The Broad is a free contemporary art museum in downtown LA, that opened in 2015. It's one of the most exciting art museums in the US.
This striking, modern museum has two spacious floors of exhibits housed in 120,000 square feet. A spectacular honeycomb structure covers the museum's walls that creates a veil-like effect, that allows natural light to filter through.
The contemporary art collection at The Broad spans the last seventy years, with some dramatic pieces. The oldest pieces are from the early 1950's. Set aside two hours to see everything at The Broad!
The Broad is located at 221 S Grand Avenue in downtown Los Angeles. It's free to visit, but it's highly recommended you register for an advance ticket to avoid waiting in line. Check opening hours.
10 best things to see at The Broad
1. The most photographed piece is Tulips by Jeff Koons (1995-2004).
2. This is another incredible Jeff Koons piece - Balloon Dog Blue (1994-2000).
3. Koon's gold sculpture Michael Jackson and Bubbles (1988) is also striking.
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4. The Broad has an impressive Andy Warhol collection.
The Broad's Andy Warhol collection includes​ the Two Marilyns (1962) and Single Elvis (1963).
Below is the mournful Twenty Jackies (1964). These close-up photos of the grieving first lady with the stoic solider in the background, reinforce her sorrow yet bravery.
5. There's also a great collection of Roy Lichtenstein paintings.
The Broad has some of Lichtenstein's most famous pieces including Black Flowers (1961), and Femme D'Alger (1963). I...I'm sorry! (1965-66) is below. This is one of the most recognizable paintings from the pop art movement of the 1960s.
6. Another popular piece at The Broad is Under the Table by Robert Therrien (1994).
People appear tiny when standing beneath the oversized table and chairs. They wander around it and through it, exploring this surreal installation.
7. Deep Blue by Mark Bradford (2018) is a 50-foot wide canvas, depicting violence on an LA map during the 1965 Watts Riots.
8. This is an Ed Ruscha word painting series from the 1970s Pop Art movement.
The series includes; Turn Around (1979), The Girl Always Did have Good Taste (1976), Hollywood is a Verb (1979), Will 100 Artists Please Draw a 1950 Ford from Memory? (1977).
9. The neon and paint sign Double America 2 by Glenn Ligon (2014) conveys political turmoil.
10. This is Deutschlands Geisteshelden by Anselm Kiefer (1973), depicting a hunting lodge in Germany that held artworks looted by the Reichstag during WWII.
These paintings by Sam Francis, are in the Abstract Expressionist style of the 1960s.
Why Then Opened II (1962-63) is on the left, and Summer I (1967) is on the right.
The Infinity Mirrored Room requires a separate line-up inside the The Broad.
The incredibly popular Infinity Mirrored Rooms by Yayoi Kusama (2013) require a separate line once inside the museum. Walk around dazzling landscapes, decorated with flashing LED lights, mirrors and acrylic balls. Visitors are limited to 45 seconds in each room.
Yayoi Kusama is a fascinating Japanese artist who created the first Infinity Mirrored Room in the 1960s and was a leader of the US Avant Garde movement. In 1977 she checked herself in to a hospital for the mentally ill. She has resided there of her own free will since then.
Register for a ticket to avoid the Stand-by Line.
It's highly recommended you register for a timeslot with an advance ticket. The alternative is to wait up to 45 minutes at the walk-up standby line like the people in this photo below.
Arrive early if you use the walk-up line because the line closes 60-90 minutes before The Broad closes.
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The Museum shop is on the ground floor.
.jpg "The Broad: Museum Shop")
The trendy Otium Restaurant is adjacent to The Broad
The restaurant has an outdoor patio, and an indoor seating area with views over downtown. It serves lunch and dinner. Brunch is only on weekends. The interior is gorgeous. There's also a beautiful, grassy courtyard outside for relaxing.
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Know before you go
- Address: 221 S Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012.
- Hours: Check here. Closed Mondays.
- Admission: Free general admission. Extra fees for audio tours, and some special exhibitions.
- Kids: Kids audio tour available.
- Bags: Bags over 12x12 inches need to be checked in.
- Parking: Under the museum. Check rates.
- Train Line: The inexpensive EXPO line travels from Santa Monica to downtown LA. It's 0.8 mile walk from the 7th Street/Metro center to The Broad.
Other things to do in downtown LA
Visit the The Museum of Contemporary Art or the Walt Disney Concert Hall, across the road from The Broad.
Other popular attractions in downtown LA are the Grand Park, The Last Bookstore, Angels Flight Railway, and Grammy Museum.
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