Why The Broad Is One of the Best Free Museums in LA
Where can you see Charles Manson, a gilded Michael Jackson, and a giant blue Balloon Dog under one roof? The Broad Museum, of course.
When The Broad opened in 2015, it was the first time I could remember a contemporary art museum being the place to go in Los Angeles. It almost had a nightclub-esque quality where scoring free tickets to a museum somehow felt exclusive.
More than 10 years later, some of that hype has died down. But after visiting three times over the years, I still think The Broad is one of the best free museums in LA.
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The Broad Museum at a Glance
📍 Location: Downtown Los Angeles
⏱️ Time Needed: 1–2 hours
🎟️ Tickets: Free
🅿️ Parking: On-site paid garage ($19 for the first 3 hours)
🚇 Metro: D Line
👥 Crowds: Weekends are busiest
🏛️ Pair It With: MOCA or Grammy Museum
Jump to:
What is The Broad Museum?
How to Get Broad Museum Tickets
What to See at The Broad
Parking at The Broad Museum
The Broad Museum FAQs
What is The Broad Museum?
The Broad Museum is a free contemporary art museum in Downtown Los Angeles. And before we go any further: it’s pronounced “Brode,” like road with a B.
The museum was founded by philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad and houses their collection of more than 2,000 works of contemporary and postwar art.
The exterior itself is a work of art, but when you look at the architecture in Downtown LA, that’s not really hard to achieve. It’s covered in a honeycomb-like veil that filters light into the galleries inside.
The Broad Museum is best known for its collection of big-name artists, including Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Jeff Koons and Yayoi Kusama. Some of its most popular and Instagrammable works are the Infinity Mirrored Room and the shiny blue Balloon Dog.
How to Get Tickets to The Broad Museum
The Broad Museum tickets are always free, but reserving tickets in advance is recommended. Tickets are released on the last Wednesday of the month at 10am PST for the following month.
For example, I wanted to visit in July, which meant tickets would be available on Wednesday, June 24. I was determined to get tickets, so I even set a reminder on my phone…only to completely miss it. Even booking two days later, tickets were still available.
There are two types of free Broad Museum tickets:
Going to the Broad Museum and not experiencing the Infinity Mirrored Room is like going to Disneyland and not going on It’s A Small World. I’ve gone inside three times now and it doesn’t get old. Then again, I’m part magpie and love anything that sparkles or twinkles.
The Infinity Mirrored Room ticket is timed, and entry is only guaranteed within 10 minutes of your reservation.
Neither of the free Broad Museum tickets includes access to the paid special exhibits or events; you’ll have to purchase those separately.
If you aren’t able to reserve tickets ahead of time, the museum releases extra tickets every day. There’s a separate line for walk-up Broad Museum tickets.
When I visited a couple of years ago, I walked in on a Sunday morning without any issues. Walk-up tickets still seem pretty easy to get. On my most recent visit, I saw someone walk to the front of the standby line and go right in.
What to See at The Broad Museum
Over the course of 10 years, I’ve visited The Broad Museum three times. And for the most part, the same works are still on display.
What I like most about The Broad is that rather than having just one or two pieces by an artist, they have entire sections dedicated to them. In a way, it feels like mini exhibits within the museum.
Yayoi Kusama
The “Infinity Mirrored Room—The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away” is, in my opinion, the star of The Broad Museum. You get 1 minute to take all the pictures you want inside a room covered with mirrors and hanging LED lights. The best way I can describe it is “magical.”
If you want to experience the “Infinity Mirrored Room,” you have to have a timed entry ticket. And if you’re with a group, you have to go in together; you can’t go individually.
Located in a back corner of the third floor is Kusama’s “Longing for Eternity.” Just look for the long line and you’ll find it. I think I waited about 10–15 minutes to stick my head inside the holes and see the kaleidoscope of changing colors.
Jeff Koons
As soon as you emerge from the 105-foot escalator tunnel, you’ll see the multicolored mirrored “Tulips.” It’s actually one of five versions.
The most famous Jeff Koons piece at The Broad Museum is “Balloon Dog.” (Good luck trying to get a picture without people in it.) It’s surrounded by other Koons works, like “Bunny” and “Michael Jackson and Bubbles,” a very bizarre life-size white and gold porcelain sculpture.
Roy Lichtenstein
If you love Roy Lichtenstein, you’ll love The Broad. With more than a dozen works on display, it almost feels like a mini museum dedicated to the American pop artist.
My favorite piece was “Rouen Cathedral, Set 3,” which was inspired by an exhibit of impressionist Claude Monet’s paintings of the same subject.
Andy Warhol
After making your way through the primary color paintings of Lichtenstein, you’ll find yourself surrounded by the iconic silkscreens of Andy Warhol. The one I still think about is “Twenty Jackies.” Not because of the art itself, but because of what the placard said.
Warhol made portraits of Jackie Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor during periods when death was either present or looming. For example, the Monroe paintings (which aren’t currently on display at The Broad Museum) were made following her death. It was Warhol’s way of confronting the relationship between celebrity and grief lived in the public eye. I found this to be very on brand for a museum in Los Angeles.
Takashi Murakami
Whether it’s Mr. DOB or Kaikai and Kiki, it’s hard not to look at a piece by Takashi Murakami and have a reaction. As someone who loves skulls, I’ll never not like looking at “Of Chinese Lions, Peonies, Skulls, and Fountains.”
Robert Therrien
Aptly titled “Under the Table,” the oversized table and chairs make you feel like Alice in Wonderland. And yes, you can walk under the table, just don’t touch it. Security will yell at you. Don’t ask me how I know.
El Anatsui
After visiting the David Geffen Galleries at LACMA, I immediately recognized El Anatsui’s draped “Red Block” made out of found aluminum and copper wire.
Cady Noland
When you go to an art museum, the last person you expect to see is Charles Manson. Not at The Broad Museum! It took me a second to process Noland’s “MR SIR,” but then I was like, “Yep, that’s definitely Charles Manson.”
Oddly enough, this isn’t the only Charles Manson reference in the museum. The massive “Helter Skelter I” collage by Los Angeles artist Mark Bradford is directly behind “Tulips.”
The Broad Museum Parking
While admission to the Broad is free, but the parking is not.
The Broad Museum parking garage is located under the museum and costs $19 for the first three hours with validation. Enter on 2nd St. from Grand Ave. only. (Hope St. is closed due to construction for The Broad expansion.)
There are also other garages nearby, but they’re more expensive. I saw a sign for one that said $25.
Between the never-ending construction and typical LA traffic, driving in Downtown Los Angeles is not for the weak. So for your sanity (and wallet), take the LA Metro. Speaking from experience, it’s easier to use than you think.
The Civic Center stop on the D Line requires a short uphill walk. Or you can get off at Pershing Square and take Angels Flight up to Olive St. From there, The Broad is an easy 5–10 minute walk.
The Broad Museum FAQs
Here are a few more things to know before visiting The Broad Museum.
Where is The Broad Museum located?
The Broad Museum is located at 221 S. Grand Ave. in Downtown Los Angeles.
How much do Broad Museum tickets cost?
The Broad Museum tickets are always free. However, some special exhibits and events cost extra.
What else is there to do near The Broad Museum?
There’s plenty to do within walking distance of The Broad. The Walt Disney Concert Hall is next door, MOCA is across the street and Grand Central Market is a good option for lunch. You can also head to LA Live to visit the Grammy Museum.
Should You Visit The Broad Museum?
So many people claim that Downtown Los Angeles is dead, but I think The Broad Museum is what keeps it alive. It’s colorful, quirky and very LA. And in a city where you’re charged for everything possible, free admission feels like a small miracle.
