Urban Light at LACMA. Photo by Christina Champlin / We Like L.A.

The intent of this “cheat-sheet” is to denote specific free days in any given month where Los Angeles museums that normally charge an admission waive their entry fees (not including parking). This list is for January, 2020.

A couple key notes to remember for this month: First, MOCA begins its new free general admission policy on Jan. 11, and they are kicking things off with special festivities at both downtown locations on that date. Second, this year’s annual SoCal Museum Free-For-All takes place on Saturday, Jan. 25. There are over 40 participants for this year’s event. Definitely bookmark that date!

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Keep in mind there are over two dozen museums in and around Los Angeles that offer free admission ALL the time which are not listed here. We’ve compiled a handy list of ALL of those free museums (including favorites like The Getty, Getty Villa, California Science Center, California African American Museum, The Hammer Museum, and more) if you’d like to explore all your freebie options for January.

Free Museum Days – January 2020

[JAN 1] Autry National Center of the American West

[JAN 2] Japanese American National Museum (from 5 to 8 p.m.)

[JAN 2] MOCA Grand & MOCA Geffen (from 5 to 8 p.m.)

[JAN 2] Skirball Cultural Center (noon to 5 p.m.)

[JAN 2] Huntington Library (note that you have to reserve passes for the free day in advance, and it books up fast. For this reason we’d suggest you take a look at the free day for February and start planning when you need to be online to grab the tix)

[JAN 2] Long Beach Museum of Art (3 to 8 p.m.)

[JAN 2] USC Pacific Asian Museum (5 to 8 p.m.)

[JAN 3] Norton Simon Museum (5 to 8 p.m.)

[JAN 5] Museum of Latin American Art

[JAN 5] ] Craft and Folk Art Museum (pay what you can)

[JAN 7] Natural History Museum (also note that L.A. County residents receive free Museum admission Monday through Friday from 3 to 5 pm. Bring a valid ID or utility bill the day of your visit)

[JAN 7] La Brea Tarpits Museum (also note that L.A. County residents receive free Museum admission Monday through Friday from 3 to 5 pm. Bring a valid ID or utility bill the day of your visit)

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[JAN 9] Japanese American National Museum (from 5 to 8 p.m.)

[JAN 9] MOCA Grand & MOCA Geffen (from 5 to 8 p.m.)

[JAN 9] Skirball Cultural Center (noon to 5 p.m.)

[JAN 9] USC Pacific Asian Museum (5 to 8 p.m.)

[JAN 9] Long Beach Museum of Art (3 to 8 p.m.)

[JAN 11] MOCA Celebrates its new free general admission policy with celebrations at both downtown locations featuring live performances, music, art-making activities, food, and more.

[JAN 12] Museum of Latin American Art

[JAN 12] USC Pacific Asian Museum (11 am. to 5 p.m.)

[JAN 12] Craft and Folk Art Museum (pay what you can)

[JAN 14] Los Angeles County Museum of Art (also free for L.A. County residents with valid I.D. after 3:00pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays all month long)

[JAN 14] Autry National Center of the American West

[JAN 16] Skirball Cultural Center (noon to 5 p.m.)

[JAN 16] USC Pacific Asian Museum (5 to 8 p.m.)

[JAN 16] Japanese American National Museum (all day)

[JAN 16] Long Beach Museum of Art (3 to 8 p.m.)

[JAN 19] Craft and Folk Art Museum (pay what you can)

[JAN 19] Museum of Latin American Art

[JAN 21] Los Angeles County Arboretum (Advance tickets for the free day are now required. These are available online starting on the first of the month. Also note the tram does not run on the free day)

[JAN 21] South Coast Botanic Garden

[JAN 21] Descanso Gardens (Advance online reservations are now required for Descanso Gardens free admission day)

[JAN 23] Japanese American National Museum (from 5 to 8 p.m.)

[JAN 23] Skirball Cultural Center (noon to 5 p.m.)

[JAN 23] USC Pacific Asian Museum (5 to 8 p.m.)

[JAN 23] Long Beach Museum of Art (3 to 8 p.m.)

[JAN 23] Museum of Latin American Art (5 to 9 p.m.)

[JAN 25] 40+ area museums and cultural institutions are participating in this year’s annual SoCal Museum Free-For-All. You can check out the full list of participants here.

[JAN 26] Craft and Folk Art Museum (pay what you can)

[JAN 26] Museum of Latin American Art

[JAN 30] Japanese American National Museum (from 5 to 8 p.m.)

[JAN 30] Skirball Cultural Center (noon to 5 p.m.)

As a reminder, it’s always good to verify the status of free days before you visit, so be sure to check the above links to verify visiting hours, parking costs, and any other pertinent details. Keep in mind free admission days may not include specially ticketed exhibitions. If there are any errors, omissions, or corrections you’d like to note for this list, feel free to comment below or email us at tips@welikela.com.