Exposition Park

Exposition Park is south of downtown L.A., with two free museums, an IMAX, Rose Garden, and Coliseum. 

Exposition Park has a lovely, park-like setting, with pathways connecting three museums. 

It has two free museums; the California Science Center and California African American Museum, and a third museum that requires an entrance fee, the Natural History Museum of LA.

Explore the beautiful Rose Garden at Exposition Park on a sunny LA day, and purchase an ice-cream from one of many vendors.  Just steps away, you can also purchase a meal at the food hall inside the California Science Center.  

Exposition Park is at 700 Exposition Park Drive, Los Angeles.

5 best things to do at Exposition Park

1. See the Endeavour Space Shuttle at the California Science Center.

Check out the awesome sight of the Endeavor Space Shuttle at the California Science Center!

The excellent space and aviation collection also includes space capsules from the 1950s and 60s, fighter jets, and a spy plane.  There's also a range of other exhibits, including aquariums, touchtanks, and exhibits on the human body and world ecosystems. Kids under seven can play in the Family Rooms. 

General admission to the California Science Center is FREE, but excludes the Endeavor Space Shuttle and IMAX. Check hours and tickets.

Get up close to the Control Room of the Endeavor Space Shuttle.

See a live video feed of the Flight Deck inside the Endeavor Space Shuttle.

Check out this Apollo Command Module that docked with a Russian spacecraft in orbit for 44 hours in 1975.

Watch a live, narrated scuba show in the kelp tank.

Visit the IMAX Theater is at the entrance of the California Science Center at Exposition Park.

2. See dinosaur skeletons at the Natural History Museum.

Visit the Dinosaur Hall, Age of Mammals, and Gem and Minerals Hall at the Museum of Natural History.  Check hours and tickets.

The stunning beaux-arts Natural History Museum has an exquisite, domed rotunda lined with Italian marble. 

3. Visit the FREE Rose Garden at Exposition Park.

Exposition Park: 10 BEST Things to Do

Explore the six-acre garden with a magnificent fountain as its centerpiece, and relax at one of the picnic tables overlooking the garden.

Exposition Park: 10 BEST Attractions

Enjoy an icecream or cold drink from a vendor, or purchase food at the nearby food hall in the Science Center.

Exposition Park #1 GUIDE

4. Explore the FREE California African American Museum.

See 4,000 artifacts documenting black history, including paintings, sculpture and film.  Check hours.

5. Check out events at the famous Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Check upcoming events.

Learn about the history of Exposition Park, including the host of two Olympic Games.

Exposition Park was originally known as Agricultural Park when it opened in 1876.  It had a fairground where farmers sold their produce, and a racetrack used for camel, dog, bike and car races. 

Gambling and prostitution became so rampant at Agricultural Park, that the City of Los Angeles purchased the park in 1908 renaming it Exposition Park. 

A new identity was forged for the park as a safe recreational and cultural hub in the Olmsted tradition of the City Beautiful Movement.  The racetrack was converted to a sunken rose garden surrounded by historic buildings constructed in 1912, including the Armory, the LA County Historical and Art Museum (now the Natural History Museum), and State Exposition Building (now the California Science Center).  The State Exposition Building showcased California's agriculture, horticulture, primary resources, and scenic attractions.  

The Coliseum opened in 1923 to host USC Football games, and also hosted two superbowls (1967, 1973), two Olympics (1932, 1984) and one World Series (1959). The California African American Museum opened in Exposition Park to coincide with the 1984 Olympics.

Know before you go

• Address:  700 Exposition Park Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90037.
• Parking:  Paid parking lots.  Cash only.
• Public Transport:  Take the inexpensive EXPO line from downtown Santa Monica to the Expo Park/USC Station in 50 minutes.  Cash required for fares.
• Food:  Food hall at the Science Center.