palm Desert, CA 92260 (760-346-5694).
FREE: Museums On Us free first full weekends with BofA or Merrill Lynch card.
DISCOUNT: Senior discount.
31. Palm Springs Art Museum
ADDRESS: 101 Museum Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92262 (760-322-4800).
FREE: Free second Sunday. Museums On Us free first full weekends with BofA or Merrill Lynch card. Free admission every Thurdsay during Villagefest from 4-8pm. Free admission on the second Sunday of the month. Closed Mondays.
DISCOUNT: Senior/student discount.
32. Riverside Art Museum
ADDRESS: Riverside Art Museum, 3425 Mission Inn Ave, Riverside CA 92501 (951-684-7111).
FREE: Free first Thursday nights from 6-9pm. Museums On Us free first weekends (Saturday only) with BofA or Merrill Lynch card. Closed Sundays.
DISCOUNT: Senior/student discount.
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