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Autry Museum of the American West

Museum
In Los Angeles, California
3.9 mi from Route 66

The Autry, known in full as Autry Museum of the American West, sits in Los Angeles, CA, about 3.2 miles off the old road. It was founded in 1988 and named for Gene Autry. It tells the story of the West from many points of view, through art, history and events. For Route 66 travelers who have just crossed that West by car, it is a fitting place to put the drive in context.

What is Autry Museum of the American West?

The Autry mixes exhibitions with a lively public program. Beyond its galleries, it hosts lectures, films, theater, festivals, music and family events, and it carries out research, scholarship and school outreach. Around 150,000 people visit each year.

Two spaces in the main building stand out: the Parks Gallery of Art, named for Irene Helen Jones Parks, and the Gamble Firearms Gallery, a natural draw for anyone curious about the tools of frontier life. The museum is also classed as a Native American organization, and its stated aim is an inclusive account of the West.

History of Autry Museum of the American West

The museum opened in 1988 and later operated under the name Autry National Center. In 2013 it carried out a major redesign of both the art gallery and the firearms gallery. The new art installation, Art of the West, grouped works by theme instead of by date, so a painting might hang beside a piece of craft, a photograph or a video. That approach invites visitors to compare how different people saw the same landscapes and events.

Visiting Autry Museum of the American West: tips

Plan on two to three hours to see the main galleries at a comfortable pace. The building is listed as wheelchair accessible.

The Los Angeles Zoo is only about 0.1 miles away, so the two pair easily for a full day. The ruins of the old Griffith Park Zoo are about 1.1 miles off, and Travel Town Museum, a railway museum, is about 1.5 miles away.

Practical info

Address: 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Website: theautry.org
Hours: Tu-Fr 10:00-16:00, Sa-Su 10:00-17:00
On site & nearby

Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated. Suggest a fix

Where to eat near Autry Museum of the American West

All diners →

Diner & restaurant
Musso & Frank Grill
Los Angeles, CA · 4.4 mi from Autry Museum of the American West
Hollywood's oldest restaurant, operating on Hollywood Boulevard since 1919 and named for its two founders.
Diner & restaurant
Formosa Cafe
West Hollywood, CA · 5.4 mi from Autry Museum of the American West
A West Hollywood restaurant and bar from 1925, long a hangout for film stars from the studio lot nearby.
Diner & restaurant
Pink's Hot Dogs
Los Angeles, CA · 5.7 mi from Autry Museum of the American West
A Los Angeles hot dog stand on North La Brea Avenue, serving since 1939 at the edge of Hollywood.