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Hollywood Museum

Museum
In Los Angeles, California
0.7 mi from Route 66

The Hollywood Museum fills Max Factor's former salon, a historic building on Highland Avenue in Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA, about 1.5 miles off the old road. Its collection of more than 11,000 items tells the story of American movies and television through costumes, props, scripts and photographs. A highlight is Max Factor's original set of makeup rooms, each designed for a different hair color. A Mel's Drive-In is connected to the building.

What is Hollywood Museum?

The building is part of the story. It was the salon of Max Factor, the pioneering makeup artist of early Hollywood, and it was designed by architect Simeon Charles Lee. Factor's four original makeup rooms survive, one each for redheads, blondes, brunettes and brownettes.

A Mel's Drive-In restaurant adjoins the museum, so a meal is only a few steps from the galleries. The combination of a working diner and a film collection in one old building is part of the fun of a visit.

The collection

The collection covers film and television history in depth. Beyond costumes and props, it includes stop-motion figures, scripts, photographs and many other artifacts, more than 11,000 pieces in all. For travelers who grew up with classic movies and TV, it offers a close look at the objects behind the screen, gathered under one roof in the heart of Hollywood. Because the salon itself was a working part of the film business, the setting adds a layer of history that a new building could not.

Visiting Hollywood Museum: tips

Allow one to two hours. The museum has wheelchair access. When you are done, the connected Mel's Drive-In is an easy place to eat.

The Hollywood Wax Museum is about 0.1 miles away and Madame Tussauds Hollywood about 0.2 miles, so several museums fit into one walk around Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue. Fuel is about 0.2 miles off, and a hotel about 0.1 miles.

Practical info

Address: 1660 Highland Avenue, Los Angeles, CA
Phone: +1 323-464-7776
Website: thehollywoodmuseum.com
Hours: Wed–Sun 10–5
On site & nearby

Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated.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

Where to eat near Hollywood Museum

All diners →

Diner & restaurant
Musso & Frank Grill
Los Angeles, CA · 0.2 mi from Hollywood Museum
Hollywood's oldest restaurant, operating on Hollywood Boulevard since 1919 and named for its two founders.
Diner & restaurant
Formosa Cafe
West Hollywood, CA · 0.8 mi from Hollywood Museum
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 · 1.2 mi from Hollywood Museum
A Los Angeles hot dog stand on North La Brea Avenue, serving since 1939 at the edge of Hollywood.