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 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
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.
The Broad's contemporary art collection downtown is free to see every day it's open. Booking a timed ticket ahead is recommended, but walk-ups are accepted daily. Some exhibitions and events cost extra, and the Infinity Mirror Room needs an advance reservation.
Verified Oct 27 · thebroad.org
Catch: Some special exhibitions and events are ticketed separately
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.
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
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.
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.
The Music Center offers a free self-guided audio tour of Walt Disney Concert Hall year-round, no reservation needed. Tours run daily from 10am, with the last one starting at 2pm; the schedule can change around performances in the hall.
Verified Oct 27 · musiccenter.org
Catch: Groups of 15+ must reserve and pay $10 per guest
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.
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
ICA LA in the Arts District shows contemporary art and runs free public programs, and admission is always free. Open Wednesday to Sunday, 11am–6pm. Free on-site parking during open hours; exhibition guides come in large-print English and Spanish.
The Fowler Museum on the UCLA campus in Westwood has free admission, and its guided and self-guided tours are free too. Open Wednesday–Sunday, noon–5pm.
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
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).
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
The Long Beach Museum of Art's downtown space shows emerging and established artists, and admission is free for everyone. Open Thursday to Sunday, 11am–4pm; closed most federal holidays.
The Armory Center for the Arts shows contemporary art in a historic 1932 California Guard armory in Old Pasadena, across from Memorial Park Station. Galleries are open Thursday to Saturday, 1–5pm, and admission is always free. Closed for major holidays and from Christmas Eve through New Year's Day.
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.
Bank of America's Museums on Us program gives its cardholders free general admission to participating museums on the first full weekend (Saturday and Sunday) of every month. Laguna Art Museum is on Bank of America's official Museums on Us participant list. Eligibility: Bank of America cardholders. Check the program's eligibility and terms page before you go: the partner page says some venues adjust their admission procedures.
Verified Oct 27 · about.bankofamerica.com
Catch: Bank of America cardholders only · General admission only; check the venue's Museums on Us terms first
Bank of America's Museums on Us program gives its cardholders free general admission to participating museums on the first full weekend (Saturday and Sunday) of every month. LACMA is on Bank of America's official Museums on Us participant list. Eligibility: Bank of America cardholders. Check the program's eligibility and terms page before you go: the partner page says some venues adjust their admission procedures.
Verified Oct 27 · about.bankofamerica.com
Catch: Bank of America cardholders only · General admission only; check the venue's Museums on Us terms first
Bank of America's Museums on Us program gives its cardholders free general admission to participating museums on the first full weekend (Saturday and Sunday) of every month. Skirball Cultural Center is on Bank of America's official Museums on Us participant list. Eligibility: Bank of America cardholders. Check the program's eligibility and terms page before you go: the partner page says some venues adjust their admission procedures.
Verified Oct 27 · about.bankofamerica.com
Catch: Bank of America cardholders only · General admission only; check the venue's Museums on Us terms first
Bank of America's Museums on Us program gives its cardholders free general admission to participating museums on the first full weekend (Saturday and Sunday) of every month. Museum of Latin American Art is on Bank of America's official Museums on Us participant list. Eligibility: Bank of America cardholders. Check the program's eligibility and terms page before you go: the partner page says some venues adjust their admission procedures.
Verified Oct 27 · about.bankofamerica.com
Catch: Bank of America cardholders only · General admission only; check the venue's Museums on Us terms first
Bank of America's Museums on Us program gives its cardholders free general admission to participating museums on the first full weekend (Saturday and Sunday) of every month. Autry Museum of the American West is on Bank of America's official Museums on Us participant list. Eligibility: Bank of America cardholders. Check the program's eligibility and terms page before you go: the partner page says some venues adjust their admission procedures.
Verified Oct 27 · about.bankofamerica.com
Catch: Bank of America cardholders only · General admission only; check the venue's Museums on Us terms first
Bank of America's Museums on Us program gives its cardholders free general admission to participating museums on the first full weekend (Saturday and Sunday) of every month. Discovery Cube OC is on Bank of America's official Museums on Us participant list. Eligibility: Bank of America cardholders. Check the program's eligibility and terms page before you go: the partner page says some venues adjust their admission procedures.
Verified Oct 27 · about.bankofamerica.com
Catch: Bank of America cardholders only · General admission only; check the venue's Museums on Us terms first
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
Memorial Day through Labor Day, every day except Wednesday (shown June–August)
LACMA · Los Angeles
Active-duty military, including National Guard and Reserve, and their families get free general admission to LACMA from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Verified Oct 27 · lacma.org
Catch: Active-duty military (incl. National Guard and Reserve) and their families · Summer only: Memorial Day through Labor Day
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)
