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Hammer Museum

Museum
In Los Angeles, California
0.7 mi from Route 66

The Hammer Museum, in Los Angeles, CA, about a mile off the old road, combines an art museum with a busy cultural center. Industrialist Armand Hammer founded it in 1990 to show his own art collection, and it is now affiliated with UCLA. It is known for exhibitions that put artists first and for a packed calendar of public programs. It is free to visit, which makes it an easy cultural stop near the end of the Route 66 drive.

What is Hammer Museum?

The museum has grown well beyond its founder's personal collection. Its exhibitions lean toward the progressive and are shaped around artists' own work and ideas. Alongside the galleries, it runs more than 300 programs a year, including lectures, symposia, readings, concerts and film screenings.

The building was designed by architect Edward Larrabee Barnes, and the museum is operated by UCLA. That university link also places the museum close to other campus art sites, such as the Fowler Museum and the Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden, which makes it easy to extend the visit.

History of Hammer Museum

Armand Hammer, an entrepreneur and industrialist, founded the museum in 1990 as a home for his personal art collection. Over the years it widened its scope far beyond that starting point and became closely tied to UCLA. Since June 2025, everything the museum offers, from the collection to the programs, has been open to visitors without charge.

Visiting Hammer Museum: tips

Allow one to two hours for the galleries, and check the calendar if you would like to catch a talk, concert or film. The museum has wheelchair access, and food is about 0.1 miles away.

The Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden is about 0.5 miles away, the Fowler Museum at UCLA about 0.9 miles, and the Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden about 1.1 miles, so the museum anchors a pleasant half-day around the campus.

Practical info

Address: 10899 Wilshire Blvd.Los Angeles, CA90024
Phone: +1 310-443-7000
Website: hammer.ucla.edu
Hours: Tue–Sun 11–6
On site & nearby

Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated.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

Where to eat near Hammer Museum

All diners →

Diner & restaurant
Barney's Beanery
West Hollywood, CA · 4.5 mi from Hammer Museum
A West Hollywood roadhouse on Santa Monica Boulevard since 1927, its walls covered in old license plates.
Diner & restaurant
Carney's
West Hollywood, CA · 4.8 mi from Hammer Museum
Hot dogs and burgers served from yellow Union Pacific rail cars above the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood.
Diner & restaurant
Pink's Hot Dogs
Los Angeles, CA · 5.9 mi from Hammer Museum
A Los Angeles hot dog stand on North La Brea Avenue, serving since 1939 at the edge of Hollywood.