These L.A. museums are offering free entry and sanctuary amidst wildfires

Amidst the embers brought on by the wildfires that have overcome many Los Angeles communities since last Tuesday, January 7, there has been an incredible influx of support among Californians. 

Already a warm and inviting city, Angelenos have solidified it by setting up donation drop-offs, evacuation shelters and caring for the pets separated from their families.

Regardless of the degree of impact the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst fires have had on the affected communities, lives, structures and belongings have been lost and the institutions of L.A. are helping in any ways they can. Alleviating the stress of basic necessities made difficult by the fires, Lyft offered discounted rides between January 8 and 15, and several restaurants, including The Abbey, The Hideaway, Tender Greens and Pizzeria Bianco, are offering free meals for fire victims and first responders, dates varying. 

The L.A. region is also home to an incredible amount of art and the museums that display it, including the Getty Villa, which houses priceless artwork by artists like Van Gogh and Monet. Although flames reached the museum’s perimeter, it survived the Palisades fire. 

Unlike the Getty Villa, some beloved spaces like the Theatre Palisades and the Will Rogers Ranch are left to rebuild what was destroyed. 

Though farther away from the fires, to remain safe, many of the city’s museums closed to the public, such as the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Norton Simon Museum, The Museum of Contemporary Art, the Broad, LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes and the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. 

As these institutions reopen to the public, and the fires begin to ease up, LACMA is currently offering free admission to its exhibitions, such as “Mapping the Infinite: Cosmologies Across Cultures,” “We Live in Painting: The Nature of Color in Mesoamerican Art” and “Simone Leigh,” with free parking available at its Pritzker Parking Garage until tomorrow, January 17. 

Additionally, the La Brea Tar Pits and the Natural History Museum (NHMLA) are offering free entry to their sanctuaries and educational experiences until tomorrow. For children affected by  L.A. school closures, NHMLA and the La Brea Tar Pits have collaborated with L.A. County Parks to bring their Mobile Museums to community parks that are providing emergency youth camps this coming week. Mobile Museums updates can be found on LA County Parks’ Instagram. 

“We hope our museums can serve as spaces of respite, offering comfort and connection with our natural and cultural worlds, while also providing enjoyable and engaging indoor experiences,” announced NHMLA on their Instagram.