Things to do in Los Angeles today

The masters of alfresco rooftop movie viewing have returned for another season of screenings to LEVEL in Downtown L.A. 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 (with optional blankets for purchase to up the coziness). 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. Find the full schedule on their site, or in our outdoor movie calendar.

This exhibition of 21 soundstage-sized installations has floated its way into L.A. Don’t expect mere bundles of birthday balloons: Instead, these pieces range from room-filling ball pits to reflective LED tunnels to giant grabbable bubbles, all inspired by air in some way. The “museum” part of the name might be a little bit of a stretch (though each photogenic piece is actually credited to a named artist), but the “Let’s Fly” edition of this touring show is a more fun experience than your run-of-the-mill made-for-Instagram attraction: Whether you’re bonking the bouncy “Ginjos,” pushing a charcoal-tipped sphere or getting swept up in a staticky whirlwind of balloons, there are some undeniably entertaining—and yes, very photogenic—hands-on scenes here.

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 exhibit spotlights influential artists in the Chicano lowrider art scene. Even if you have no interest in cars, this colorful showcase of 20-plus lowered cars and bikes is excellent: The candy-colored paint jobs are dazzling, and the craftsmanship of the customizations—many vehicles are on display with their engines and undercarriages visible—is remarkable. You’ll learn a little bit of history here, how the “low and slow” movement is rooted in the postwar Mexican American zoot suit counterculture, but largely this is an excuse to ogle some L.A. automotive icons.

From November 18 through mid-February next year, Koreatown’s Boba Bear is transforming into Arcane’s Last Drop Bar to promote the popular Netflix show’s second season. Inside the pop-up, guests will be transported straight into the heart of Zaun, where they can imbibe Arcane-inspired soju cocktails, plus a non-alcoholic option (“Shimmers”) served in a snazzy commemorative glowing glass tube. Expect plenty of games and photo ops in the space, which is decked out in the fictional city’s gritty, steampunk aesthetic, plus build-your-own cocktail classes and cosplay contests. Tickets start at $10 and are open to all ages, and each admission includes a beverage (except for Shimmers).

We kind of just take it for granted when we gawk at a screen, but there’s a ton of science and craft behind the use of color in film. This Academy Museum exhibition dives into just that, with more than 150 objects—cameras, costumes, props and film posters—from the 1890s to today. The show’s rainbow-sequence costume gallery—with pieces from Django Unchained, The Shining and the return of Dorothy’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz—is a visual feast of recognizable cinema relics. But the most eye-catching components come in the hands-on Color Arcade, where you can splash digital paint across a screen or press into the stretchy recreation of Oskar Fischinger’s Lumigraph, a trippy illuminated instrument. “Color in Motion” is broken up into six areas: 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; tinted reels of otherwise-black-and-white silent films; the narrative role of color; and experimental works (the Color Arcade fills that sixth slot). The show debuts alongside “Cyberpunk: Envisioning Possible Futures Through Cinema,” a comparatively smaller exhibition in the museum’s central double-height gallery. On the bottom floor, you can watch a supercut of films in the genre, while upstairs features props and artwork from Blade Runner, The Terminator and Ex Machina, plus a...

Sure, the holidays are over, but that doesn’t mean we want to stop pretending it’s winter in L.A. yet! The city of West Hollywood is throwing its hat into the outdoor ice skating scene by transforming West Hollywood Park into a rink and a Winter Village with photo ops and a general store. A 90-minute skating session will cost you $22. There are also free festivities on offer at the end of the month: On Saturday, January 25, from 1–4pm, the park’s South Lawn will host a Winter Wonderland with activities, crafts, music, games, hot cocoa and festive treats (free entry, no RSVP required). And a free Polar Plunge Pool Party on January 26 (4–6pm) on the fifth floor of the West Hollywood Aquatic and Recreation Center offers a less intimidating take on the New Year’s tradition, with a heated pool, games, giveaways, arts and crafts and apple cider. You can RSVP here.

A collaboration with the Carnegie Observatories and the Griffith Observatory, this LACMA exhibition brings together a global collection of pieces, from the Stone Age to today, that reflect humans’ ever-evolving attempts to explain the origins of the universe. Alongside pieces of sacred artwork and architecture, you can expect some heady, scientifically-minded contemporary works—like a teaser from Josiah McElheny that’s already on display in the center of the Resnick Pavilion. Island Universe features five reflective, rod-encircled spheres; each individual sculpture is supposed to represent a different parallel universe, and each branching rod the passage of time.  

Gawk at a collection of mid-20th-century illuminated pieces from Andy Warhol, Dan Flavin, Allen Rupperberg and eight others when the Norton Simon mounts this display of electric art.

What better spot to mark the Lunar New Year than “the happiest place on earth”? Disney California Adventure commemorates the Year of the Snake with a month of multicultural celebrations. Kids can look forward to photo ops and parade processions with Mulan, Mushu, and Mickey and Minnie Mouse, while adults will find a tasty reprieve with treats from China, Korea and Vietnam. You’ll find festive lanterns and the bulk of the activity around Paradise Gardens Park, the Bay Area-esque boardwalk that runs past the Little Mermaid ride. It’s there that you’ll find a half-dozen food carts set up just for the occasion, with special menu items offered at even more preexisting restaurants. If you opt for the Sip and Savor pass ($46), you’ll have six vouchers that are valid for a selection of options at all of the spots (though sometimes at a slightly smaller tasting size). It’s a fun option, but you won’t necessarily save money this way; the tasty BBQ pork bun with kimchi mayo and garlic chile crunch ($9) at Prosperity Bao & Buns just barely beats the $8 average to maximize the value of your selections, though the mandarin orange mousse cake ($6.75) at Lucky 8 Lantern falls under that. Regardless, when it comes to the festival carts, find the one with the shortest line and order all of your picks from there: You can pick among the entire menu of festival offerings at any marketplace stall and then just present your receipt to get your food at its respective location. As for...

Everyone’s favorite murder mystery parody of true crime podcasts makes the jump from TV to IRL with this Only Murders in the Building escape room. Part of the Westfield Century City will flip into a faux movie set, where you’ll be tasked with tracking down a missing film reel. Held about a week after the season four debut of the Hulu series, this second iteration of an OMITB escape room (which is coming to New York, as well) has put together an entirely new mystery and setting: an hour-long investigation of a movie set, where Oliver, Charles and Mabel are trying to find a missing reel to save both the in-universe movie adaptation of their podcast, as well as Oliver’s career. You can expect hidden bookcase doorways and secret passageways mixed in with easter eggs from the Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez series. You’ll find the event starting on September 7 at the Escape Game, located on the second floor of the mall, between Bloomingdale’s and Anthropologie. Unlike last year’s debut event, this one isn’t free: Tickets cost $50, though you can save $10 during the presale period; bookable time slots open up on August 27.