Grand Park in downtown LA fills with 17 community ofrendas, art and music for a free 10-day outdoor exhibition honoring loved ones who have passed, open daily 8am–9pm through November 2. You can add a photo or memento to the community altar. The closing celebration, Noche de los Muertos, runs Sunday, November 1, 3–7pm. There's an RSVP link online.
The Observatory building, its exhibits, the grounds and the public telescopes are always free. On clear evenings you can look through the telescopes 7–9:30pm, and short daytime talks are free too. Planetarium shows cost extra and parking on the hill is paid. Closed Mondays.
JPL offers free in-person Visitor Day Tours for individuals and families of up to 10 people: a multimedia presentation, the von Karman Visitor Center, Space Flight Operations and the Spacecraft Assembly Facility. Tours last 2–2.5 hours with about 0.8 miles of walking and stairs. They're booked a month at a time, at least three weeks ahead, and only on weekdays; spots are limited. Visitor parking is free.
Verified Oct 27 · jpl.nasa.gov
Catch: Reserve at least 3 weeks ahead; limited spots, booked one month at a time · Adults 18+ need a REAL ID or passport (non-citizens: passport or green card) · Full roster of names submitted 3 weeks before
The Getty Center's museum is free to visit. You book a free timed-entry reservation online or by phone. Open Tuesday through Sunday (until 9pm on Saturdays); closed Mondays. Parking is paid, but free on Saturdays after 6pm.
Verified Oct 27 · getty.edu
Catch: Free timed-entry reservation required (online or (310) 440-7300) · Parking $25 per car ($15 after 3pm, $10 after 6pm); free Saturdays after 6pm
Daily breakfast at 6:30am, lunch at 12:30pm (not Sundays), dinner at 4:30pm; food boxes Mon–Fri from 2pm
The Midnight Mission · Los Angeles
The Midnight Mission serves breakfast, lunch and dinner every day to anyone who walks in, at its Skid Row center (no lunch on Sundays). Families and special guests are served 15 minutes before the general line. Weekdays from 2pm it also hands out food boxes of shelf-stable groceries until supplies run out.
Golden State Advantage EBT cardholders get free general admission to LACMA for two adults and all accompanying kids 17 and under. Show the EBT card and a photo ID at the ticket office on the day.
Verified Oct 27 · lacma.org
Catch: EBT card and photo ID at the ticket office; not available online · Up to two adults plus accompanying kids 17 and under
Trained staff at 30 LA County Library locations help students in grades 1–12 with homework, hand out school supplies and show them research tools. The fall session runs September 8 to December 4, 2026; hours vary by branch, so check with staff. Branches include Carson, East LA, Hawthorne, Lancaster, Norwalk, West Covina and West Hollywood.
Children 12 and under and teens 13–17 who live in LA County get free general admission to LACMA any day it's open. Kids can also join NexGenLA, a free membership that brings one guest in free too.
Verified Oct 27 · lacma.org
Catch: Ages 17 and under who live in LA County · Adults pay unless another free program applies (NexGenLA members bring one guest free)
UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art · Costa Mesa
The Orange County Museum of Art, now run by UC Irvine, is free for everyone with no reservation needed, in its building on the Segerstrom Center for the Arts campus in Costa Mesa. Open Wednesday to Sunday, 11am–6pm. Campus parking is paid and can't be validated.
The California Science Center's permanent exhibition galleries in Exposition Park are free. IMAX films and special exhibits cost extra. Open daily 10am–5pm except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.
Verified Oct 27 · expositionpark.ca.gov
Catch: Free covers the permanent galleries; IMAX and special exhibits are paid
Tour the historic adobe ranch house and its gardens in Long Beach for free during public hours; check in at the Visitor Center and a volunteer will point you to tours and exhibits. Open Wednesday to Friday and Sunday 1–5pm, and Saturday 10am–5pm. Reservations are only needed for groups of 8 or more.
Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, Cabrillo Beach, San Pedro · Los Angeles
The City of LA's Cabrillo Marine Aquarium at Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro is free to visit year-round, with a suggested donation ($10 adults, $5 kids and seniors). Beach parking is $1 an hour.
Trails sunrise to sunset; Interpretive Center Mon 9am–1pm, Tue–Sun 9am–4pm
Bolsa Chica Conservancy Interpretive Center (North Lot) · Huntington Beach
Hike about 5 miles of trails through the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, the largest saltwater marsh between Monterey Bay and the Tijuana River Estuary, from sunrise to sunset, and stop at the Interpretive Center to see live local reptiles and bird exhibits. There's no charge for either, and parking is free (lots fill up on weekends). The center is open Monday 9am–1pm and Tuesday–Sunday 9am–4pm at the North Lot.
LA County residents get into the Natural History Museum in Exposition Park free Monday through Friday from 3 to 5pm. Free tickets can be reserved online (upload ID at checkout) or shown at the desk. The museum is closed the first Tuesday of the month except June–August.
Rancho Los Alamitos, a historic site in Long Beach, is free to visit, parking included. Docent-guided house tours start every hour from 1 to 4pm, and walk-ins can join when space allows. Open Wednesday–Sunday 1–5pm (last entry 4:30).
Friends In Deed runs a market-style pantry where you pick your own groceries: canned and dry goods, cereal, and when available meat, fresh produce, toiletries, diapers, formula and pet food. Open Tuesdays and Wednesdays 10am–3pm and Thursdays 10am–1pm; come once a week. Arrive by 9am to join the opening lottery instead of lining up.
Verified Oct 27 · friendsindeedpas.org
Catch: Only for: low- and no-income households in the greater Pasadena and Altadena area · Bring ID for each family member and proof of address to register (staff will still help if you lack them) · Once per week
Daily 9:30am–5pm (closed first Tuesday of the month except June–August)
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
The Natural History Museum lets several groups in free every day it's open: EBT cardholders (up to 2 adults and 4 children), California PreK–12 teachers and school staff, active or retired US military, and USC students and faculty, each with ID. Kids 2 and under are always free.
Verified Oct 27 · nhm.org
Catch: Eligible groups only, with ID: EBT cardholders, CA PreK–12 teachers/staff, US military, USC students/faculty · EBT: up to 2 adults and 4 children
Foothill Unity Center hands out groceries three mornings a week at its Pasadena site, drive-thru or walk-up: fresh fruit, vegetables, dairy and bread when available, plus a meat or fish item once a month. Bring your own bags or a wagon. Call (626) 584-7420 to register before each distribution; CalFresh and Medi-Cal sign-up is available on site.
Verified Oct 27 · foothillunitycenter.org
Catch: Only for: income at or below 150% of the poverty level · Only for: residents of 12 San Gabriel Valley areas incl. Pasadena, Altadena, Monrovia, Arcadia · Register by phone before each distribution
Foothill Unity Center's Monrovia site gives out groceries three mornings a week, drive-thru or walk-up, with fresh produce, dairy and bread when available. People who are unhoused can pick up bagged lunches up to three times a week, and a freshly made breakfast is served the same mornings. Call (626) 358-3486 to register.
Verified Oct 27 · foothillunitycenter.org
Catch: Only for: income at or below 150% of the poverty level · Only for: residents of 12 San Gabriel Valley areas incl. Pasadena, Altadena, Monrovia, Arcadia · Register by phone before each distribution
SOVA Pico (Jewish Family Service LA) · Los Angeles
Jewish Family Service LA's SOVA pantry on Pico is set up like a farmers market where you choose your own groceries and personal care items, open to everyone in the community. Open Monday to Thursday 10am–1:30pm and Sunday 9am–noon; enter at the back of the building via Robertson or Livonia. Existing clients can book visits online for a shorter wait. Thanksgiving distributions run here November 15–19.
Verified Oct 27 · jfsla.org
Catch: Only for: households that self-certify income guidelines (generally at or below 150% of the federal poverty level) · Bring a physical photo ID with a barcode for full pantry service (no ID needed for USDA TEFAP foods only) · Registration needed for full pantry services · Up to twice per calendar month
SOVA Valley (Jewish Family Service LA) · Los Angeles
Jewish Family Service LA's SOVA Valley pantry in Van Nuys lets you pick your own groceries and personal care items, farmers-market style. Open Monday to Wednesday 10am–2:30pm and Sunday 9am–noon, but it closes on several November dates for construction, so check the calendar first. A one-day Thanksgiving drive-through runs November 19, 9am–1pm, at the Masonic Lodge, 14750 Sherman Way, for registered clients.
Verified Oct 27 · jfsla.org
Catch: Only for: households that self-certify income guidelines (generally at or below 150% of the federal poverty level) · Bring a physical photo ID with a barcode for full pantry service (no ID needed for USDA TEFAP foods only) · Registration needed for full pantry services · Up to twice per calendar month
Las Angelitas del Pueblo host free walking tours of El Pueblo de Los Angeles, around Olvera Street, on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 10am, 11am and noon. El Pueblo's Avila Adobe is open Tuesday–Sunday 9am–4pm.
Visitors 18 and under, students with a valid ID and active military with ID get into the Norton Simon Museum free any day it's open. EBT cardholders are also admitted free. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Verified Oct 27 · nortonsimon.org
Catch: Ages 18 and under, students with valid ID, active military with ID, or EBT cardholders
Children 17 and under, students and teachers with ID, and EBT cardholders get into Holocaust Museum LA free any day it's open (10am–5pm, closed Wednesdays). Reservations are required.
Verified Oct 27 · holocaustmuseumla.org
Catch: Kids 17 and under, students or teachers with ID, or EBT cardholders · Reservations required
Long Beach Unified School District students get into LBMA's oceanfront museum free (students otherwise pay $10). The campus includes a historic 1911 craftsman home and a two-story gallery with views of the Queen Mary and Catalina Island. Open Thursday to Sunday, 11am–5pm, with free parking in the museum lot on Ocean Blvd.
Verified Oct 27 · lbma.org
Catch: Only for: LBUSD students · Students under 12 must come with an adult, who pays general admission ($15) unless a member
The Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA) in Long Beach is free every Sunday, 11am–6pm, and docent-led tours run at 2pm. Regular admission is $15, and kids under 12 get in free any day it's open (Wednesday–Sunday). Parking at the museum is free on general admission days.
Santa Ana residents get free general admission to the Bowers Museum every Sunday, year-round, covering all permanent collection exhibitions. Bring proof of residence. Kids under 12 are always free with a paying adult; parking in the museum lot costs $7.
Verified Oct 27 · bowers.org
Catch: Only for: Santa Ana residents · Proof of residence required
Muzeo Museum and Cultural Center, Carnegie Plaza · Anaheim
Muzeo Museum and Cultural Center fills its Carnegie Plaza with music, hands-on science, technology, engineering, art and math activities, and vendors. Young scientists are the focus, but all ages are welcome. Sunday, November 8, 11am–3pm.
Once a month, local astronomy clubs set up dozens of telescopes on the Griffith Observatory lawn for a free public star party: look at the Sun, Moon and planets and talk with amateur astronomers. Telescopes run from 2pm until 9:45pm.
Food Finders' monthly Community Marketplace hands out fresh food and pantry staples to families and individuals at Admiral Kidd Park in West Long Beach. This one runs Saturday, November 21, 9–11am. Questions: (562) 283-1400.
Local astronomy clubs set up dozens of telescopes on the Griffith Observatory lawn for the monthly free public star party: look at the Sun, Moon and planets and talk with amateur astronomers. Telescopes run from 2pm until 9:45pm.
Twice a year, anyone can fish in California without a sport fishing license. All other fishing rules (bag and size limits, gear, hours, closures) still apply. The waiver covers all of California, including California waters (Los Angeles area). Eligibility: Anyone.
Verified Oct 27 · California Fish & Wildlife
Catch: Fishing rules still apply; report cards still needed for steelhead, sturgeon and some salmon
Everyone gets in free to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art on the second Tuesday of each month. Normal adult admission is $25 for county residents and $30 for others. Open 11am–6pm on Tuesdays.
The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens · Los Angeles
The Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens in San Marino is free on the first Thursday of every month. Free tickets are released the last Thursday of the month before at 9am through a virtual waiting room and go fast.
Verified Oct 27 · huntington.org
Catch: Free tickets required for every guest (infants too): released the last Thursday of the prior month at 9am, until gone · Limit 5 tickets per household per year; arrive within one hour of your ticket time
The Autry Museum of the American West opens all its exhibitions free on the first Wednesday of every month, 10am–4pm. Reserve a spot online ahead. Active-duty military and veterans and kids 2 and under are free every day.
The Skirball Cultural Center in the Sepulveda Pass is free for everyone on Thursdays, noon–5pm. Regular general admission is $20. Walk-ups are welcome, but reserving ahead is the only way to guarantee entry (online booking for the same day closes at noon on weekdays). Noah's Ark has timed 90-minute slots and is best booked ahead.
Verified Oct 27 · skirball.org
Catch: Entry guaranteed only with a reservation (book online by noon on the day)
USC Pacific Asia Museum is free for everyone on the second Sunday of every month (normally $15), plus exhibition opening and closing weekends, Lunar New Year week and May for AAPI month. Kids 14 and under are always free. Open 11am–5pm, with free parking in the museum lot at Los Robles Avenue and Union Street.
Adults with an LA County Library card can check out a California State Library Parks Pass covering day-use entry for one passenger vehicle (up to 9 people) at more than 200 participating state parks and beaches. Loans last two weeks and must be returned in person to the branch you borrowed it from. Passes are limited, so ask your branch what's available.
Verified Oct 27 · lacountylibrary.org
Catch: Free LA County Library adult card in good standing · Limited passes per branch · Vehicle day-use only: not camping, tours, boat use or special events, and not every park takes it
EBT cardholders get free daytime admission to the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden in Arcadia for up to two adults and four children. No reservation or online ticket needed: show your EBT card and matching photo ID at the entrance.
Verified Oct 27 · arboretum.org
Catch: EBT card plus matching photo ID · Up to two adults and four children
Explore L.A. lets LA Public Library cardholders reserve free or low-cost passes to places like The Broad, the Hammer, the Natural History Museum, Aquarium of the Pacific, Petersen Automotive Museum, Museum of Tolerance and the GRAMMY Museum, plus some sports and performing arts tickets. Passes are released on the first of each month, first come, first served.
Verified Oct 27 · lapl.org
Catch: LAPL card in good standing, ages 18+ (e-cards not accepted); must live in ZIP codes 90000–93599 · Bring printed pass and matching photo ID; some passes are low-cost rather than free · Up to two reservations at a time; passes can't be cancelled once printed
LA County Library cardholders 18 and over can reserve free or low-cost passes to museums and cultural sites through Discover & Go, including the Natural History Museum, Autry Museum, Skirball, Academy Museum, Japanese American National Museum and California Botanic Garden. Hold up to two reservations at once, up to three months ahead.
Verified Oct 27 · lacountylibrary.org
Catch: Full-access LA County Library card in good standing; ages 18+ (digital cards don't qualify) · Must live in ZIP codes 90000–93599 · Some passes are low-cost rather than free; some are limited to one per calendar year
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