The best things to do in Los Angeles this week

At the Natural History Museum, First Fridays mean dinosaurs and DJs. The first Friday of every month through June, you’ll find a KCRW-presented evening of music and hands-on learning, allowing visitors of all ages to stay late for a night at the museum. Each month offers a different lineup of musical guests and DJs, art installations, guided museum tours and scientist-led talks in the new NHM Commons. This weekend’s “Experiencing Sound” installment is dedicated to the science and art of sound healing. Stones Throw Records’ Automatic and Doris Anahi, as well as DJs Wyldeflower and January, provide the night’s live music, and a Sound Lounge with Doe Paoro offers soothing sound baths.

For the first time, REDCAT is transform its theater into a ’70s-style disco as part of its festival “To the Fullest: The Music of Julius Eastman and Arthur Russell.” Dance along as Grammy-nominated orchestral collective Wild Up performs composer Russell’s titular minimalist disco masterwork—an open-form jam for ensemble, percussion, keyboards and voices—at a show meant to evoke a large-scale dance party in Downtown New York, where the work premiered in 1979.

One of L.A.’s best free live-music offerings, Jazz at LACMA has featured legit legends over its three-decade run at the museum. Seating for the program is available in the museum’s plaza on a first-come, first-served basis, though you’re welcome to picnic on the grass, too (you won’t really be able to see the show, but you’ll still hear it). You’ll find the series on Friday evenings in LACMA’s welcome plaza (just behind Urban Light) throughout the summer.

Need a little lunch break relaxation? Log off, grab a bite and head to Colburn School Plaza for one of these free concerts by the renowned school’s students, held Tuesdays at noon from April 15 to May 6. 

Plenty of spots may get in on the Star Wars-inspired fun for May the 4th, but how many can boast an appearance from R2-D2? Head to the Academy Museum and you can pose with the fan-favorite Droid in the lobby (10:30am–noon, 2–4pm; included in admission, $25), take a  space-themed museum tour, listen to scientist talks and even learn the ways of the force. There are also three (separately ticketed) Star Wars screenings throughout the day: The Phantom Menace at 11am, The Empire Strikes Back at 3pm and The Rise of Skywalker at 7:30pm.

Sure, you could go to any mall and buy the latest fragrance from Chanel, but only at the Grove can you step inside of a space inspired by Chance Eau Splendide and pose for photos inside a larger-than-life bottle. Swing by from April 30 to May 18 to try different interpretations of the fragrance as well as related body care products (all available for purchase as well).

Listening to live poetry in the Getty Center’s Central Garden—can you think of a more idyllic way to spend an afternoon? For the next three Wednesdays, the museum is hosting a series of live readings inspired by the special exhibition What They Saw: Historical Photobooks by Women, 1843–1999, currently on view in the Getty’s pop-up reading room. The second installment features Camae Ayewa with Veronica C. Ratliff on violin on April 23, followed by Solange Aguilar on April 30. Make a free reservation, bring a blanket, settle in and take in the inspiring points of view (and city views!).

Explore the Autry into the evening at the Griffith Park museum’s Thursday-night series that spotlights the city’s emerging and established artists, musicians, poets, writers. Every Thursday night this month, enjoy May Music Nights and Cowboy Cocktails.

Sure, you’ve seen the archival television clips of the Beatles’ famous appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, but what about firsthand, long-lost photographs from that same time shot by one of the band members? This spring, Beverly Hills gallery Gagosian displays 36 recently rediscovered photographs of the Beatles, all captured by Paul McCartney himself. A mix of black-and-white and color prints, the McCartney photos were shot during peak of Beatlemania, from December 1963 to February 1964. Expect to see a mix of self-portraits of Paul and candid shots of John, George and Ringo—as well as hysterical fans waiting outside the windows of the band’s car.

The first time you listened to “Ya Ya,” you just knew that Cowboy Carter was made for the stage, right? Well, Beyoncé will finally tour behind her country-influenced album, and the limited run of dates includes five nights in L.A. at SoFi Stadium.

LA Opera is hosting a free early Cinco de Mayo celebration of Latino artistry and culture at the Music Center’s Jerry Moss Plaza. Immediately after the opera’s matinee performance of Ainadamar, all are welcome to enjoy musical performances by all-female mariachi ensembles Las Colibrí and Mariachi Divas, flamenca dancers Jessica Perez and Jasmine Elis San Nicholas, and LA Opera Connects’ Zarzuela Project. Meanwhile, local artisans—from booksellers to painters—will be selling goods at an outdoor mercado. For refreshments, tacos, buñuelos and signature cocktails will be on offer.

A favorite of in-the-know shoppers, MAUM Market champions AAPI artists, creatives and entrepreneurs, and the result is a mindfully curated shopping experience. Founded in 2022, MAUM regularly pops up both in New York and in L.A., at ROW DTLA. Find accessories, art, kids’ toys, beauty and wellness goodies, ceramics, clothing, jewelry and home wares at the family-friendly and pet-friendly pop-up.

The Skirball’s latest pop culture exhibition takes a deep dive into the six-decade career of legendary comic book artist Jack Kirby. You might know him as the co-creator of Captain America, Black Panther, the Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men and some of the Marvel universe’s most cosmic characters. But did you know he was also a first-generation Jewish American born to immigrant parents, World War II veteran and family man who split his time between New York and Los Angeles? Learn about his life and see Kirby’s original comic illustrations, as well as other works—many on view for the first time.

Wally Amos, founder of Famous Amos cookies—the vending-machine favorite of sweet tooths everywhere—was also famous for his block parties in the 1970s and ’80s. To honor him and celebrate 50 years of the brand, Famous Amos is throwing a free block party at 6800 Hollywood Blvd, outside El Capitan Theatre, with music, dancing, art and plenty of cookies. See artist OG Slick paint a mural live, listen to live music and DJ sets, watch break dancers and double-dutch jumpers do their thing, strap on some skates at a pop-up roller rink and walk through a showcase of lowriders while you nibble on cookies.

The Music Center’s longstanding Very Special Arts Festival is expanding with this half-day fest at Jerry Moss Plaza, where art and science will unite with dozens of educational, hands-on activities. Open to Angelenos of all ages and abilities, the free, family-friendly event will offer dance performances, Taiko drumming lessons, art-making workshops with an educational angle and more. Afterward, you can head across the street to Gloria Molina Grand Park for more art, music, dance, food at the also-free Arts Fest by LAUSD (9am–4pm).

Like a Halloween version of its Yuletide Cinemaland series, Street Food Cinema will turn Heritage Square Museum into a spooky, cinematic playground—and yes, we’re well aware we’re months from Halloween still. But Boo-ze, Bites & Frights returns in May with this “Half-o-ween” celebration, which pairs screenings of The Craft and Final Destination with carnival games, home tours and a handful of bars.

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 the Mayan with this exuberant spectacle. Fill up on tequila and tamales while you watch Aztec dancers and luchadores. This time around, it’s a Cinco de Mayo edition of masked Mexican wrestling, burlesque stripteasing, amazing aerialists, live music and comedic commentating.

Scoring an invite to Hollywood’s iconic, members-only magician clubhouse isn’t too tricky, but it does require a bit of research or networking. So why not make that process a whole lot easier and see some stellar magic at the same time? The Academy of Magic Arts and the Magic Castle are hosting three live shows of illusions and sleight of hand tricks at Downtown L.A.’s United Theater on Broadway this May, and each ticket purchase includes an invite to the Hollywood club (though you’ll still have to pay the door and dinner fee for that future visit).

L.A. has changed immeasurably since 1921, when this event was first staged as an agricultural fair. However, the perennially popular event still has farm-friendly appeal (livestock beauty contests, local produce) alongside the more modern wine tastings, exhibitions, concerts (this year’s headliners include War, Shaggy and Cheap Trick), skating rink and carnival rides. This year’s theme, “Art Unleashed,” celebrates culinary arts, visual arts, performing arts and fine arts.

Explore the history of early Los Angeles life with free admission to six museums in Northeast L.A. and Pasadena. The annual Museums of the Arroyo Day is the perfect opportunity to brush up on historical architecture—the Gamble House, Heritage Square and the Lummis Home—and relics from L.A.’s past—the L.A. Police Museum and Pasadena Museum of History and South Pasadena Historical Museum. In addition to free entry, you’ll find shuttle service between all six museums (though visiting three stops at most is recommended for the best experience). Some of the sites are bike- and A Line-friendly as well. 

This laid-back, Gen X-ish music fest will once again take over the Redondo Beach coastline for three days in May. Lenny Kravitz, Sublime, Alanis Moriessette, Train, Cake, Pretenders, O.A.R., Mt. Joy and Jackson Browne top this year’s lineup.

This annual film festival—now in its 41st year—simultaneously celebrates and launches the careers of Asian and Asian American filmmakers, showcasing both emerging and established voices. For this edition, you’ll find a mix of screenings and programs at venues in West Hollywood, Little Tokyo, and Monterey Park, including the Democracy Center at the Japanese American National Museum, Gardena Cinema, Landmark Theatres Sunset and the Directors Guild of America, where the fest will kick off with the world premiere of Surrender, starring Gilmore Girls’ Keiko Agena. In all, the lineup boasts 27 features and some 110 shorts. See the full schedule here. 

With Halloween Horror Nights still a ways off, Universal Studios Hollywood is debuting a brand-new after-hours event—and this one is all about fans, not frights. On select nights through May 18, the theme park will brings the fandoms for a range of franchises together, immersing guests in the worlds of Star Trek, Dungeons & Dragons, One Piece, Jujutsu Kaisen and Back to the Future—especially exciting if you still miss the theme park’s erstwhile DeLorean ride. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Super Nintendo World are also getting in on the action, with exclusive merch, menu items and the debut of fan-favorite Mario character Yoshi, plus a new light show, “Hogwarts Always,” projected on the castle. Costumes (as long as they follow these guidelines) are encouraged.

Treat your ears to a vibrant concert on a spring or summer night this year by attending MUSE/IQUE’s annual program. This monthly series of performances, held at cultural venues across L.A., features a mix of performances inspired by music movements and public figures, including tributes to Ray Charles, immigrant film composers, the Memphis sound, Etta James and more. The best way to attend is to become a MUSE/IQUE member; you could make a $75 donation to the performing arts nonprofit for a single event (with the exception of September’s free open house), but if you’re interested in more than just one, it’s cheaper per event to become a full-fledged member.

This chill fest—quite literally compared to the scorching desert outings—brings a few dozen acts to San Luis Obispo. This year’s lineup includes Jungle, Wallows, Goth Babe, Odd Mob, Kream and Briston Maroney at Dairy Creek Golf Course.

L.A.’s star-studded lecture series returns—both virtually and in person—with a lineup of writers, artists, performers, scientists and business leaders who will graciously blow your mind. For both online and IRL events, you’ll often have the option of purchasing a signed copy of the speaker’s book, as well. This week, José Andrés will discuss his newest book: Change
the Recipe: Because You Can’t Build a Better World Without Breaking Some Eggs.

Known for excellent film choices and a steady supply of snacks and booze, Rooftop Cinema Club is your snazzy, comfortable and less stressful alternative to other outdoor movie screenings. You don’t even need to bring your own camping chair—Rooftop Cinema Club provides you with your very own comfy lawn chair. And instead of listening to the movie over loudspeakers, you’ll get a set of wireless headphones so you never have to miss a word. Enjoy a steady stream of modern classics (The Dark Knight, Pride & Prejudice) and local favorites (La La Land, Friday), as well as the occasional TV marathon. This May the 4th weekend, you’ll also find two screenings of Star Wars: A New Hope.

The iconic Hollywood Roosevelt hotel is honoring the spirit of L.A. with poolside screenings of some favorite films featuring the city. Tickets are super reasonable ($12), and all proceeds from sales will go toward wildfire relief efforts, specifically Baby2Baby, which provides essential resources to families in need. And don’t worry if it’s a chilly night: Towels, blankets and heaters are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Find the series running every Thursday night through the end of June.

Watch a slate of classics from the past couple of decades on one of the prettiest rooftops—now called Oasis—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.

The hour stands before another springtime, and the Renaissance Pleasure Faire is nigh. Good mistresses and masters, prepareth thy schedules and costumes for the return of the oldest Ren Faire in the country, a spectacle that cov’reth 20 Irwindale acres with Elizabethan libations and amusement: fully armored joust tournaments and tea parties with the queen along with beguiling stage acts, rides, games, delicious edibles and ales abound. The festivities will transpire each weekend at the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area; procureth day or season passes in advance by visiting ye olde online box office. And no, we can’t stop talking like this.

Swing by Echo Park’s analog video shop and microcinema WHAMMY! for this monthly pairing of natural wines with award-winning and cult short films. So maybe you’ll catch an animated short about Korean moms that’s paired with a Korean rice wine, a Slovenian selection presented with a pinot noir from the Central European nation, or even a local piece about that jet that dumped fuel over Southeast L.A. paired with an orange wine from L.A. that looks—but thankfully doesn’t taste—like jet fuel. Each edition of VinoVideo includes four pairings, plus Q&As with both filmmakers and winemakers. Enter around the back of the Sunset Boulevard shop (where you’ll find an after-party, as well).

The Boy Who Lived lives on in a wizardly spectacle. As though it had cast a Shrinking Charm on itself, the formerly two-part epic is now a single magical show, albeit a long one—and one that our New York critic awarded five stars. The Tony winner for best play is finally bringing its touring production to Los Angeles, casting a spell over the Pantages Theatre through June.

After popping up at D23 and Long Beach shopping center 2nd & PCH, themed mini-golf experience Pixar Putt has landed at its most logical home: the Pixar Place Hotel, close to California Adventure and its Pixar Pier. Putt your way through 18 themed holes and step into the stories of Pixar favorites including Toy Story, The Incredibles, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, Coco, A Bug’s Life, Wall-E and Inside Out. Opening weekend is sold out, but don’t worry: The course will remain open through June 1.

Nature lovers, rejoice! Spend a day at the Natural History Museum’s Butterfly Pavilion, which will be open March 23 through August 24 and be home to up to 30 butterfly and moth species, as well as an assortment of California plants. The seasonal outdoor exhibit allows for adults and children alike to witness nature up close—we’re talking walking amid hundreds of butterflies and having them land on your arms or shoulders. Tip: The prime time for these unique butterfly flight experiences is typically between 10am and 11am each morning.

Austrian-born Helmut Lang walked away from fashion 20 years ago to focus solely on art. Now, thanks to the MAK Center for Art and Architecture, his first solo institutional exhibition is opening in Los Angeles—in the historic Schindler House, no less. Curated by Desert X founding artistic director and Frieze Projects curator Neville Wakefield, the show consists of a series of fist-like freestanding sculptures made with found or discarded materials that “both imagine the future and materialize the past.”

On the 50th anniversary of the Norton Simon Museum, look back to when Simon took over management of the Pasadena Art Museum in 1975, then ahead to the museum’s exciting future at this retrospective exhibition. See rare photos from the museum’s archives, and learn about the history of its major acquisitions, exhibitions, building and gardens—which are currently undergoing a transformation.

The Los Angeles–based conceptual artist and now-retired CalArts educator is back with his first L.A. solo exhibition since 2019, debuting new works from his Numbers and Trees series. The colorful and complex works combine Plexiglas, watercolors and his signature numeric grid systems to depict the baobab trees Gaines photographed on a recent trip to Tanzania. The show opens February 19 with a conversation between the artist and LACMA’s Naima J. Keith, followed by an opening reception (6–8pm). The event is free, but reservations are recommended.

After its fall debut at Walt Disney Concert Hall as part of PST ART, artist Doug Aitken’s multimedia collab with the L.A. Phil and L.A. Master Chorale makes the jump to the Marciano Art Foundation. The free museum mounts the multi-channel video piece in its massive theater gallery, which you can see during routine opening hours (Tue–Sat 11am–6pm). But look out for separate reservations for weekly (typically on Saturdays) live performances organized by both musical ensembles.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House—centerpiece of Barnsdall Art Park and Los Angeles’ only UNESCO World Heritage Site—just might be the most stunning backdrop for an art exhibition. And, in this case, the home is the subject itself, too. L.A.-based photographer Ireland captured the intricate details of the Hollyhock House in 21 photographs on display throughout the onetime residence.

See over 50 garments from Diane von Furstenberg, best known for her iconic wrap dress, during this career-spanning exhibition at the Skirball. Alongside artwork and fabric swatches, the show will also focus on her philanthropic work as well as how her life was shaped as the daughter of a Holocaust survivor.

Pasadena’s USC Pacific Asia Museum hosts this exhibition based on the Getty’s scientific research into Cai Guo-Qiang’s gunpowder art. The show fills up nearly the entire museum with a vast selection of the artist’s work alongside scientific imagery exploring the nature of gunpowder and Cai’s process in using it.

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.

“Color in Motion” features close to 150 objects—pieces of technology, costumes, props and film posters—from the 1890s to today. Broken up into six themes, the exhibition looks at the connection between color, music and movement, like in early dance and animated shorts; decades of color technologies, from Technicolor processes and Disney’s women-led Ink & Paint Department to contemporary digital tools; monochrome silent films; the narrative role of color; and experimental works.

This spectacular exhibition from the Icelandic–Danish artist brings a new series of optical installations to MOCA’s Little Tokyo location. Don’t let the reflective, colorful pieces fool you into thinking this is some run-of-the-mill “immersive” exhibit: Olafur Eliasson’s works invite you to admire the everyday miracles of physics that shape how we see the world.

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.

It’s more than just the low clearance: This exhibition at the Petersen explores the custom paint, engraving, upholstery and, of course, the gravity-defying suspension of the lowrider scene. In addition to iconic cars, the show spotlights influential artists in the Chicano lowrider art scene.

Study the technical and cultural background of colorful clay vessels, textiles, bark-paper pages and sculptures in the Indigenous Americas—and how their significance has been downplayed among colonialist histories—during this LACMA exhibition.