The best things to do in Los Angeles this week

Members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic will celebrate the Lunar New Year by performing Chinese folk songs reimagined for a string quartet by Yi-Wen Jiang, including Haihuai Huang’s Racing Horses—a nod to the year of the independent and free-spirited horse. Arrive early to toast the holiday with a complimentary glass of wine.

Each fall, the Getty Villa hosts a reimagined classical Greek play in its outdoor amphitheater. While that’s a ways off, for Valentine’s weekend, the acclaimed Theatre Movement Bazaar is staging Delphi—a new musical comedy about the Oracle of Delphi set in Greece 2,000 years ago—inside the museum’s indoor auditorium for three nights only. If your date is a history or theater buff, it’s sure to impress. Stick around for a post-play Delphic Valentine’s reception with sweet treats and Champagne (included in ticket price).

The Department of Cultural Affairs and NXT Art Foundation have teamed up on this free light and sound experience taking place simultaneously at parks across L.A. County this Valentine’s Day. Meant to amplify love, foster connection and inspire hope, the multi-disciplinary project will feature sound-based works by nine artists, and each site will be lit up by artist-designed sculptural installations. You can be a part of the moment at Barnsdall Art Park, Sycamore Grove Park, Exposition Park, Jane and Bert Boeckmann Park in Porter Ranch, Hansen Dam, Leimert Park, the Wende Museum in Culver City (which is hosting its own concurrent “My Sonic Valentine” event), Tongva Park, Promenade Square Park in Long Beach and Altadena’s renovated Loma Alta Park. Bring a picnic blanket, settle in and enjoy the sounds of harmony.

Hark back to the heyday of radio at a massive, free all-ages Valentine’s Day celebration in Gloria Molina Grand Park. DJs will be on hand spinning vinyls and providing the soulful soundtrack. Add a personal touch and call 213-204-1666 to dedicate a song to someone you love. A classic car show will add to the vintage vibes, and you can also make your own cards, arrange your own flower bouquets, shop handmade goods and enjoy a free sweet treat. The evening will culminate with a dazzling drone show that promises to be a “love letter for the entire county.”

Now under the stewardship of only one of its cofounders, Liz Fairbairn, the former Lucha VaVoom brings its unique mix of sexo y violencia to its new home—the Art Deco Fox Theater in Pomona—following 23 years in DTLA’s Mayan Theater. At this Valentine’s Day ode to desire and obsession, expect a night of masked Mexican wrestling, burlesque stripteasing, amazing aerialists, live music and more. Fill up on tequila and tamales while you watch Aztec dancers and luchadores alongside live comedic commentary.

The NBA’s leading players, up-and-comers and celebrities—including Keegan-Michael Key, GloRilla, Jeremy Lin, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Simu Liu—will compete against each other during a weekend of challenges, festivities, concerts and youth programs at Kia Forum, Intuit Dome and the Los Angeles Convention Center. NBA Crossover, a fan-centric festival, will be headlined by performances by Ludacris, Shaboozey and CORTIS—all included in the ticket price. Check the NBA website for a full lineup of events.

KCRW’s School Night series—which has hosted the likes of Father John Misty and Odesza since it started in 2010—is back, this time with a new home: century-old Lincoln Heights bar the Airliner, which recently fully redesigned its music venue and upstairs listening room. Though the sets are short, the price is certainly right, as is the lineup curated by resident DJ and KCRW tastemaker Chris Douridas. It’s the perfect excuse to stay out late on a school night.

First up on the Academy Museum’s 2026 calendar is a deep dive into Studio Ghibli’s Ponyo. One of Hayao Miyazaki’s most beloved films, Ponyo was notable for its focus on hand-drawn animation, with not only the characters but the backgrounds drawn frame-by-frame rather than using animation cels or CGI. Last year, Studio Ghibli donated original production materials to the Academy Collection, so this show will highlight those items, including art boards, posters, a Studio Ghibli animation desk and original drawings—some of which will be displayed in North America for the very first time—pairing them with immersive and interactive elements like an animation table and a play environment for kids.

Watch a slate of classics from the past couple of decades on one of the prettiest rooftops in Hollywood at this outdoor screenings series. All movies are piped in over sets of provided wireless headphones. Before showtime, make sure to hit up the bar or the on-site kitchen, Oasis, which will be serving up wagyu burgers and classic film concessions.

A display of over 30 mummified people and animals is back at the California Science Center. This time around, you can see a selection of specimens never before shown in Los Angeles. Mummies are, of course, most often associated with ancient Egypt, and while Egypt is represented here, you’ll also see mummified remains that were discovered in Germany, Hungarian, Peru—even the University of Maryland. Memorable artifacts include two “bundle” mummies making their West Coast debut, amulets and organ jars, an ancient Egyptian cat mummy and a shrunken sloth head. The museum’s IMAX theater will be screening the complementary Mummies 3D: Secrets of the Pharaohs.

It’s famous for that spaghetti kiss—a legendary scene that Walt Disney almost cut out. But Lady and the Tramp has many other charming moments; the script evolved out of years of personal pet stories shared by the studio’s animal-loving writers and executives. It’s a true labor of love. See it at the El Capitan Theatre around Valentine’s Day, and if you opt for the Sweetheart Dinner and a Movie package ($75), you can dine at Miceli’s down the street before or after a 7pm screening and re-create that spaghetti kiss yourself.

Learn to make your own handcrafted ravioli from a Scuola chef who’ll school you on the culinary traditions of Northern Italy. For this special Valentine’s edition of the class, you’ll even create intricate ravioli flowers and take some home to enjoy later. Your ticket also includes antipasto, a welcome glass of prosecco and wine to pair with your pasta creation.

Dart down Santa Monica Boulevard in your undies to raise money for the Children’s Tumor Foundation during this annual Valentine’s Day-themed “pantless party with a purpose.” The Virgil is the home base for the 15-minute mile-long fun run and a pre- and post-dash dance party, where you can mix and mingle over drinks.

Pasadena’s USC Pacific Asia Museum museum rings in the Lunar New Year with a free afternoon of pan-Asian activities—and a grand reopening. In addition to traditional performances in the museum’s courtyard (think: lion dances, martial arts demonstrations, Korean classical music and storytimes) plus art activities and food trucks, you’ll also be able to visit the museum’s galleries for free. Check out the brand-new immersive new exhibition “Mythical Creatures: The Stories We Carry,” which takes visitors on an interactive journey through the immigrant experience.

Whether or not you follow soccer, you probably know by now that Los Angeles is hosting eight matches of the World Cup in summer 2026. In celebration of its arrival, this LACMA show will display Lyndon J. Barrois Sr.’s ode to the world’s most beloved sport. The artist’s miniature “sportraits” re-create classic moments in both women’s and men’s soccer using materials like gum wrappers, glue and paint—even if you’re not a sports fan, the playful sculptures and stop-motion animations will win you over.

Westfield Topanga is welcoming the Year of the Horse in style. The Valley shopping center is decked out in festive decor through February, and will host a lion and dragon dance performance (through Level 1 and ending with a grand finale in front of food hall Topanga Social) and give out lucky red envelopes to guests on February 15. 

This new heart-eyed haunt from the producers of the Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor will have you clinging to your Valentine. Featuring a fog-filled, circus-themed dance party and three other heart-racing story-driven experiences in the ship’s cavernous lower decks—including Sweethearts’ Slaughterhouse and the Search for Mary, where you escape the ghost of a little girl with nothing but a glow stick to guide you—the event also serves as an exclusive preview of this year’s Halloween attraction. Themed eats and signature cocktails will be available for purchase throughout the ship.

This interactive performance series is a sexy way to spend Valentine’s Day, whether you come with a date or looking for connection. The literary cabaret is populated with musicians, dancers, performance artists, sketch artists and poets. This year’s theme, Devotion, asks that you “come ready to worship and be worshipped.” You can upgrade your experience with tokens that will give you access to private poetry readings behind closed curtains, tarot readings and typewriter poetry. Costumes, cocktail attire or themed eveningwear are encouraged.

It’s Mardi Gras weekend, but you’re having a seriously hard time deciding whether to toss some beads or to play toss with Fido. Do both at the Original Farmers Market with its annual Mardi Gras celebration. The event includes the Mutti Gras Pet Parade and Costume Contest Saturday at noon. Pups parade along the Market Plaza in costume and are judged by the crowd. A King and Queen are then crowned in categories of small, medium and large dogs, and are awarded prizes from the Dog Bakery. The Mardi Gras celebration continues throughout the weekend with live Zydeco and New Orleans bands, while the Nervis Bros. will perform on Fat Tuesday itself. It’s the perfect accompaniment to seafood and gumbo, jumbalaya, blackened chicken, beignets, po’boys and more traditional NOLA food.

The Pacific Asia Museum’s galleries have been closed for months in preparation for this immersive new exhibition, which is taking over the entire museum and marks a new, artist-centered shift to its programming. The ambitious show will use the visual language of mythology to take visitors on an immersive journey through the immigrant experience, combining objects from USC PAM’s 5,000-year-spanning historical collection with new media technology and works by over 20 contemporary artists, led by L.A.-based Korean American muralist Dave Young Kim. Highlights include a wrap-around video installation in a reconstructed airplane cabin and an AI feature that puts visitors in the shoes of an immigrant. Along the way, mythical creatures—dragons, cranes, guardian spirits and shapeshifters—nod to intergenerational legacies.

Sit back with your lover—or best buddy—and watch a special Valentine’s Day screening of Rob Reiner’s beloved rom-com, When Harry Met Sally, at Dynasty Typewriter. Move out of the friend zone with champagne toasts, romantic photo ops, a costume contest (come in your late ’80s best) and a karaoke afterparty. Oh, and did we mention the audience-wide fake orgasm and faux orgasm-off? We’ll have what they’re having.

While we don't have the luxury of indulging in Bourbon Street’s hot mess of a Mardi Gras, we have the next best thing: the Mardi Gras Feast at Little Dom’s. For three nights leading up to Fat Tuesday, chef Brandon Boudet is serving up a sumptuous menu from his native New Orleans with all your favorite Cajun and Creole temptations. Think shrimp, chicken and andouille gumbo, roast beef po’boys and jambalaya rice balls with creole mustard—an innovative take on Little Dom’s delicious arancini. For dessert, indulge in beignets or a slice of king cake from pastry chef Ann Kirk—look out for a toy baby in your slice, which will score you a prize.

This adults-only, nudity-hunting scavenger hunt at the Getty (held on V-Day) is a comical two-hour quest that has guests team up to follow clues and search for answers to riddles such as: “Who painted a gal who may soon suffer a heart attack?” Answer: Bouguereau. (Eros aims an arrow at a woman’s heart in Bouguereau’s A Young Girl Defending Herself Against Eros.) Whoever answers the most questions correctly will pick up a medal and some bragging rights. No previous art—or nudity—knowledge is required. Just wear comfy shoes and arrive 30 minutes early to allow time to park (that fee isn’t included in the scavenger hunt cost) and ride the tram up to the Getty.

It may seem a little over-the-top, but there’s no way booking a dinner cruise—on a yacht, with a coastline view—won’t win you points. Get dolled up and take to the water for a romantic meal and cocktails, then dance under the stars to tunes spun by a DJ. If you really want to impress—and have the funds—upgrading to the “Romance Package” will get you champagne with flutes, plus a half-dozen roses. You can set sail from either Marina del Rey (13757 Fiji Way) or Long Beach (Rainbow Harbor, Dock 6A). Daytime brunch cruises are also available.

Whether you go in cold or the soundtrack has never left your Spotify rotation, you’ll likely find yourself crying with laughter through the first few songs of The Book of Mormon. Over a decade on, the story of a forced-together pair of Mormon missionaries in Africa—with music, lyrics and book by South Park co-creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, as well as Robert Lopez (known then for Avenue Q, now for Frozen)—is just as catchy, witty and gleefully filthy as ever. (If you’ve never seen the musical before, however vulgar you think it is, it’s magnitudes more obscene, and all the better for it.) The touring production of the nine-time Tony winner stops at the Pantages for two weeks.

This display of film and video art, billed will take over all six stories of the abandoned, historic Variety Arts Theater in Downtown L.A. (the theater served as the setting for this past Halloween’s immersive haunt Delusion). Over a century of visual storytelling will be explored, blurring the line between visual art and cinema. Contemporary video works by artists including Marina Abramović, Doug Aitken, Chris Burden, Cyprien Gaillard, Arthur Jafa and Precious Okoyomon will be juxtaposed with cinematic works by the likes of Walt Disney and Georges Méliès. Admission—and popcorn—are free.

Channel your inner Food Network star just in time for Valentine’s Day (or Galentine’s Day). Sip champagne as you learn how to expertly design and decorate a love-inspired cake from the Peninsula Beverly Hills’ pastry chef, James Rosselle (Food Network Challenge) on February 11, then enjoy it for dessert on the holiday—if you can wait that long.

Welcome the Year of the Horse amid the lush greenery of South Coast Botanic Garden every weekend this February. Enjoy an afternoon of festive Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean traditions, with activities including the Korean game Yutnori, the Vietnamese game Bầu Cua Cá Cọp or the Chinese game of Mahjong. Enjoy the grounds on a Zodiac Stroll, the new dragon walk or a morning tai chi class. You’ll also find storytelling, a wishing tree, live music, a themed photo op and specialty food and cocktails (available for purchase from 10am–4pm). Admission is $18, but for $9 more, you can catch a performance by lion dancers, martial artists, drummers and folk dancers (Sat, Sun at 11am, 1pm, 3pm).

Catch sets from up-and-coming performers, local legends and global talents during this free music series at the Getty, which features a pair of shows from a different band each weekend. The concerts kick off in February with Inuit soul musicians Pamyua and continue in March with gospel choir Jimetta Rose & the Voices of Creation and April with Persian poets Mahsa and Marjan Vahdat. Get there early to check out the museum’s exhibitions, then head to the Harold M. Williams Auditorium for the show.

The beloved late singer, who’s ascended to music and fashion icon status since her untimely death in 1995, is the focus of a new show at the Grammy Museum. Co-curated by the singer’s sister, Suzette Quintanilla, the exhibition will peek behind the curtain of Selena’s life, artistry and career, exploring how her legacy continues as a symbol of empowerment for both young women and Latin communities. You can see the singer’s personal artifacts displayed for the first time outside of the Selena Museum in Corpus Christi, Texas, including her Grammy Award, cellphone, hand-drawn fashions and microphone, still marked with her signature red lipstick. In preparation for the opening, artist Mister Toledo recently created a mural of the singer outside the museum.

The Old Pasadena shopping center joins in the free festivities for Lunar New Year with live music, lion dances and free mochi. Tie your own wish on the Smith Alley wish tree, which will remain up through February 26. And if you spend $75 at any One Colorado retailer, you’ll receive a lucky red envelope with surprise deals.

Celebrate the history, diversity and wildlife of our fair city with the locally beloved Bob Baker Marionette Theater. This puppet-filled ode to L.A. first debuted in 1981 for the city’s bicentennial, and while it retains its retro charm, it’s been refreshed for 2026 with new animal puppets and updates that reflect Los Angeles today.

What better spot to mark the Lunar New Year than “the happiest place on earth”? Disney California Adventure commemorates the Year of the Horse with a month of multicultural celebrations. Kids can look forward to photo ops and meet-and-greets with Mulan, Mushu, Mickey and Minnie, while adults will find a tasty reprieve with treats from China, Korea and Vietnam. If you’re sticking around into the evening, “Hurry Home – A Lunar New Year Celebration” precedes each World of Color show, while during the day Mulan’s Lunar New Year Procession brings dancers, a colorful dragon puppet and a couple of costumed characters across the park.

Robert Therrien’s Under the Table has long been one of the most popular pieces in the Broad’s collection (you know the one—the giant table and chairs that you ask your friend to snap a photo of as you stand underneath). Well now the museum is hosting the largest-ever solo exhibition of the artist’s work, displaying more than 120 pieces, including many that have never been shown in museums before. Expect more huge housewares and striking works, plus some intimate drawings and surprises from the late L.A.-based artist. The specially ticketed show will fill the first-floor galleries through April 5, 2026.

Anonymous feminist art collective the Guerrilla Girls—whose members gained notoriety for donning gorilla masks and fighting the patriarchy—is coming up on its 40th anniversary, and the Getty Center is marking the occasion with a behind-the-scenes look at the group. See photography, protest art and the group’s famed posters—sporting statistics, bold visuals and satirical humor—that showcase the tactics the members used to demand recognition for women and artists of color. The Guerrilla Girls have even created a newly commissioned work for the exhibition. And you can add your own mark on the “graffitti wall” installation, giving visitors a creative outlet for their complaints about the world today. 

Accompanying programming throughout the run of the show will include a conversation between the Guerrilla Girls and author Roxane Gay, a feminist Valentine’s Day mail art workshop, cocktail receptions with the exhibition curators, tours and more.

Dealing with a difficult subject head-on, the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA’s new show, “Monuments”—co-presented by the museum and nonprofit the Brick (formerly LAXART)—juxtaposes both intact and vandalized Confederate monuments with contemporary artwork. The show looks at the recent wave of monument removals from a historic perspective and encourages discourse about challenging topics amid an ongoing national debate about the role of these statues and what they represent. Tickets for the special exhibition are $18, though if you book far enough ahead of time, you can take advantage of free admission on the first Friday of every month.

The Hammer Museum’s excellent, ongoing series of biennial exhibitions ups the ante with each edition of its spotlight on emerging and under-recognized L.A. artists. This October’s exhibition—the seventh such show—brings together works from 28 artists, spanning film, painting, theater, photography, sculpture and video, that engage with the city of Los Angeles. A 20-foot-high inflatable, Buggy Bear Crashes Made in L.A. by Alake Shilling, welcomes you to the museum on the corner of Wilshire and Glendon. 

Don’t go in the water, but do go to the Academy Museum to see the largest exhibition ever dedicated to Steven Spielberg’s original summer blockbuster, Jaws—which is celebrating its 50th anniversary. The museum was already home to the last surviving model shark from filming, but now you can go behind the scenes and see some 200 original objects from the film across multiple galleries. Some highlights: a re-creation of the Orca fishing boat, the dorsal fin used both in Jaws and its sequels, costumes worn by the central trio and a room full of vintage film posters and merch promoting the film. There are interactive elements, too: You can have your own Chief Brody dolly-zoom moment (and see the lens used to film the famous shot), play the iconic John Williams two-note score and control a replica of the mechanical shark.

The Natural History Museum’s taxidermy dioramas turn a century old this year, and to celebrate the museum is reviving an entire hall of displays that’ve been dark for decades. Expect some fresh approaches to these assembled snapshots of the wilderness, including alebrijes made of recycled materials, a crystalline depiction of pollution and a tech-driven display of the L.A. River.

More than 50 works on display at the Autry showcase how Indigenous artists have crafted visions of alternative futures in the face of enduring colonial trauma, with surreal spacescapes from Wendy Red Star, pop culture commentaries by Andy Everson and a site-specific space odyssey created by Virgil Ortiz.