Rising nearly 100 feet (30.4 meters) into the sky over South Central Los Angeles, self-taught artist Simon Rodia’s spires of salvaged steel encrusted with shells, pottery shards, and old mirrors took 33 years to build. The structure had become a beloved monument by the time Rodia completed Watts Towers in 1954. Take a guided tour of this folk art masterpiece through the Watts Towers Art Center, which also offers exhibitions by contemporary artists from the local community and beyond.

Housed in two hangars near the Van Nuys Airport, the massive collection at this museum displays neon signs rescued from demolition, artifacts from beloved local restaurants, and movie memorabilia from the personal collections of the makeup artists, prop-makers, and actors who made their homes in the Valley. Highlights include the original Volkswagen bus from Fast Times at Ridgemont High and an array of BMX bikes.

From its evocative yet misleading name to the dubious authenticity of many of its exhibits, the Museum of Jurassic Technology presents a thought-provoking meditation on the nature of Los Angeles museums wrapped up in a fanciful and mysterious package. The collection, inspired by 16th-century cabinets of curiosity and accompanied by scholarly interpretive text, includes folk remedies from around the world, microminiature sculptures, dioramas of mobile homes, and more.

From its home inside a vintage movie theater, the Velaslavasay Panorama pays homage to a bygone form of popular entertainment when crowds would flock to gaze at massive, 360-degree paintings. Climb the winding staircase into the panorama’s viewing platform for a truly immersive art experience, enhanced by sound and light effects, as well as three-dimensional foregrounds. Subjects have included pre-settlement Los Angeles, the Arctic, and the city of Shenyang as it looked a century ago.

Los Angeles boasts a wealth of significant homes, from the elegant midcentury modernism of the Stahl House to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Mayan-inspired Hollyhock House. Venture out to leafy Pasadena to marvel at a perfect example of the distinctly Californian Craftsman style at the Gamble House. Designed down to the custom furnishings in 1908 by architects Charles and Henry Greene and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1978, the stunning house is notable for its superb woodwork and art glass.

Train lovers and kids will enjoy this chance to take a train ride through a miniature world. Among the exhibits on railroads, you’ll also find Walt Disney’s Carolwood Barn, the workshop where the animator (one of the museum’s founding members) built his own model railroad. The barn, which originally stood in Disney’s backyard and was moved to the museum in 1999, is open to the public on the third Sunday of every month, while the museum is open for train rides every Sunday.

El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument is well worth a visit for its lively variety of cultural institutions, from the Chinese American Museum to Olvera Street’s Mexican marketplace. The newest addition to the district’s array of free museums is LA Plaza Cocina, a showcase for the city’s legendary Mexican food. With exhibits exploring the history and use of Indigenous ingredients, culinary heirlooms, and family recipes, LA Plaza Cocina also features a teaching kitchen for classes.