The Hammer Museum is a free art museum in Westwood Village, Los Angeles, with exhibitions and collections spanning classic to contemporary art. For a day trip from Long Beach, plan your journey to its Wilshire Boulevard address, then check the museum’s hours before setting out. Royal Inn Motel Long Beach is a place to stay while visiting the area.
- Location: 10899 Wilshire Boulevard, at Westwood and Wilshire boulevards.
- Admission: Free; advance reservations are not necessary.
- Published hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 11 AM–6 PM; closed Mondays and on certain holidays.
- Transit: Metro’s E Line reaches Westwood/Rancho Park, where you can transfer to a bus toward the museum.
Where the Hammer Museum is in Westwood
The Hammer Museum stands at 10899 Wilshire Boulevard, on the corner of Westwood and Wilshire boulevards in Westwood Village. It is three blocks east of the 405 freeway’s Wilshire exit.
Part of UCLA’s School of the Arts and Architecture, the museum presents exhibitions and collections ranging from classic to contemporary art. Its collection includes more than 50,000 works, among them the Grunwald Center for the Graphic Arts. That center holds more than 45,000 prints, drawings, photographs and artists’ books, dating from the Renaissance to the present.
How do you get from Long Beach to the Hammer Museum?
For a Long Beach day trip, you can combine Long Beach Transit and Metro, or drive to Westwood. Long Beach Transit’s UCLA/Westwood Commuter Express, route 405, serves West Los Angeles from Long Beach. If you are arriving at LAX first, transportation from LAX to Long Beach covers that part of the trip.
Take the E Line to Westwood/Rancho Park, then transfer to a bus up to the Hammer. For a route that fits your starting point and travel time, use Metro’s Trip Planner. Metro bus and rail service serves the Hammer until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
If you are driving, the museum is three blocks east of the 405 freeway’s Wilshire exit. On-site self-parking is available in the museum garage. With museum validation, parking costs $9 for the first three hours, then $3 for each additional 20 minutes, up to a $30 daily maximum.
The rate is $9 after 5 p.m. on weekdays and all day on weekends. Accessible parking is on level P1. In Long Beach, getting around downtown Long Beach covers local transport options.
Exhibitions, hours, and admission
The Hammer Museum offers free admission, and you do not need an advance reservation. Groups of 10 or more should register as a self-guided tour.
The museum’s published hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 11 AM–6 PM. It is closed Mondays, July 4, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Hours can change, so check the official site before you go.
Regular public programs include free exhibition tours on Saturdays at 1 p.m., Art in Conversation on Sundays at 1 p.m., and Lunchtime Art Talks on Wednesdays at 12:30 p.m. The tours last one hour, Art in Conversation lasts 30 minutes, and the lunchtime talks last 15 minutes.
Making a day of the Westwood visit
Keep the museum as the anchor for your Westwood visit: arrive during opening hours, allow time for the collections and exhibitions, and leave room for one of the scheduled public programs if its day and time suit your plans.
The Grunwald Center’s range of works, from the Renaissance to the present, offers another collection to include while you are inside.
If you are being dropped off or picked up, the museum entrance is on Lindbrook Drive. An accessible ramp leads to the courtyard level. Trained service animals are welcome throughout the museum; other supervised, leashed domesticated animals are welcome only in the courtyard.
FAQs
Is admission to the Hammer Museum free?
Yes. Admission is free, and advance reservations are not necessary. Groups of 10 or more should register as a self-guided tour.
What days is the Hammer Museum open?
Its published schedule is Tuesday–Sunday, 11 AM–6 PM. It is closed Mondays and on July 4, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day; hours may change.
Can you take public transit to the Hammer Museum?
Yes. Take Metro’s E Line to Westwood/Rancho Park and transfer to a bus up to the museum. Metro’s Trip Planner can help you plan a route.