Hammer Museum

What’s not to like?
Beautiful courtyard to sit out in, on– site parking, screenings and speaker series, and free rotating exhibitions? Well worth the visit.
The courtyard restaurant is a great place to spend and afternoon after visiting the museum.

Not a traditional museum in terms of the space/​area. 10 (or so) small-​ish galleries, but most of them were being re-​shuffled, so there wasn’t much to see while I was there. Unfortunately, there was nothing on the website or in their guide book about the timing of the re-​shuffling.
Even though the museum is free, it was still disappointing. The two galleries were open that day. One had an odd setup of furniture and smattering things around, capped off by the bizarre chair below (think Howard Stern). The second had a 16-​minute documentary by David Lamelas, The Desert People, a «fictional documentary about a group of people recounting their experience visiting a Native American reservation in Arizona.» The whole piece is apparently about the deficiencies of documentary-​style filmmaking in 1974, and it’s FICTIONAL. Bizarre, weird, and inadequate don’t even come close to describing this «art.»
But, their guide does point to a number of lectures and movies they are having throughout the summer, which do sound interesting. It’s a place to stop by if you’re in Westwood and you have some time to kill. Oh, and the modern architecture of the buildings themselves are interesting.

My first time at the Hammer Museum, on my to-​do list forever it seems, and I went to see the Black Mountain College Show just before it closed. THIS MUSEUM IS FREE ALL THE TIME, which is terrific, and very human friendly. You do need free tickets for special events to order or get in line for very early. As with the Getty, you may feel like spending money in the gift shop (lots of arty things!) since you’re getting in for free.
The Hammer is a small museum (say, compared to the Getty and maybe closer to the size of the Grammy) with some very open sky view spaces, and so if you go, three hours might be as much times as you’d want to spend, give or take some time to sit outside and eat. In bustling Westwood, you may just want to skip the parking and bus it.
There are these whirly chairs in the courtyard that seem to be so appealing that a lot of adults, including gray haired seniors, were sitting in them and going for the loop.
The Black Mountain College Show was terrific, and ever since I studied one of the poets who came out of that scene, I’ve been curious about it. The show showed perfectly how the artists who attended there, living as if it were an art colony managed to cooperate, collaborate, inspire and influence each other. There was poetry in books and headphones to hear the poet read the poem. There was film of Merge Cunningham and his troop (which on another day also featured contemporary dancers performing), and music that he had composed dance to that was composed and performed at the college. There were of course, visual arts such as paintings, collages, assemblages, and some history of the school which has influenced a number of other liberal arts type colleges today that have gotten rid of memorization as a learning device.
I will surely be back to the Hammer before the year is out!

I returned to the Hammer for a second time and this time walked through the galleries to view several exhibits.
The feature exhibit that brought me to the Museum was Leap Before You Look the story and works from students and visiting professors from the Black Mountain School near Ashviille, NC that was a meeting place for new ways of thinking about expression from 1933 – 1957 when the school closed. The exhibit itself closes on May 15, 2016 so this Unilocal review of the exhibit is coming late. Fortunately the Hammer will still be here and available for you to visit.
Admission to the museum is FREE which I did not expect. Maybe I’ll come back more often.
They have the raddest patio chairs that look like tops… you sit in them and you can’t tip the chair over. You can wriggle yourself to spin in slow circles on the patio. That’s pretty fun.

I have only been to the neighboring Hammer Building once (several years back), for an evening function private invitation to the Hollywood Style Awards. I thought it was a fabulous event and a very cool venue, but then I never went back again, nor ventured into the Museum?
HUGE mistake! Today I was so impressed with the Hammer Museum and the community «cultural arts» contribution from The Armand Hammer Foundation.
Fabulous location and admission is FREE (thanks to the generosity of Erika Glazer & Brenda Potter). It’s a genuine gem to explore and expand your art knowledge and history. The exhibits are very unique, educational, fun, interesting. I enjoyed the tranquil atrium lounge with covered sitting/​dining area.
Armand Hammer’s selective collection of paintings are rich with history, from different regions of the world, spanning across 400 years. Prized notable pieces from van Gogh, Monet, Pisarro, Rembrandt, and much more.
Please note they are closed on Mondays.
I really LUV that offer rare local artisan items in the Hammer Store! Can’t wait to go back there again.

I had my doubts about this place when I saw the sign that the ping pong tables on the second floor patio are considered an acoustic exhibition… After spending 6 hours at The Getty Center, I wasn’t sure anything could knock my socks off, especially not some kind of contemporary mumbo jumbo.
All my skepticism disappeared when I turned into one of the galleries and was met with a stunning collection of Van Gogh, Sargent, Rembrandt, Goya, Daumier, Moreau, and more. It was like an art history textbook had come to life before me. I also enjoyed the photography collection and the exhibit about the Black Mountain College.
The Hammer Museum reminds me a lot of the ICA in Boston in that you can go through the exhibits pretty quickly but you could end up spending a lot of time here because it’s a cool place to hang out. In addition to the aforementioned ping pong tables, there’s plenty of seating and windows for people watching. If I lived in the area I would definitely come back to check out the rotating exhibitions. I’m not sure if I would make the trek out to this area specifically for this museum because of its size, but it made a great ending to the day (and it’s FREE!). They’re also open until 8pm!

Great museum! Free entry, and in my opinion their exhibits are far better than some other LA museums that charge visitors. We spent nearly 3 hours here and loved every minute of it.
Loved the exhibit on Black Mountain College, reveled at the absurdity of the 40 minute «documentary» The Desert People, found our joy in the rotating swivel chairs in the courtyard, and admired from afar all of the people playing ping pong on the second floor.
Great sights, even better photo opportunities!

Impressive, free activity in LA — not a lot of exhibits but it’s enough to not leave underwhelmed. I like how it’s not super crowded and feels more low key.
Went last Saturday and saw the Still Life with Fish and Leap Before You Look: Black Mountain College. I like both and find Black Mountain College inspiring. We also caught one of the live dance performances.
The main exhibits are on the second floor and there’s also an outdoor cozy couch and ping pong table area.
Spinning chairs outside are way fun… it’s an exhibit in itself and also available for purchase (there’s one in the gift shop)!

A nifty free museum with eclectic art exhibits in the middle of Westwood. Great escape from the crowds in the area.
The twirling chairs in the atrium on the second floor are a big hit with the younger set especially.
Very Forrest Gump-​esque. You never know what you’re going to get as far as the exhibits. Which makes it worth a visit just for the surprise factor.
Was impressed with the collection amassed from the defunct Black Mountain College.
$ 3 parking with validation. Such a deal!
Not as enthused with the café, but that’s another review.

Located in the heart of Westwood Village, a great place to bring your lunch and hang out/​study. The outdoor central patio conveniently blocks out all the LA sunshine so temperature is just perfect. Small, but a FREE museum so you got nothing to lose. They have their own parking structure (I think $ 3 for 3 hours), café area, and fun (kinda scary) spinning chairs outside. They also host plenty of film and art events, often for free or low-​cost. Highly recommend to visit if in the area and need a quiet, relaxing stroll. If making a special trip out, visit the museum along with many of the great restaurants nearby, Farmers Market held on Thursday, or the UCLA campus.

This is the perfect museum to visit if you have a couple of hours to kill. It’s hands down the most manageable museum I’ve come across in Los Angeles.
The Leap Before You Look exhibit was really great. It’s the first comprehensive museum exhibition in the U.S. to examine the history of Black Mountain College. The exhibition contains a rich collection of mixed media art. There was everything from paintings and sculptures to documentary photographs and books printed on campus.
The Still Life with Fish was my favorite exhibit. It displays themes of seriality, identity, and place explored in conceptual photography on the West Coast from the 1960s to the present. It was just a really cool collection of photographs featuring the works of Jo Ann Callis, Collier Schorr, and Amy Adler among others.
I plan on coming back to the Hammer Museum regularly, especially since it’s free admission. I was able to see every exhibit and was not overwhelmed at all. It was also not very crowded, which made for an overall pleasant viewing experience.

Loved the Hammer! This was my 1^st visit. Fairly small museum. Kinda one of the good things though as you can see it all and not feel the need to stay all day. Think we were there a touch over 2 hours. Really enjoyed the Black Mountain College exhibit. It was a liberal arts school in North Carolina that’s focus made the study of art the central part to education. Some great pieces from several alums. The Hammer collection had some great pieces as well.
Have I mentioned the Spun Chairs yet?! Haha, these things were SO fun. They have about a dozen or so of them in the courtyard area. We were playing on them like little kids! Everyone was.
The parking here is $ 3 for 3 hours. You pay as you enter, so no real reason to validate unless staying longer I guess. The gift shop here was great as well. Did not try the café, but maybe next time. Nice indoor, outdoor aspect to this place. Can’t wait to return.

Love this museum for many reasons! $ 3 parking, very cheap! Plenty of parking in garage. A great mix of exhibits! They have sculpture, photography, paintings, video displays, etc. The layout, and indoor/​outdoor aspect is very calming and serene. The rolly chairs are the bomb! WHERE CAN WE BUY THESE CHAIRS?! We were on them TWICE! When we first arrived and then in the middle of our trip! LOL We also want to try out the café. The gift store was a lot of fun too. A lot of books, but a great mix of weird and quirky stuff too. We did not buy anything, but very fun to browse. I love seeing some very unique art pieces here. It’s a small museum so we were done in about 2 hours or so, but that’s what’s also great. It doesn’t have to be an all day thing. You can go for a quick getaway for some culture! First timer, loved it!

For anyone else who is struggling to make it in LA, and still wants to experience some of the amazing things that LA has to offer, look no further.
This museum is completely free every day. There IS a small parking fee. You get 3 hours for $ 3 with validation, or you can walk over if you live close.
This is a great date spot, great adventure with friends, and a great way to see some art for little to no money. They change their exhibits often, so there is always something new to see.
My friend and I went because we heard it was free and we are broke. We didn’t know what to expect since it is a free museum, but we were pleasantly surprised and inspired by the art we saw and by the atmosphere. I will definitely be back.

It’s the most modern museum I’ve ever been too! The size is small but the design is beautiful. I was there for one of the photography exhibitions and it was in a room at the museum. There was many artworks but I prefer that because you can then focus on the arts more than spending your time to rush through the exhibition. There are 2 stories. And on the 2^nd story there are some cool rolling chairs which are fun for kids.

I haven’t been back to this museum for a long time despite the fact that it’s so close to my school. As UCLA students, sometimes we don’t take advantage what’s literally in our backyard and this museum is one of them! It’s a nice, small art museum and I believe it’s free to the general public. I remember the first time that I went here with my cousin and it was such a fun first visit and this was right before I got accepted to UCLA! I guess it was just meant to be. Anyways, I really like when there are a special LA event that showcase young, new artists during the summer and those are typically when I like to come to the Hammer. On some weekdays, the Hammer is always throwing some sort of social gathering or events and music is always being played and food is always served for these guests. It’s a nice educational (and relaxing) place to visit and stop by since it’s on Wilshire: D

On my most recent visit to LA, I wanted to do something educational. My friend lives in Brentwood and we saw the Hammer Museum on Unilocal.Free admission is always a plus! There’s also parking for $ 3, which is a great deal, considering this part of UCLA always has tons of cars and is pretty much impossible to find parking.
I’m not too much of an art person so I can’t say too much about the exhibits besides that there were a ton over the span of three floors — keep in mind this is all FREE! The exhibits are constantly changing, and there’s a nice mix of modern to older pieces of art. I’m a huge fan of the chairs that are located on both the second and third floors of the museum. They are worth around $ 800 a piece … one day, when I have that money to spend. :)

This has become my favorite art museum in LA.
Why, you may ask?
Because they change their shows every two months, I will answer. Even the entry staircase features ever-​changing original art made just for the space.
Because it’s the perfect size – you can spend a couple of hours and see it all and not be exhausted.
Because they generally have fascinating, well-​curated shows.
Because it’s a lovely place to see art.
Because Armand’s collection of classic and impressionist paintings is superb.
Because the café here is great.
Because the bookshop/​giftshop has things you won’t find elsewhere.
And if all this weren’t enough, because it’s free (thank you Erika J. Glazer & Brenda R. Potter)! And parking, in the building, is only $ 3 (unlike at the Broad where it’s $ 12)
And – if all this wasn’t enough, the courtyard has the brilliant «Spun» chairs by Thomas Heatherwick. You can sit comfortably, or you can lean back and spin like a top, which is great, great fun (and a good workout, too).

Aside from small collections of Inuit art, Canadian art is rarely on display on this side of the border so I was surprised and glad that an exhibition of my favorite member of ‘The Group of Seven’ is in LA. While only slightly less known than one of his Canadian counterparts, the now-​mythical Tom Thompson, Lawren Harris’ works resonate with me because they often glow. Harris reveled in nature and he, more than other members of the group, seemed to elevate it to pure exaltation. The power of his colorful paintings is due, in part, to the reduction of complex landscapes steeped in isolation into bold geometric shapes where he played with light to great effect.
The Hammer has done a great job with this small exhibition as there are paintings here from private collections that are almost never on public display. An added benefit is the well-​lighted display space because it makes an incredible difference. Frankly, many Canadian museums enshrine Group of Seven paintings into darker galleries. Here, Harris’ dramatic use of color can truly be appreciated. As I said, his paintings glow and with that they seem a meditation.

So the museum is free now and they’ve added some pieces that I really enjoy. Still mainly come for the ping pong tables though…

First of all: Mad props to Erika J. Glazer & Brenda R. Potter who’s generosity and foresight make this museum FREE, yes, 100% FREE, all 300 days a year it is open, delivering comfort and art to the starving, deprived masses.
Thank you for making this lovely, welcoming, enjoyable space open to all.
I spent an afternoon leisurely perusing some amazing art work: blown away by the amazing presence of Njideka Akunyili Crosby’s steller work; grateful for they opportunity to view a wide retrospective of Lawren Harris, underrepresented Canadian superstar; to be overwhelmed by the genius of Frances Stark; all while reviewing the first collection of impressionistic art I saw at the tender age of 15 when it toured Oklahoma city– the Armand Hammer collection.
Van Gogh & Rembrandts you have not seen and other delights to astound .
All of this, with two nice bath rooms, a fantastic courtyard and upper balcony with comfy, upholstered seating, a small café that has a decent happy hour, AND TWO PING PING TABLES.
Seriously, folks, this is worth paying for, except, you don’t have to.
Oh– and they have free programs and talks all the time.
LA, now you have my attention.

Lots of great things here… it’s free. So that’s awesome. Parking was $ 3. Also very good. And there are generally many interesting things to see. The weekend we attended it was not at all crowded and there was an exciting variety of art to see (film pieces, paintings, sculpture, spoken word).
There are also some really great outdoor spaces. This would be a nice spot to take a coffee and a book or someone you just want to sit and talk with.
It’s not huge, but if you have some free time on a weekend or week day afternoon, this is a great (and budget friendly!) option to keep in mind. Also, nicely curated gift shop that is fun for browsing.

On a super hot day, it was great to step into the Hammer Museum and spend an hour or so looking at a well curated collection of incredible artworks. Not the biggest museum around but it’s still got a great collection including a Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir and Cézanne.
Several big open spaces meant that you weren’t crowded and the little bit of noise was hushed. The museum is free, and that means that it more than worth the time to visit.
Another rich oil baron, Armand Hammer (1898 – 1990) is laid to rest not far from here in the Westwood Villages Memorial Park. And no, he had nothing to do with the name «Arm & Hammer» which existed well before he was born.

A really good way to spend an afternoon. The museum is beautiful and uncluttered with lots of great outdoor space. We enjoyed the exhibits on offer and the variety of art — spoken/​performance art, photography, paintings, etc…
Gift shop is a great way to buy some lovely things you really don’t need but just must have. And $ 3 flat rate parking. A winner. We’ll be back.

Art, art, art. That’s what you’ll find at the Hammer, and you can see it free of charge. I do believe there is a parking fee, but I’m not entirely sure what that is as I had the good fortune to have mine comped because I was volunteering here.
Speaking of which, parents: if you have elementary aged kiddos then you should check out 826LA because they have free workshops at the Hammer.
Anyway, back to my experience: after doing some volunteering, I took a wander around the museum. Most of the artwork is modern in nature so if you’re not a big fan of modern art you might want to give the Hammer a skip. However, they do also have a permanent collection with recognizable names like: Monet, Degas, Manet, Cezanne.
The museum isn’t very large, and can be seen in under a few hours. And there are even some interactive exhibits (ping-​pong tables, and top-​like chairs are there presently). If you have a few hours to kill in the Westwood area definitely take a wander through the Hammer.

I like be this place. The art is amazing. It’s a always having free days. The people are nice. You can just sit in the middle out side area and drink tea or coffee. It makes you feel good inside. It’s inspiring.
I’m very into mini trips where you can just go for a little bit with out much hassle. For me this place fits the bill.

Too small to expect too much but surprisingly pleasant. It is, after all, located in the heart of intimate Westwood but they really utilized their space efficiently. When I went, they had 6 exhibitions and admission was free. I think admission is free now until further notice, so it’s a cute little place to visit while killing time.
Still, not sure I have the urge to come back here for another 2 – 5 years.

Hammer is not my favorite museum in Los Angeles. But it is free, and I appreciate that it offers an unholy marriage of the overly conceptual with the more traditional art forms.
Basically I enjoy reading about the deep philosophies behind some of the crap on the walls. It is always a statement from a 70-​year-​old that has been doing art his or her entire life and got a PhD in it. (Me in the future.) One room, for example, is pixel art over plexi glass. There are basically three rooms that is dedicated to paint-​by-​number colored pixels over pictures of trees by artist Charles Gaines. I got the concept from one of these pictures but in case if I didn’t, Hammer has got an entire fleet of his ‘pixel trees’. But honestly, where else can I scoff at such intellectual-​aesthetic masturbation so gloriously displayed in a white cube? In one room right next to pixel trees, we got paintings by Degas, Manet and Cezanne to sprinkle in some of the classics.
Besides looking, there is some touching and interactivity, but mostly in the form of passive interactivity like laying on sculptural rocking chairs, listening to weird organ music on headphones and reading art books. I am sure the live performances are quite a gas, as they have plenty of streaming documentation of them playing on the televisions with headphones. I once saw David Lynch here promoting his documentary on transcendental meditation in 2013, so I am quite certain that the back of my head was conspicuous if Hammer streamed the recording of this event in one of their galleries. One of the exhibitions in the courtyard is a raised enclosure with hammocks and books labeled by countries. It invites you to pick up and read a book not knowing anything else but the country it is from. I chose Canada and laid on the hammock learning about farming. (See picture.)
One thing that Hammer museum has en masse is docents; Hammer offers an arsenal of UCLA docent undergrads (my friend has been one for a few years) with clickers monitoring your every movement in each gallery space. It is kind of unnerving because most of them are insanely bored. I got stopped by a docent in one room because my messenger bag was touching my back (there is a strict no bags touching your back rule that I was breaking). Also I get really anxious when I hear that click sound from the clicker once I enter a room, so I lose focus on looking at the artwork and looking at the docent eagerly waiting for my passing through. As I was about to enter a room, I see that trembling finger of a docent desperately waiting to click in my entrance.

One of my favorite art museums. This place is free, so why wouldn’t you go? I came here alone, and it was fun hanging out and looking at all of the art. You can get through the whole thing in 30min to an hour. The art that they have here is very pretty, and they hold some of my favorite pieces. Plan a trip here and eat at one of the restaurants near by! Definitely makes for a great afternoon.

Absolutely loved the afternoon I spent at the Hammer. It’s wonderful when a museum can make art so accessible to its public. Granted the admission is free, everyone in the city can adhere to some art therapy. They have various galleries, which rotate with different works. However, the Hammer collection is remarkable. There are a few van Gogh’s, Rembrandt’s, and a Monet.
The Provocations exhibit was fun and interactive. It goes through a scheme of prototypes for buildings and bridges, and later shows you videos and photos of the actual work that have been created in full scale. The interactive component involved reeling your own program and the Spun Chair provided in the courtyard by the Heatherwick Studio.
If you find yourself in Westwood on a bright sunny afternoon, make a pitstop to the Hammer and interact with some art!

For all you Unilocalers that eat around here, you have to check this place out. First of all, it’s free. They have these fun twirly chairs that could entertain you for a good 15 minutes. Then they have different exhibits throughout, depending on the date.
The museum is so classy and did I mention free?

Um, it’s free. Need I say more? Okay I’ll say a bit more for the record…
I went on a Sunday which was perfect. I’m not sure what their parking situation is, but if you go on a Sunday there is tons of metered parking right by the museum on all the little side streets.
The exhibits can be viewed fairly quickly. I’d say you can check out this whole museum in about 2 hours or less. It’s fun and something to do that’s free :). And you can eat at one of the millions of local restaurants in Westwood after checking out all the art. Win-​win!

Amazing what classy joints corporate money can buy & create at least by the looks of what was done for the Getty Museum on the Hill, Getty Villa di Papiri in Malibu, and the Hammer Museum at Westwood Village. The Hammer is on prime property on Wilshire Boulevard just on the southern border of Westwood Village.
The building itself from the outside is rather subdued, but the large foyer/​reception space is dripping with thick premium white polished Carrera marble on the walls & for the staircase. To display a sense of Noblesse Oblige to us peons who are searchers of art & culture, the Getty & Hammer Foundations will let you step into their Palais des Arts gratis. Now I’m starting to sound rather cynical & sardonic… I’d like to thank Ms Glazer & Ms. Potter for making possible the free admission.
All that must be paid is for parking on site if convenience trumps looking around the side streets for metered parking.
Monday Closed
Tuesday 11AM – 8PM
Wednesday 11AM – 8PM
Thursday 11AM – 8PM
Friday 11AM – 8PM
Saturday 11AM – 5PM
Sunday 11AM – 5PM
The museum is open every day, except Mondays, July 4, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.
Convenient parking is available under the Museum. Rates are $ 3 for the first three hours with validation at the Welcome Desk, and $ 1.50 for each additional 15 minutes. There is a $ 3 flat rate after 6PM on weekdays, and all day on Saturdays and Sundays. Parking for visitors with disabilities is provided on levels P1 and P3.
Since the museum is open until 8pm Tuesday through Friday, one can opt for a $ 3.00 flat fee after 6pm which is a good deal considering forgetting to feed the meter constitutes a large fine. Just be sure to get your car out of the lot by 9pm when the gates close. Also on Saturday, parking at the Museum from 11am to 5pm only involves paying a total of $ 3.00. Not sure when you must leave the lot on the weekend.
A group of us went to see the «Made in LA» exhibit which featured new up-&-coming artists based in Los Angeles. These artists are rooted in the modern art tradition so that sometimes concepts, constructs, ideology, ideas personal & theoretical, etc. seem to be more important than the actual objets d’arts themselves.
The medium used by the various artists spans many forms of media from more traditional oils, wood, metal, etc. to electronic based visual & aural. Of course, most of the art escaped me as to meaning & purpose, but I was glad to have experienced an exercise in sensory perceptions & possible stimulation of the cerebral cortex. To add a bit of spice to the mostly static exhibit, 3 dancers wearing yellow orange & one older breaded gentleman in coat & tie glided through the rooms & stopped to do a pas de quatre.
The Hammer has about 3 large viewing rooms so even under leisurely viewing & seeing two videos, one concerning «Mama» and the other about US military veterans returning to «real» civilian life, one can complete the tour comfortably in under 2 hours. If there is sensory overload, there is Ammo, a tastefully done restaurant that provides indoor as well as outdoor dining for a convenient break. The menu can be seen on the Hammer website.
Apparently, depending on the day, other cultural happenings such as movies, speakers, etc. can be seen & the schedule found again on their website. When compared with the two Gettys which have one of the largest endowments in the world, the Hammer does lose some of its luster, but it is a pleasant space in which to view the arts. Periodically checking the website, there may be a subject or topic that may appeal to you. 3+ Unilocal stars for providing another cultural, artistic venue in LA.