Downtown Los Angeles is known for its ability to blend its rich history with modernity and innovation. Here at the Chernov Team Blog, we know exactly where those hotspots are, and, in this article, you’ll find three places that’ll turn you into a true Angelino.
One of Los Angeles’s most recent and most popular contemporary art museums, The Broad, is a must visit for anyone attempting to delve into the world of art. Located on Grand Avenue, The Broad boasts a collection of more than 2000 works, and its rotating temporary exhibits include the art pieces of influential postwar and contemporary artists including Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Kara Walker, Takashi Murakami, Barbara Kruger, Jeff Koons and many young and up-and-coming artists. Completed in September 2015, the 120,000-square-foot building features two beautifully-designed floors of gallery space. Its most popular exhibit, Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirror Rooms, uses LED lights which endlessly reflect inside a mirrored room and transport you directly into space. The Broad offers free general admission every day that the museum is open. Reservations may also be made, and the Infinite Mirror Rooms are free but require a separate online sign-up.
Only a 7-minute walking distance from the Broad is downtown L.A.’s 117-year-old funicular, Angels Flight. Located in California Plaza on South Grand Avenue and South Hill Street, Angels Flight originally opened in 1901 and is considered the world’s shortest railway. The 300-foot long railway rests on Bunker Hill and has given more than 100 million rides. The iconic orange and black railway’s twin cars, Sinai and Olivet, have been featured in movies like La La Land and 500 Days of Summer. Angels Flight is open seven days a week, 365 days a year (including holidays), from 6:45 in the morning until 10:00 at night. For $1, the newly reopened Angels Flight can take you from The Broad to Grand Central Market, where you can eat any food you can think of and make history.
The oldest commercial building remaining in downtown, the Bradbury Building, is considered “one of Los Angeles’ unique treasures.” Built in 1893, the Bradbury Building may not seem very interesting on the outside, but once you step foot into the flood of light that pours in from the plated glass ceilings, you’ll stand in awe at the architectural wonder that it is. Also known as “the biggest architectural movie star of Los Angeles,” the building has appeared in feature films such as Marlowe (1969), Blade Runner (1982), 500 Days of Summer (2009) and many more. Although only the first-floor landing is open to the public, the marble stairwells, Mexican tile, ornate iron railings, and birdcage style elevators are unlike anything you’ll ever find in L.A. Located on South Broadway Street, entrance to the Bradbury Building is free and is open 7 days a week from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on weekdays and 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on weekends.