Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
174
The museum's second space, on Central Avenue in Little Tokyo (152 N. Central Ave.),
was the “temporary” Contemporary while the Grand structure was being built and no w
presents r otating exhibits in a war ehouse-type space that 's been r enamed the
Geffen
Contemporary at MOCA
for enter tainment mogul and ar t collector D avid G effen.
Unless there's a visiting exhibit of great interest at the main museum, I r ecommend that
you start at the Geffen building, where it's also easier to park.
The thir d galler y is the
MOCA Pacific D esign Center
(8687 M elrose Ave., West
Hollywood)—it's the compact building next to the P acific Design Center. Unlike the
other two, admission to this gallery is free, and emphasis is on contemporary architecture
and design, as well as new work by emerging and established artists.
Main MOCA information
&
213/626-6222.
www.moca.org. MOCA Grand Avenue and Geffen Contem-
porary at MOCA: $10 adults , $5 seniors 65 and o ver and students, free for children ages 12 and under ;
free to all Thurs 5-8pm. Mon and Fri 11am-5pm; Thurs 11am-8pm; Sat-Sun 11am-6pm. MOCA P acific
Design Center: Free admission. Tues-Fri 11am-5pm; Sat-Sun 11am-6pm. All MOCA spaces closed Jan 1,
July 4, Thanksgiving, Dec 25. M etered street parking or use the Walt Disney Concert Hall garage (ent er
from Lower Grand Ave. or 2nd St.); $8 flat rate for 3 hr. with MOCA validation. $17 deposit required upon
entry; $9 refund.
Natural Histor y Museum of L os A ngeles C ounty
Kids
The “Fighting
Dinosaurs” are not a high school football team, but the trademark symbol of this massive
museum:
Tyrannosaurus rex
and triceratops skeletons poised in a stance so r ealistic that
every kid feels inspir ed to imitate their
Jurassic Park
bellows (think
Calvin & H obbes
).
Opened in 1913 in a beautiful domed S panish R enaissance building, this massiv e
museum—it's the largest natural and historical museum in the western United States—is
a 35-hall warehouse of earth's history, chronicling the planet and its inhabitants from 600
million years ago to the pr esent day, and housing mor e than 33 million specimens and
artifacts. There's a mind-numbing array of exhibits of prehistoric fossils, bird and marine
life, gems and minerals, and N orth American mammals. The kid-friendly
Discovery
Center
entertains children via hands-on, interactiv e exhibits: Kids can make fossil r ub-
bings, dig for fossils, and view live animals such as snakes and lizards.
Thomas the T. rex
Lab
is a specially designed wor kroom where visitors can watch the actual wor k of pale-
ontologists as they prepare and assemble the fossils of a 66-million-y ear-old
Tyrannosau-
rus r ex
nicknamed “ Thomas.” The best permanent displays include the world 's rar est
shark, a walk-through vault of priceless gems (including the largest collection of gold in
the United States), and an Insect Zoo.
The
Dinosaur Shop
sells ant farms and exploding volcano and model kits, the
Ethnic
Arts Shop
has one-of-a-kind folk art and jewelry from around the world, and the book-
store has an extensive selection of scientific titles and hobb yists' field guides.
900 Exposition Blvd. (btw. Vermont Ave. and Figueroa St.), Exposition Park.
&
213/763-DINO
(213/763-
3466). www.nhm.org. Admission $9 adults; $6.50 children ages 13-17, seniors, and students with ID; $2
children ages 5-12; fr ee for kids 4 and under ; free for everyone 1st Tues of month. Daily 9:30am-5pm.
Closed Jan 1, July 4, Thanksgiving, Dec 25. Parking $8 and up.
7
SANTA MONICA
Santa Monica Museum of Art at Bergamot Station
One of Santa Moni-
ca's primary cultural destinations is this campuslike ar t complex located just off the I-10
freeway. The location dates fr om 1875 when it was a stop for the R ed Line trolley, and
it retains a quasi-industrial look. Filled with more than 20 galleries, the unique installa-
tions on display here range from photography and sculpture to interactive pieces that are
