The Museum of Neon Art (MONA) is in Glendale, where it exhibits electric and kinetic artworks and historic neon signs. It can make a day trip from Long Beach, but the route involves planning: confirm the visitor address and choose your connections before leaving. Royal Inn Motel Long Beach is a two-star motel in Long Beach.
- Location: Glendale, California.
- Regular hours: Thursday through Saturday, 12 p.m.–7 p.m.; Sunday, 12 p.m.–5 p.m.
- General admission: $10; other rates and free admission options are available.
- Transit: Metro’s A Line runs between Long Beach and Pomona; Metrolink identifies Glendale as MONA’s nearest station.
Confirming the museum’s current location
MONA’s visitor address is 216 S. Brand Blvd., Glendale, CA 91204. The museum has relocated several times, including to Universal CityWalk, Grand Hope Park, and the Historic Core, before establishing a permanent home in Glendale.
Founded in 1981 by artists Lili Lakich and Richard Jenkins as a nonprofit art museum in downtown Los Angeles, MONA now presents permanent and rotating exhibitions. Confirm the Glendale address before you travel, especially if you are using directions saved from an earlier visit.
How do you get from Long Beach to the Museum of Neon Art?
There is no single end-to-end route in the transit directions provided, so plan for connections between Long Beach, Los Angeles, and Glendale. Metro’s A Line runs between Long Beach and Pomona, and the First Street Transit Gallery in downtown Long Beach is a boarding point; the line travels to downtown Los Angeles and connects with other rail lines.
For the Glendale leg, Metrolink identifies Glendale Station as the nearest station to MONA and recommends using Metro Micro on-demand service from there for the final leg. Check the operators’ current schedules and service details when planning your connections.
If you are considering an airport transfer as part of a wider trip, the LAX to Long Beach transportation options cover travel to Long Beach, rather than the Glendale museum route.
Driving is another way to approach the visit, but the available parking options have different limits and charges. MONA lists a public parking structure at 120 Artsakh Avenue with 90 minutes of free parking, plus metered street parking on Brand Boulevard and metered alley parking behind the museum, accessible from Harvard or Colorado. The street and alley rates are $2 per hour at a pay station.
Exhibitions, opening schedule, and tickets
MONA combines electric and kinetic artworks with historic neon signs, with permanent and rotating exhibitions. Its posted regular hours are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on most major holidays, including Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.
General admission is $10. Seniors age 65 and older pay $8; Glendale residents with ID pay $5; EBT cardholders pay $3; children age 12 and under are free with an adult; veterans with ID and members are free.
MONA recommends buying tickets in person at the front desk on the day of your visit. Hours, prices, and parking details can change, so check the official site before you go.
The facility is wheelchair accessible and has a gender-neutral bathroom. Visual descriptions for blind and low-vision visitors are available through Bloomberg Connects and MONA’s website. Its on-site classroom also lets visitors watch neon craftspeople fabricate and process neon tubing, and the museum offers hands-on classes.
Groups of 10 or more can request a docent at least 2 weeks before a visit. A minimum of 10 admissions must be paid together in advance, with the balance paid together at the lobby desk on the visit day.
School groups are asked to call at least a month ahead; arrangements are made for each group, with a maximum of 20 students.
Planning the return trip
Before you leave Glendale, confirm your return connections and the operating details for the services you plan to use. Metrolink’s directions identify Glendale Station and Metro Micro for the museum’s final leg; your trip back to Long Beach also depends on coordinating with the rail connections you chose earlier.
If you are building a broader art-focused itinerary, the Hammer Museum day trip from Long Beach is another museum outing to consider separately.
FAQs
Where is the Museum of Neon Art?
MONA is at 216 S. Brand Blvd., Glendale, CA 91204.
What are the Museum of Neon Art’s regular hours?
Its regular posted hours are Thursday through Saturday, 12 p.m.–7 p.m., and Sunday, 12 p.m.–5 p.m. It closes on most major holidays.
Can you buy Museum of Neon Art tickets at the door?
Yes. MONA recommends purchasing tickets in person at the front desk on the day of your visit.
Is the Museum of Neon Art accessible?
MONA describes its facility as wheelchair accessible and says it has a gender-neutral bathroom. It also provides visual descriptions for blind and low-vision visitors online and through Bloomberg Connects.