Los Angeles: Unusual Museums
What is a museum?
A museum, as defined by dictionary.com and merriam-webster.com, is “a building in which objects of historical, scientific, artistic, or cultural interest are stored and exhibited.” It is “an institution devoted to the procurement, care, study, and display of objects of lasting interest or value.”
Many people only think of a museum as being a place in which to see paintings or sculptures created by individuals who died long before the viewer was born. They’re incorrect about museums in general, and they’re certainly incorrect about art museums.
Museums are fun places to visit! There are many unusual museums around the world, including in Los Angeles, California and the surrounding area.
1933 Jefferson Drive
Pasadena, CA 91104
Telephone: 626-798-8848
Admission: Free
Parking: Street parking
The Bunny Museum
View more than 28,000 bunny-related items in this private museum founded and operated by Candace Frazee and Steve Lubanski.
The museum is in their home in Pasadena and is open every day of the year, by appointment only.
9341 Venice Blvd.
Los Angeles (Culver City), CA 90232
Telephone: 310-836-6131
Open: Thursday 2:00pm – 8:00pm; Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 12:00N – 6:00pm
Admission (the most comprehensive list of fees I’ve ever seen for museum admissions): ages 21 to 60 — $ 5.00, ages 12 to 21 — $ 3.00, full-time students — $ 3.00, ages 60 years or older — $ 3.00, unemployed persons — $ 3.00, disabled persons — $2.00, active duty service personnel in uniform — $ 2.00, children under 12 — free
The Museum of Jurassic Technology
This museum, founded in 1987 by David Hildebrand Wilson and Diana Drake Wilson, is an educational institution dedicated to advancing knowledge of the lower Jurassic period of the earth’s evolution. It is also a repository of obscure artifacts and relics of natural history, science, and technology.
One of the museum’s permanent exhibits is The Unique World of Microminiatures of Hagop Sandaljian. The exhibit consists of a collection of micro-miniature sculptures, with each sculpture having been carved from one human hair. Among Sandaljian’s sculptures, every one of which fits in the eye of a needle, are Snow White, Goofy, Napoleon I, and Pope John Paul II.
6045 York Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90042
Telephone: 323-344-9445
Open: Monday – Friday 10:00am to 4:00pm and third Saturday of the month 9:00am to 3:00pm
Admission: ages 13 to 61 — $8.00, 62 and older — $7.00, children 12 and younger — free
Parking: free parking is available on the east and west sides of the building
Los Angeles Police Historical Society Museum
The Los Angeles Police Department’s museum is housed in a former LAPD station built in 1925. The collection features bullet hole-ridden police cruisers, decades-old classic squad cars, handcuffs, and historical weaponry.
5801 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323-934-7243
Open: Daily 9:30am to 5:00pm
Admission: ages 5 to 12 — $5.00, students with valid ID — $5.00, adults — $11.00, 62 and older —$8.00, children 4 and under — free
Parking: underground parking garage
Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits
The George C. Page Museum is dedicated to researching the La Brea Tar Pits and exhibiting the objects found. The museum, situated at one of the world’s most famous fossil locations, displays Ice Age fossils from 10,000- to 40,000-year-old asphalt deposits.
Asphaltum or tar seeped from the ground in the vicinity of the museum for tens of thousands of years. The tar was often covered by water, leaves, and other debris. For centuries, animals that came to drink the water would fall into the water, sink in the tar, and would be preserved as bones.
In the museum, you can see fossils of saber-toothed cats, mammoths, bison, horses, dire wolves, and other animals that have been excavated from the tar pits. At the tar pits, you can observe the scientists at work.
6060 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323-390-CARS
Open: Tuesday to Sunday 10:00am to 6:00pm
Admission: adults — $10.00, age 62 and older — $8.00, students with ID — $5.00, active duty military with ID — $5.00, children 5 to 12 —$3.00, children under 5 — $3.00
Petersen Automotive Museum
Margie and Roger E. Petersen, founding benefactors of the museum, donated more than $30 million dollars during the period between 1994 and 2000 so that a museum “dedicated to the exploration and presentation of the automobile and its impact on American life and culture” could be established.
The first floor of the museum has permanent exhibits covering the history of automobiles. The second floor has five rotating galleries containing displays of racecars, classic cars, vintage motorcycles, concept cars, celebrity and movie cars, and auto design and technology. The third floor houses the May Family Discovery Center, a hands-on learning designed to teach children basic scientific principles by explaining the fundamental functions of a car.

Comments
I need to visit some of these museums. The Jurassic Park would be thrilling! Just popped in to review the list of great places to visit.
So glad this hub was brought back as I missed it the first time.
They all sound like great museums. Some, like the bunny museum, we would probably never know about.
Voted up, useful, and interesting.
@Daisy I sent her the link. I will let you know when she answers me.
My sister lives in LA and I have seen the Tar Pits. I am not sure if I was fascinated or disturbed by them. I need to tell her about the Bunny Museum. :)
Great hub, enjoyed reading about these amazing museums that you have showcased. Voted up, interesting and informative.
Very cool and unusual Daisy! I love museums and tend to poke around in them frequently!
I absolutely love Museums Daisy, I try to get up to London at least once a year to visit the Natural history and Science museum, and last time it was the Victoria and Albert, so to visit these would be great! voted up and shared, nell
Very interesting and helpful information Daisy. Each nutshell description of each museum is just enough to peak interest.
Voted up, useful, and interesting.
I guess there was a big plumbing supply company in Worcester and they established the museum
Good Hub Daisy. My town of Worcester MA used to have a museum of the history of plumbing fixtures. I regret that I missed it before it closed.
I love museums, so much history to learn there. The Page museum looks really interesting. I will make sure we visit them if we are in that area. Thanks for the info. Love it!
One of my favorite museums to go to as a kid was the La Brea Tar Pits! I haven't been there since. Now I want to go back and visit again. I also love the Los Angeles Museum of Natural History.(again, haven't been there since my childhood) Great Hub Daisy!!!! Voted up and shared! Lisa
Again a great hub Daisy! Being a art lover, I really like visiting Museums. I have been in Los Angeles for last 8-9 months but haven't visited many og them.Yesterday, I went to National History Museum near University Southern California and I must admit it was very informative & interesting.I will certainly try to visit other museums mentioned in your hub!
Very interesting hub! I hope to go there soon. Sharing this one!
No but I will be... thanks for letting me know... me a relic... I have been busted...
Hugs
Great hub... love museums... the only trouble is when I look around I remember seeing most of the stuff there... lol... maybe they will find a dusty corner for me someday.
Hugs
I hope to visit that area one day. Very interesting and intriguing. Voting up!
Good work. You have done a good research on the subject.
Not sure why this is a lonely hub since it contains useful info. I've been to Jurassic Technology, Petersen and the Page. I'll have to check out the Police and Bunny museums. Voting this Up and Interesting.
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