Geffen Contemporary, 152 North Central Ave., 213-626-6222, www.moca-la.org; formerly known as the Temporary Contemporary, it began as a temporary space while MOCA was being built, but continues now as an extra exhibit space for MOCA events.

J. Paul Getty Center, 2100 Getty Center Drive, Brentwood, 310-440-7300, www.getty.edu; this $1 billion, 110-acre museum opened in 1997 and houses a vast and impressive collection of art and antiquities. European paintings and sculptures, drawings, decorative arts, and photographs are free to view, but parking is $7. The Getty Villa on the Malibu cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the original site of the Getty Museum, was closed in 1997 for extensive renovations. Re-opened in the fall of 2005, ifs focus is ancient Grecian and Roman art.

Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibition (LACE), 6522 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, 323-957-1777, www.artleak.org, presents contemporary and experimental art in a variety of media.

Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), 5909 Wilshire Blvd., Fairfax District, 323-857-6000, www.lacma.org; houses everything from American and European art to photography to Southeast Asian art. It also has a fine film department featuring lectures and screenings. If a major traveling exhibition is coming to LA it will usually mount the show at LACMA. Admission is $9 for adults, $5 for students and seniors, free for those aged 17 and under.

Museum of African-American Art, 4005 South Crenshaw Blvd., 3rd Fl., 323-294-7071; permanent and rotation exhibits by African-American artists, as well as seasonal events, performances, and lectures. Admission is free.

Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), 250 South Grand Avenue, 213-621-2766, www.moca-la.org; permanent collection features painting, sculpture, live performances, and environmental work, all in a landmark building designed by Arata Isozaki. Free admission Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. General admission is $8, $5 for seniors and students, and free for those under 18.

Norton Simon Museum of Art, 411 West Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, 626-449-6840, www.nortonsimon.org; recently renovated, houses a permanent collection of European art from the Renaissance to the mid-20th century. Admission is $6 for adults, $3 for seniors, free or those under 18.

Santa Monica Museum of Art, Bergamot Station G1, 2525 Michigan Ave, 310-586-6488, www.smoa.org; this small museum features changing contemporary exhibitions. An admission donation is encouraged.

Autry Museum of Western Heritage, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Griffith Park, 323-667-2000, www.autry-museum.org; founded by famed movie cowboy Gene Autry, this museum houses a permanent collection of art and artifacts depicting the history of the American West. Admission is $7.50 for adults, $5 for seniors and students, and $3 for children 2-12. Admission is free on the second Tuesday of every month.

California Heritage Museum, 2612 Main Street, Santa Monica, 310-392-8537, www.californiaheritagemuseum.org; admission is $2, free for children under 12.

California Science Center, 700 State Drive, 323-SCI-ENCE, www.casciencectr.org (formerly the California Museum of Science and Industry); free admission to over 100 interactive exhibits within four themed worlds that demonstrate real-life examples of science at work—the largest of its kind on the West Coast.

The Erotic Museum, 6741 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood, 310-825-4361; www.theeroticmuseum.com; new in 2003, this museum specializes in human sexuality as interpreted through history and art. The first of its kind o the West Coast. Only 18 and over admitted, admission is $12.95 for adults, and $9.95 for students and seniors.    

Peterson Automotive Museum, 6060 Wilshire Blvd., Fairfax District, 323-930-CARS, www.petersen.org; where else, besides Detroit, would you expect to find a museum devoted to the automobile? Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for seniors and students, $3 for children 5-12.

Hollywood Guinness World Records Museum, 6764 Hollywood Blvd., 323-463-6433; showcases record-breaking achievements in entertainment and sports, plus historic human endeavors; $10.95 for adults; $8.50 for seniors, $6.95 for children 6-12.