By Trang Vu
Welcome back! Today I would like to introduce you to places I visited with my toddler in Los Angeles.
The Broad Modern Art Museum
The Broad, as it is known, is a contemporary art museum in Downtown Los Angeles. Admission is free of charge. This museum offers a scavenger hunt that you and your kid can play via the museum app. It’s fun to let them discover the artwork that way. My favorite exhibit is the Infinity Mirror Room by the Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama. The light installation is just mesmerizing. You’ll need to prebook a ‘ticket’ for admission, but it’s definitely worth it. The ‘ticket’ is free – I think the museum has this system to crowd control the exhibit area. I think visiting the Broad is either suitable for non-walking toddlers or preschool kids when they start to understand more.
Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum in Los Angeles is the largest natural and historical museum in the western United States. Admission is free for LA county residents (this includes people living in Pasadena) on weekdays between 3–5 pm. There is no charge for children under 2. This museum is huge and holds a lot of stuffed animals. Some of them extinct, and a lot still existing. It’s very well made and it was fun to show my son all the animals he normally sees in books. Also we could get quite close to them and they don’t move. This makes discovering animals very easy 🙂
Science Center
The Science Center is next to the Natural History Museum and you can visit both places in one day (if your toddler allows you). Admission is free. There was so much to see and discover! They showcase the whole space shuttle Endeavor, and tell you all about that mission and space. Right now, the Endeavor is closed, because they are dismantling the spaceship to put it upright in the new museum. The Science Center several floors with interactive exhibits, an aquarium and VR experiences. There is a lot to keep you and your toddler engaged.
Venice Beach
There is not much to say; Venice Beach has just this flair! We love going here, although it takes from 30-60 mins to drive there, depending on traffic. The playground is awesome because its fun, right next to the parking lot and beach. Bring sunscreen, a beach canopy and sand toys with you, because there is no shade at all. You can pack a lunch and make it a ‘beach’ day if you like.
The final installment in this series will deal with places around Los Angeles that you must definitely visit with your toddler. Stay tuned to check it out next week! Hopefully, you will enjoy some of these places with you family till then.
Via Pasadena 