Los Angeles provides countless unique entertainment opportunities, especially in the world of museum showcases. Be a tourist in your own town this fall and winter season to explore new and fleeting exhibitions at both popular and smaller museums! From painted cars to fashion and dance photography to Ruth Bader Ginsburg, there is bound to be something you are interested in gaining inspiration from or learning more about before the end of this year!

Icons of Style: A Century of Fashion Photography (work from 1911-2011)

The Getty Center presents a century’s worth of fashion photography, and videography and costume pieces, from Edward Steichen to Vogue to the digital Instagram era. The exhibition draws on Oscar Wilde’s quote “fashion is ephemeral, art is eternal” and focuses on how the best fashion photographs serve not only a commercial purpose, but an artistic one. Make plans to see it quick as this monumental exhibit will be ending on October 21st. Tickets are free, but there is a charge for parking at the Getty.

Ai Weiwei: Life Cycle

On display starting September 28th, the Marciano Art Foundation is displaying Chinese artist Ai Weiwei’s work Life Cycle (2018) in the Foundation’s Theater Gallery. Drawing inspiration from Chinese mythology, the works provide a sculptural and documentarian response to the current refugee crisis. The exhibition also features Seeds (2010) and Sprouts (2015), which comment on personal place in society and freedom of speech. Tickets are free, but reservations (https://marcianoartfoundation.org/visit/) in advance are highly recommended.

King Tut: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh

In celebration of the 100-year anniversary of King Tut’s tomb discovery, the California Science Center will be housing hundreds of Egyptian artifacts until January 9th. From displays of King Tut’s jewelry and clothing to information on his health and preservation, this is a historical and scientific event you do not want to miss. Student tickets are about $25 and can be purchased here https://californiasciencecenter.org/visit/admission/king-tut-admissions.

A Journey That Wasn’t

While you’re getting your Infinity Room fix at the Broad, check out A Journey That Wasn’t, which will be on display until February. The exhibition features a diverse range of works by artists such as Ed Ruscha and Ragnar Kjartansson, most of which have never been seen before, to reflect on nostalgia, aging, and time itself. Tickets are free, but reserving them in advanced (https://www.thebroad.org/visit) is highly recommended.  

Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Taking inspiration from the Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik best selling book, the life and career of iconic Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will be explored at the Skirball Center until March. Through photographs, documents, interactive activities, and personal writings, the exhibition will comment on not only RBG, but the entire American legal system. Tickets for all Skirball exhibitions cost 12 dollars total, but are free on Thursdays.  

Nureyev & Baryshnikov

The Duncan Miller Gallery presents, only until October 27th, vintage photographs of Rudolf Nureyev and Mikhail Baryshnikov. One can expect to see unique photographs being publicly shown for the first time and surveys on the life and career of two of the most important and influential ballet dancers of the century. This is a small gallery where tickets are not required.

One Day at a Time: Manny Farber and Termite Art

MOCA’s Grand Avenue exhibition continuing until March features pieces from the 50s to present day using a wide variety of mediums. It draws inspiration from Ferber’s “White Elephant Art vs. Termite Art” 1962 article as it contains beautifully colored termite artworks, or art created from the process of combining observation and the experience of being in the world, from many artists. Student tickets cost 8 dollars.

Auto-didactic: The Juxtapoz School

Open until next June, the Peterson Automotive Museum is showcasing artwork and vibrant painted cars from the artists on the forefront of Juxtapoz Magazine. These artists utilize popular themes but sometimes disregarded themes of comics, posters, surfing, and skateboarding. General admission tickets are 11 dollars, if you are under 17, and 16 dollars if you are over 17.

Merce Cunningham: Clouds and Screens

Last but not least, the photo-worthy LACMA presents installations from Charles Atlas and Andy Warhol until the end of March. The exhibition will include projections of Cunningham, a revolutionary choreographer who theorized that the elements of dance could be independent but come together through performance, dancing in one of his earliest pieces. Tickets are free if you are under 17 and 21 dollars if you are over 17 but have your student ID. There is a NexGen membership opportunity which is free to sign up for and provides free admission.

Visiting museum exhibitions is a great way to take advantage of living in a huge, diverse, and culturally-driven city like Los Angeles. All these museums offer not only the featured exhibits, but fantastic year-round shows and beautiful, Instagram-worthy architecture, installations, and surrounding areas, such as the rose gardens in front of the Science Center and the lights in front of LACMA. Hopefully, you recall the remarkable exhibits mentioned above when thinking about fun ways to strengthen a current interest in art or find something new that you may really enjoy!