The Broad Museum is located in downtown Los Angeles next to the Disney Concert Hall and displays Contemporary art from well-known artists. I went to see the Takashi Murakami exhibit which was a temporary installation. His work is explosive in an alternative universe sort of way.
Watch my video tour of the exhibit on YouTube
Find things to do and where to stay in Downtown Los Angeles, here.
For decades, I’ve voiced hundreds of anime characters as a voice actor, and this exhibit certainly spoke to that world that I have become so familiar with. Murakami has an extensive body of work filled with bizarre characters, colors, and post-war apocalyptic images but in a fanciful and comical kind of way.
His work speaks to the young culture in Japan that is obsessed with toys and video games with larger-than-life characters and adorable animals. Yet, it can sometimes be bloody and violent.
Murakami’s vision is more in the range of being hallucinogenic and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
In an adjoining display hall was another temporary exhibit called “This is Not America’s Flag.” It featured the work of twenty artists who interpreted America’s iconic symbol in diverse and complex ways.
The main galleries
To enter the permanent galleries you must ascend a long escalator that feels like it is taking you up to the sky. If that is too daunting, you can take the elevator. Installations include the works of Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Roy Lichtenstein, and other high-profile contemporary artists.
Exhibits rotate and change but the Broad is a museum you shouldn’t miss if you are in or near downtown Los Angeles
A mobile guide is available which you can access on your smartphone to learn more about the artists and their work.
General admission to the main galleries is free but you must reserve timed tickets. Special exhibits require an additional charge.
The Broad is also an event venue that hosts concerts, speakers, and performance art.
Getting there
You can take the L.A. Metro Red or Purple lines to Civic Center Station as it is a quick walk to the museum. The museum also has a parking garage directly beneath it and the charge is $17 for under 3 hours.
Where to eat near the Broad Museum
If you are visiting the Broad Museum, the Disney Concert Hall, or The Music Center in the evening, I recommend having dinner at Odium, next to the Broad. It also has an outdoor bar area where you can relax and have a drink. The cuisine is New American and the atmosphere is laid back.
For lunch, have a bite at Vespaio, which is also next to the Broad for California-Italian cuisine.
The Broad Museum
221 S. Grand Ave., Downtown Los Angeles, California 90012
Thanks for introducing me to the Broad Museum. Never heard of it! Might get to visit sometime.
I’m always happy to enlighten others on some of the gems we have here in L.A., Laurie!