MomsLA is your source for Things to do in Los Angeles With Kids
Families visiting the Hammer Museum at UCLA in Westwood will find so much to do and explore, from ongoing exhibits for adults and kids to special events for the entire family. Our Guide to the Hammer Museum has all the information you need to have a fun visit.
Hammer Museum at UCLA
10899 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90024
Hours: Tuesday through Friday 11:00 am to 8:00 pm
Saturday and Sunday 11:00 am to 5:00 pm
Closed on Mondays
Description:
The Hammer Museum’s exhibitions and programs all fit their mission statement that “believes in the promise of art and ideas to illuminate our lives and build a more just world.” The art on display at the Hammer as well as the programs and special events hosted at the Hammer “challenge us to see the world in a new light, to experience the unexpected, to ignite our imaginations, and inspire change.”
The Armand Hammer Collection “features works of art from the sixteenth through the twentieth century.” Pieces from this collection, including European and American paintings, sculpture, and works on paper, are on permanent display.
The Hammer hosts a number of public programs throughout the year including film series, readings, lectures, and musical performances. Family-friendly programs are offered throughout the year and include the Family Flicks Film Series (with a screening of Space Jam on March 11th); 826LA@Hammer; Pop-Up Studio (where families explore artworks and create their own art in artist-led workshops); and more. Check the website for a list of upcoming special programs and events.
The Hammer is also undergoing a major, multi-year transformation that will result in a much larger museum space and new visibility along Wilshire Boulevard. By 2020, 40,000 square feet will be added to the Hammer Museum.
Special Exhibits:
Stories of Almost Everyone “is an exhibition about the willingness to believe the stories that are conveyed by works of contemporary art.” The exhibition includes the work of over thirty international artists and is on display through May 6th.
Unspeakable: Atlas, Kruger, Walker: Hammer Contemporary Collection is a “selection of video installations from the Hammer Contemporary Collection” and will be on display until May 13th.
Hammer Projects: Molly Lowe is an exhibition that “considers the ways our image saturated culture is changing our sense of reality and ourselves.” The exhibition includes a series of painted portraits as well as a large sculptural installation and will be at the Hammer until May 6th.
Hammer Projects: Sam Falls can be seen in the Hammer’s lobby. “Los Angeles-based artist Sam Falls fill the Hammer’s lobby walls with lush landscape paintings made in all of California’s National Forests.” This “portrait map” depicts our state’s flora and is the result of Mr. Falls’s travels to all nineteen National Forests in California.
Price:
Visitors receive free admission to all Hammer exhibitions and public programs.
Parking:
Parking is available under the museum. Rates are $6 for the first three hours with validation. There is a $6 flat rate on weekends. Parking is cash only.
Food:
The museum café is currently being renovated and is scheduled to reopen in June with a new menu. Meanwhile, grab-and-go items are available from a “simplethings lunch court” in the Hammer courtyard from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm daily.
Nearby Attractions:
The Hammer Museum is located in Westwood. While Westwood may be most famous as being the home of UCLA, you’ll find many family-friendly things to do in this neighborhood. Click here to read our guide “9 Things To Do In Westwood With Kids.”