The Guide to Summer Events at LA Museums

From new exhibitions at the Natural History Museum and MOCA to film screenings at the Academy Museum and concerts at the Getty Center and Skirball Cultural Center, there is a bounty of arts and culture happening at Los Angeles-area museums this summer! Make plans for a day trip, or schedule a long weekend to explore multiple museums.

"The Kingdom of Pylos" - Getty Villa (through Jan. 12, 2026)
Five months after the Palisades Fire forced the closure of the Getty Villa, the museum reopened to the public just in time for summer. The museum’s idyllic location overlooking the Pacific is worth the trip, but there’s also a new exhibition now on view through Jan. 12, 2026. The Kingdom of Pylos: Warrior-Princes of Ancient Greece includes recent archaeological discoveries from Messenia, in Greece, that are on view for the first time outside of Europe. The museum is free, but you will need to book a timed reservation on the museum’s website. Look for open dates a few weeks in advance, as reservations have been filling up quickly.

Vincent Price Art Museum
Located on the campus of East Los Angeles College, the Vincent Price Art Museum kicked off the summer with two new shows - Before You Now: Capturing the Self in Portraiture, which includes works by Laura Aguilar, Cindy Sherman and many more; as well as On the Side of Angels: Latina Lesbian Activism. They join in-progress solo shows from Eva Aguila and Fabian Debora. VPAM is a jewel of a museum known for its permanent collection of ancient Central and South American art, which began with silver screen icon Vincent Price’s donation of pre-Columbian art. Admission is free.

"Fierce! The Story of Cats" - NHM (through Feb. 18, 2026)
Now open at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Fierce! The Story of Cats  is an immersive, 10,000 square foot exhibition that will be on view until mid-February of next year, Fierce! explores both the biology of cats as well as their cultural influence and relationship with humans in installations that are fun and educational for all ages.

"Game On!" - California Science Center
In May, the California Science Center opened Game On! Science, Sports & Play, an interactive 17,000 square-foot exhibition designed with people of all ages and abilities in mind. In these world premiere installations, guests can join Dodgers MVP Freddie Freeman in the batting cage, sharpen your kicking skills with Angel City FC's Alyssa and Gisele Thompson, go for a virtual swim alongside Paralympic champ Jamal Hill and more while learning about the connection between science and sport. Game On! Is one of the Center’s free exhibitions, which also include Dogs! A Science Tail, Goose Bumps! The Science of Fear and more. Located in Exposition Park, you can visit the California Science Center and Natural History Museum on the same day trip. Entrance is free and you do not need to make a reservation. However, there is a fee for the IMAX movie screenings and you might want to purchase those in advance of your trip.

Corita Art Center
For years, Corita Kent’s art was housed on a high school campus. Now, the late great pop artist, best known for creating the “Love” stamp, has her own space. The Corita Art Center opened last spring with a wonderful collection of Kent’s work and ephemera on view. It’s open to the public on Saturdays and, while admission is free, you will need to make.a reservation beforehand. The Corita Art Center is walking distance from the Little Tokyo Metro station, so this is a good stop if you’re planning to visit MOCA’s Geffen Contemporary.

"MOCA Focus: Takako Yamaguchi" - MOCA Grand Avenue (through Jan. 4, 2026)
MOCA Focus: Takako Yamaguchi is the first local, solo museum show for the LA-based artist, who paints with oils and metal leaf. The exhibition opened in late June, and this summer you can see it at MOCA Grand Avenue alongside Fictions of Display, which also opened in late June and includes works from the museum’s permanent collection.

Off the 405 & Garden Concerts for Kids - Getty Center
The Getty Center’s Off the 405 series of summer concerts is a chance to enjoy a Saturday night of music and art without the cover charge. This season’s performers include Empress Of and DJ Star Amerasu (July 26) and Emile Mosseri and DJ Daniel L. Sparks (Aug. 23).

For those heading to the Getty with young children, look into their Garden Concerts for Kids series happening on weekends in August. While you’re there, take time to explore the museum’s wide range of exhibits, including the recently opened Artemisia’s Strong Women: Rescuing a Masterpiece.

Sunset Concerts - Skirball Cultural Center
Now in its 28th season, the Skirball Cultural Center’s Sunset Concerts series features free concerts on Thursdays from 7 until 9:30pm and no reservations are required. Coming up this summer are La Perla and Meridian Brothers on July 24; MULA and Frente Cumbiero on July 31; and Jojo Abot and Say She She on August 7. Plan on early arrival if you want to check out current exhibitions like Jack Kirby: Heroes and Humanity.

Jazz at LACMA
Through October, Fridays at LACMA are all about jazz with the museum’s series of free concerts in the Smidt Welcome Plaza. Upcoming perfomances include Gengis Don & The Empire (Aug. 8), Grant Geissman Band (Aug. 15) and Gil Castellanos on August 8. Performances are at 6pm - plan to arrive early if you want to check out current exhibitions like Nancy Baker Cahill: Substrate and Zheng Chongbin Golden State.

Summer of Camp! - Academy Museum (through Aug. 30)
The Academy Museum celebrates a Summer of Camp!, its current series of film screenings. From a Joan Crawford triple feature that includes What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? to cult classic musical The Apple (August 2) to a 35mm showing of John Waters’ Serial Mom (August 17), the museum’s summer calendar is packed with cinema at its most over-the-top. While you’re there, check out exhibitions like Director's Inspiration: Bong Joon Ho and Barbie to Anna Karenina: The Cinematic Worlds of Sarah Greenwood and Katie Spencer.

Hammer Summer Concerts
The Hammer Museum is hosting free live concerts in the courtyard this summer! Enjoy happy hour, late gallery hours, art-making and more. Doors open at 6:30pm and performances start at 7:30pm. Upcoming shows include Very Be Careful & Healing Gems (July 31) and Open Mike Eagle with Jordan Patterson and J. Rocc on August 19.

Matinees on the Mountain & Sunday Afternoon Concerts - Mount Wilson Observatory
For a more adventurous museum experience, head to Mount Wilson Observatory. You’ll drive through the winding San Gabriel Mountains until you reach Mount Wilson’s peak and the 121-year-old observatory, home to what was once the world’s largest telescope. You can still see the 100-inch telescope via public, private or self-guided tours and visit the Astronomical Museum. Events are frequent during the summer and into early fall.

The monthly Saturday afternoon Matinees on the Mountain series focuses on science and science fiction, including Contact (July 26) and Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Sep. 27). On August 23, they’ll collaborate with LA Filmforum on a special screening of astronomical short films.

Sunday Afternoon Concerts in the Dome invite audiences to hear musicians like Leelou & Friends (Aug. 31) and the New Hollywood String Quartet (Sep. 21) inside the home of the 100-inch telescope. Be sure to use the map on Mount Wilson’s website as GPS directions aren’t always correct.

PAST + FUTURE = PRESENT - The Broad (Aug. 16 & Sep. 20)
Experience the special exhibition Jeffrey Gibson: the space in which to place me at The Broad after hours and groove to the beat between two performance stages on two levels of the museum.

PAST + FUTURE = PRESENT, Pt. 1 and Pt. 2 feature a curated lineup of musicians who have made their mark on the club, concert, and tour circuits within the past decade, channeling a liberatory future through music and powerful performances that honor culture and ancestry. Throughout the two-part festival-style series, hip hop, experimental, pow wow, indie, electronic, and soul music coexist like the vibrant and inspirational words and colors in Jeffrey Gibson’s PAST + FUTURE = PRESENT (2024) and other artworks on view in his exhibition.

National Day of the Cowboy & Cowgirl - The Autry (July 26)
The Autry celebrates National Day of the Cowboy & Cowgirl with a fun-filled day on Saturday, July 26. Learn how to line dance and play Old West card games; watch trick ropers, catch live music performances or listen in on the Los Angeles Cowboy Poetry Gathering. Museum hours for the event will be extended to 7:30pm and your ticket will also give you the opportunity to catch Street Food Cinema’s screening of Toy Story in the evening.

MOCA Music - MOCA Geffen Contemporary (August 9)
MOCA Music returns with an afternoon-to-evening festival on Saturday, August 9 at The Geffen Contemporary Warehouse. The lineup includes Gritty in Pink All Grl Jam, Hu3m3n, Aisha and the Perfect Junkies, Sage Bava and Tyler Hammond Jazz Experience. Amoeba Music will also be on-site with a vinyl pop-up.

Magical La Fusion - LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes (August 23)
A Great Day in East L.A.: Celbrando the Eastside Sound, a multimedia exhibition focusing on the music of East Los Angeles that opened in late June, comes to a close at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes on Saturday, August 23 with the Magical La Fusion concert. Tropa Magica and Buyepongo play live while La Junta will DJ a mix of Latin American beats. The event is free and starts at 6pm.