Hammer Museum

Los Angeles, California Travel Guide

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Hammer Museum

Overview: The Hammer Museum has made its mark in the cultural landscape of Los Angeles. It was established in 1990 by Armand Hammer, former CEO of Occidental Petroleum. It is located at the corner of Wilshire Blvd and Westwood Blvd in Los Angeles’ popular Westwood Village, which sits between Brentwood and Beverly Hills.

Showcasing a nice and plentiful assembly of traditional art objects mixed with contemporary pieces, the Hammer Museum, operated by the University of California Los Angeles, pushes the art envelope with “cutting-edge” exhibitions such as the museum’s biannual local art exhibitions from artists who dwell in Los Angeles. Currently, check out the much praised works of the Nine Lives: Artists from L.A. series (March 1, 2009 to May 31, 2009), which illuminates the city life and explores the dark recesses of the city’s accompanying subcultures. The contemporary buck doesn’t stop in Los Angeles, however, with the upcoming Urban China: Informal Cities, an exhibition of China’s urban cities, taking after the magazine, Urban China (April 26 – July 19, 2009).

The Hammer Museum doesn’t just stop at static art objects and exhibitions. It highlights cultures and life worldwide via its events – live music, socials, cinema and talks. For instance, a band of Iraq experts traveling in a RV will join forces with the Hammer in a series called It Is What It Is: Conversations About Iraq (April 12 – May 17, 2009).

Some of the notable mainstays of the Hammer Museums are from the Armand Hammer Collection with paintings from legendary artists such as Vincent van Gogh and Paul Cézanne. The Armand Hammer Daumier and Contemporaries Collection highlight the 19th century works of Honoré Daumier.

The Hammer Museum rests on the ground floor of the Occidental building. Its two floors is made of Carrara marble, giving way to a beautiful, secluded courtyard, a dichotomy to the busy intersection of Westwood Blvd and Wilshire Blvd adjacent to the building. The courtyard is located on the ground floor where you’ll find the Hammer Cafe – serves Wolfgang Puck food. The galleries and gift shop are located on the second floor and the parking garage is underneath the building.

Location: 10899 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024
Site: http://hammer.ucla.edu
Ph: (310) 443-7000

Hours: Tue – Wed & Sat, 11am – 7pm, Thur, 11am – 9pm, Sun, 11am – 5pm. Mon closed

Parking: Lots of options for parking. Hammer Museum parking charges $3 for the initial 3 hours, then additional $1.50/each additional 20 min. $3 after 6pm.
Parking lots on Lindbrook just west of Westwood Blvd but it’s pricey at over $15 max, on Gayley Ave and Broxton. There are handicap metered spots on Lindbrook and Gayley Ave as well as regular street parking around Westwood Village.

Cost: $7/regular ticket, $5/seniors, UCLA Alumni Association Members with ID, Free for students get in free with ID and visitors under 17.
Free on Thursdays for everyone

Accessibility: The Hammer Museum is completely wheelchair accessible. Wheelchair entrances are located on Wilshire Blvd and in the parking garage.

Getting There: www.bigbluebus.com, www.metro.net, www.ladottransit.com