Petersen Automotive Museum
Petersen Automotive Museum
4.5
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Rated the #1 Automotive museum in the world, the Petersen Automotive Museum is dedicated to the exploration and presentation of the automobile and its impact on Global life and culture. The museum features 25 galleries with more than 350 vehicles on display between the main floors and exclusive Vault. Visitors can immerse themselves in the 1000's of stories on display in the museum.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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Neighborhood: Mid-Wilshire
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See what travelers are saying
- Sharon YLeven, United Kingdom43 contributionsPricey but a must-do for car enthusiastsOur family love cars, and we loved this museum! Definitely the best car museum we've ever been to. Even though it ended up being over $100 for 3 of us (including The Vault admission), which is a lot for a museum visit, it was well worth it.Visited October 2023Traveled with familyWritten October 20, 2023
- MNowosadSan Jose, California184 contributionsGreat collection of vintage carsVery cool collection of vintage cars, with permanent and rotating exhibitions, from historical and classic vehicles to sports cars and famous cars used in the movies. This time the museum had a special event celebrating the 75th anniversary of Porsche, displaying many beautiful automobiles made by the famed German manufacturer. You don't need to be a car aficionado to totally enjoy a visit to this museum.Visited October 2023Traveled soloWritten October 21, 2023
- lucycanSan Diego, California3,658 contributionsGreat stopFirst time here in nearly 25 years. Easy parking, was about $25 for a few hours. Nice exhibits including the Vault which was $25pp extra. Wish there was more modern stuff but still nice.Visited November 2023Traveled with familyWritten November 19, 2023
- WayneTokoroa, New Zealand467 contributionsWhat a cool placeThis is cool. So much to see, we were surprised by how cool this is. There were so many interesting cars, bikes and exhibits. We were there for 3 hours, it was cool. Staff were so helpful. We timed it perfect and there was a Sunday car display in the upper car park - added bonus. Definitely would visit againVisited November 2023Traveled with familyWritten November 20, 2023
- tauruskvsNavi Mumbai, India147 contributionsPetersen Automotive museum is must visit for auto buffs especially if you are a Tesla buffmy first impression of this museum was a wow. The F1 cars at the entrance was a real treat and i was thrilled to see see and touch them, a dream come true. The various automobiles housed in the three floors of the musuem is a treat for the eyes. So many cars used in different movies, fancy designs from Porsche, Great automotive collectors who have given their vehicles for display. The different models of bikes was eye catching along with the scale models of them. However the Tesla models on the first level is indeed marvellous, how they started and how it has evolved is really interesting and a great lesson on EVs. The AI based robot and other instruments are fascinating. The model of the hyperloop , The Tesla Truck and a crashed Tesla car is worth seeing. Besides one can see the intricate parts of which tesla is made up of all hanging from mid air is excellently displayed. However before i end my review three important ones to be seen are the 1 Shah Of Iran's Bugatti, still inw orking condition and shining. 2 The Rolls Royce Phantom with its circular doors 3. The BATMOBILE which is the most fascinating exhibit. All in an excellent place to visit while you are in Los Angeles. The shape of the museum when viewed from outside is unique and easily recognisable in the museum district.Visited December 2023Traveled with familyWritten December 25, 2023
- SergeGTSAuburn, Washington354 contributionsSuch Fun Time. EVERYTIMEThis place is so great! I traveled here twice from WA just to visit. Always plenty of cool cars to see. Its too bad the vault changed from a guided tour to a self guided tour, but it looks like it got more cars now. I highly recommend a visit.Visited January 2024Traveled soloWritten February 1, 2024
- MichellescottrnPhoenix, Arizona135 contributionsGreat for car loversSuch a fun museum. Tons of autos, from racing to movies. It's definitely worth a visit to the Vault (extra charge). We spent about 2 hours and was able to see the entire place. Great for families, couples, solo.Visited March 2024Traveled with familyWritten March 3, 2024
- LightPacker77720044 contributionsMust See in LAThis is a must see! If your saying, but I'm not a car person... Doesn't matter, these are works of art that include many vehicles seen in movies & TV. They rotate cars around every 3-4 months, so you can go back and see cars you hadn't seen prior. guided tours are about 2 hrs long and make sure you visit the "vault" where they store their 250-300 vehicles. It's insane to see! buy tickets in advance, they are often booked.Visited January 2024Traveled with friendsWritten March 6, 2024
- RockTravel1970Naperville, Illinois59 contributionsA great quick auto museum worth the admission price.It was a great experience overall and worth of the trip. A bit smaller than other places I've been in, but still great. The biggest thing I noticed about this auto museum is the quality of the interiors of every car, especially the older ones. The sections were really neat and distinct: The Porshe area, the Tesla area, and Movie Cars. Each were great and informative. There were areas for the kids and even an interactive section. It took about an hour to go through and probably could have done it in two if I really really read everything. You could pay an additional $70+ bucks to see more than 200 additional cars in the basement, but I passed. You can get discounted parking for $17 or maybe find someone on the road next door. It's a good activity to do when it's raining or looking for something new. Also, the Oscar Museum is just across the street, but I didn't visit.Visited March 2024Traveled soloWritten March 13, 2024
- Andrew Q393 contributionsStrong LA TV and Movie FocusThis is a great museum and I spent more time here that I expected. There is strong focus on the LA motor experience including a short history of motoring on the west coast and displays of cars used in TV and film. Just what you would expect in LA and a focus of other museums as well. Classic cars from the collection display was a good selection. There was also a large display of Porsches to celebrate the 75th anniversary and comprehensive displays on electric cars and Tesla which were topical and interesting.Visited February 2024Traveled soloWritten March 29, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Popular mentions
4.5
2,522 reviews
Excellent
1,771
Very good
550
Average
137
Poor
32
Terrible
32
elizabethlascheid
Los Angeles, CA5,211 contributions
Jan 2020
I expected to be so bored. I had no desire to go to the Peterson Auto Museum, but my grandson saw it on one of our drives so in we went. I thought this will be easy, I won't be reviewing it because I know I won't care for it, so best I keep my opinion to myself. I was so wrong.
This place is super cool. They have every car you can imagine and more. There is a 2.4 million dollar car, whose name escapes me, but that car looks fast. They have low riders, which I love, and great futuristic cars.
If you don't care that much for cars but like art, there is something here for you. Some of these cars have the coolest art work, from fantasy to just funny and all of it done perfectly. Whoever owed these painted cars must have loved them dearly.
They have 2 fees and you can pick which one. There is this area called the "vault" and since we were there, I paid the higher price for the entire museum. I found it to be a fair value. Parking is pricey, which I hate and good luck finding street parking.
All in all it was a fun time and we learned quite a bit. The people that work there are kind and know everything. So, as often happens my little grandson says, "Bubbie stop the car" and I think what he wants he gets and I will just pretend to love it. I am wrong more often than I can count. The kid should be a tour guide of Los Angeles.
This place is super cool. They have every car you can imagine and more. There is a 2.4 million dollar car, whose name escapes me, but that car looks fast. They have low riders, which I love, and great futuristic cars.
If you don't care that much for cars but like art, there is something here for you. Some of these cars have the coolest art work, from fantasy to just funny and all of it done perfectly. Whoever owed these painted cars must have loved them dearly.
They have 2 fees and you can pick which one. There is this area called the "vault" and since we were there, I paid the higher price for the entire museum. I found it to be a fair value. Parking is pricey, which I hate and good luck finding street parking.
All in all it was a fun time and we learned quite a bit. The people that work there are kind and know everything. So, as often happens my little grandson says, "Bubbie stop the car" and I think what he wants he gets and I will just pretend to love it. I am wrong more often than I can count. The kid should be a tour guide of Los Angeles.
Written April 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are happy to hear that you and your grandson had a great time at the Petersen Automotive Museum. We work
our hardest to make sure the Petersen is a fun experience for everyone, and it is worth it for visitors like you and
your grandson. We hope to see you again soon as we have updated our exhibits quite a lot since your last visit.
Thank you for your time and have a great day!
Sincerely,
Michael
Written July 22, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Excursion721402
1 contribution
Dec 2019
This was our second visit in the last two years. Weather you are a automobile enthusiast or just enjoy art, history & museums, I highly recommend a visit to the Petersen. On this visit we upgraded to the vault tour. Although a little pricey, the 1 1/2 - 2 hr. tour is well worth it. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the collection.
Written January 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GlueGuy
Newport, NC110 contributions
Dec 2019
I had a chance in December to visit the museum and spent the better part of a day there. including the "Vault" tour. The cars in the museum are amazing, the presentations are simple and well lit but do leave you wanting more information which ,sadly, seems unavailable. The vault tour (pictures not allowed) is also spectacular but really only cover 30 or 40% of the cars. Again, leaving you wanting more!
Written January 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael T
Chicago, IL67 contributions
Aug 2021
My real interest is contemporary art and LA is packed with museums and collections. I have been an auto racing fan for decades and drive an ancient sports car. So when I close friend suggested visiting the Petersen Automotive Museum, and I was able to get a ticket just days before my visit. I decided to have a look. This collection of early cars, custom cars, sports cars, all kinds of unusual vehicles, motorcycles, and so on, is worth every penny of the reasonable admission fee. Because of Covid restrictions you need to wear a mask, and you need to get your ticket on line before showing up. All a very small price to pay. There is parking right at the museum which I think was $17. Honestly, seeing any ONE of these 300 plus cars motorcycles etc. is worth the price of admission. I ended up spending nearly 3 hours -- this collection is really cool.
Written August 28, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are very happy to hear that you had a great experience at our Museum and that you spent nearly 3 hours! We
are always appreciative of those who take the time out of their day to write about your grand experience at the
Petersen. We are very fortunate to be visited by customers like you. We hope to see you again in the future as we
have updated our exhibits quite a bit. Thank you for your time and have a nice day!
Sincerely,
Michael
Written July 14, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Geokinney
2 contributions
Dec 2019 • Family
My grandson (20) and I (71) made this visit during the Christmas holiday period. The three floors had something for both of us, vintage, modern, and racing automobiles. We also went on the Vault tour. The engaging tour guide was very knowledgeable. He was able to hold everyone's attention which included pre-teenagers to folks older than I. Money well spent.
Written January 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Peter L
4 contributions
Sep 2022
My son and I enjoyed our visit. The museum is well laid out and the displays have informative story boards.
If you are an automotive enthusiast, I would definitely recommend spending the extra money to tour the basement storage area known as "The Vault". The cars in the vault are parked in rows rather than in museum displays but our guide was very knowledgable and he enjoyed sharing stories about many of the cars.
If you are an automotive enthusiast, I would definitely recommend spending the extra money to tour the basement storage area known as "The Vault". The cars in the vault are parked in rows rather than in museum displays but our guide was very knowledgable and he enjoyed sharing stories about many of the cars.
Written September 28, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
VirginiaCW
Mount Pleasant, SC962 contributions
Jan 2022
A great experience on a drizzly day in LA... anytime really...in an old department store, there are 3 full floors of cars from Mercedes Benz first electric touring car to the newest concept cars out of Detroit and the OC. There is a gift store on the first floor, as well as discovery and sim areas on the second floor, for kids and adults respectively, that are temporarily closed due to CoVid.
The day we went, the first floor had an exhibit that was the history of Pinnin Farina design and manufacturing at one end, and every vehicle that had ever been in every James Bond movie throughout the rest of the floor. Wonderful for movie lovers.
Pay extra and take a guided Vault tour - of the hundreds of cars locked away in the former parking garage - that takes 90 minutes and covers 125 years of more unique automotive examples from the US and other parts of the world, and most every movie too.
Photos are not allowed in the vault, but may be taken in the main areas.
Even for those of us who get tired in museums, we were fascinatingly amused for almost 4 full hours.
Beware though, this is one of the only museums anywhere that has no food area - even if it were on the edges away from the cars.
The day we went, the first floor had an exhibit that was the history of Pinnin Farina design and manufacturing at one end, and every vehicle that had ever been in every James Bond movie throughout the rest of the floor. Wonderful for movie lovers.
Pay extra and take a guided Vault tour - of the hundreds of cars locked away in the former parking garage - that takes 90 minutes and covers 125 years of more unique automotive examples from the US and other parts of the world, and most every movie too.
Photos are not allowed in the vault, but may be taken in the main areas.
Even for those of us who get tired in museums, we were fascinatingly amused for almost 4 full hours.
Beware though, this is one of the only museums anywhere that has no food area - even if it were on the edges away from the cars.
Written January 22, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Good afternoon and thank you so much for your kind words! We would like to take the opportunity to tell you that
all of our exhibits are now open and while our cafe is still closed, a new restaurant will open in late August
and/or mid September. Again, we appreciate you taking the time out of your day to write a well detailed and nice
review for our Museum. We hope to see you soon!
Sincerely,
Michael
Written July 13, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Robert N
14 contributions
Aug 2021
While I was visiting LA with my son, some local people recommended the Petersen Automotive Museum. I recognized the name Petersen immediately because the Petersen Publishing Company edited the auto magazines, I read as a kid.
Tickets are purchased on the web, their rates and gift shop were reasonable, $25 total for the two of us. Free parking after a nominal gift shop purchase, or $17 without one.
The cars were excellent. A few motorcycles too, like the first Triumph to win the Baja. Easy to social distance because of the large airy size. If you're visiting make this a half day of your trip.
Tickets are purchased on the web, their rates and gift shop were reasonable, $25 total for the two of us. Free parking after a nominal gift shop purchase, or $17 without one.
The cars were excellent. A few motorcycles too, like the first Triumph to win the Baja. Easy to social distance because of the large airy size. If you're visiting make this a half day of your trip.
Written September 9, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are so glad the Petersen's was able to give you and your son an excellent experience seeing all the cars in our
collection. We are always appreciative of customers who take the time out of their day to write about the great
times they had. We hope that you will come back to the Petersen sometime in the near future as we have updated
our exhibits since your visit. Thank you and have a great day!
Sincerely,
Michael
Written July 14, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Carlin35
Oxnard, CA103 contributions
Feb 2020
A group of us took a fun trip to visit the Petersen Auto Museum. Excellent protected inside parking. Entry fees very reasonable. This is a three story building. Certain areas require additional fees. Contains an excellent exhibit of the beginning of autos up until the present time. Many old and new vehicles are on display and make good subjects for photos. Clean Bathrooms on each floor. Nice restaurant in the building. A number of famous cars used in the entertainment field/movies are exhibited and bring back memories of James Bond, etc. Young people would enjoy the exhibits. I recommend a visit if you are in the area.
Written February 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your glowing recommendation and very positive review of the Petersen Automotive
Museum! We are delighted to hear that you had a wonderful time at our establishment and enjoyed many of our
exhibits. We hope to see you again soon as we have updated our exhibits quite a lot since your last visit. There's a
lot of new cars to see! Thank you for your time and have a great day!
Sincerely,
Michael
Written August 10, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Journey41888864769
1 contribution
Jan 2020
I did the vault tour here, and if you are a car nerd like myself you should absolutely do it. The other cars in the museum are mostly concept art or were film/video game industry cars which are cool but the main attraction in my opinion is the vault tour. Our guide was very knowledgeable and there was an amazing collection of cars. I hope that later there is a more extensive tour of the vault; there are over 100 cars and I would love to go over each and every one of them but I know that's not necessarily feasible.
Written January 21, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Do you think it is necessary to buy tickets in advance? I will go on a weekend, but I will go outside of the Oscar period in February.
Written January 26, 2020
Hello, how are you? I didn't buy in advance, I went in a quiet time. I don't know how to answer this question, sorry.
Written January 27, 2020
Is the museum in a safe neighborhood?
Written June 23, 2019
We did not feel it was at an unsafe location. Pulled right into a clean, well maintained and well lit parking garage. We would definitely recommend a visit to the awesome museum.
Written June 26, 2019
This might be a stupid question as I’m from Australia and we don’t do tips.
But if I do the vault tour do i tip the guy that does it ? Thanks in advance!
Written April 30, 2019
We never did and I did not get the impression that he was looking for one.
Written May 1, 2019
When planning this tour into your holiday how much time should I allow? Whole day, half day or just a couple of hours?
Written March 23, 2019
Sorry, hit the wrong key. To continue, the visit we took started with short vault tour at about 12.30. We then explored the rest of the display and left just in time to get caught up in rush hour. PLEASE NOTE: Cameras CANNOT BE USED IN THE VAULT. Rules will be explained before entering the vault. PS, We were staying in Long Beach.
Written March 24, 2019
My husband is thinking of visiting the Petersen Museum. Everybody recommends taking the vault tour. Now, my husband doesn't speak English (only Spanish). Are the tours only in English or can you ask for audioguides in other languagues? If tours are only in English, is it possible to visit the vault without taking the tour?
Thanks so much.
Gabriela.
Written February 25, 2019
Hi Gabriella,
We did not do the vault tour . There were no ausibles in the museum.
Written March 1, 2019
Yes it runs through Los Angeles and although it's acknowledged with small Route 66 signs, the route now, of course goes by a number of different street names.
I would refer you to, The Route66 , Not only does it show the exact route, also with many photos showing what it looked like then, during it's heyday and what is still left. Lots of interesting history.
Written July 13, 2018
Totstow
Toulouse, France
Bonjour, Totstow. Que voudriez-vous savoir sur cette attraction ?
How do we get to and from the museum from LAX
Written January 30, 2017
hi! the truth is I went to this museum by car so don't really know how to go from LAX but im sure you can go by bus doing some connections.
The museum its awesome! if you are a carfan! you must go. Cars from 1920 to know ones... even prototypes.... and movie cars. A great museum!
Written February 2, 2017
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