Free Art Opportunities on the Westside
All of the following art experiences are free and located on the West side of Los Angeles.
The Hammer Museum:
The Hammer Museum, founded in Nov. 1990 by Armand Hammer, initially was planned to showcase Hammer’s own personal collections of paintings and drawings. However, in 1992, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) partnered with Hammer and shifted the museum from a private institution to a university-affiliated exhibition. UCLA helped to facilitate exhibits and showcases and in 2014, the Hammer Museum became entirely free to the public following a commitment to eliminate admission fees. I recently went to this museum on Nov. 1 and it was a really interesting experience. The museum is in Westwood and is easily accessible for people who aren’t necessarily the biggest art lovers. An exhibit called “Made in LA” is at the Hammer from Oct. 5 through Mar. 1, 2026 by Zoe Ryan. She created this exhibit as a way to give back to her community in an art-oriented way, as she highlights local artists and their contributions to the Los Angeles (LA) community. Most of the art in this exhibit incorporates aspects of local culture and all represented artists are from LA. A total of 28 regional artists created art with a wide range of media such as paintings, sculptures, photography and videos. This museum is situated in the heart of Westwood, which has many restaurants and cafes. Overall, this museum is a really cool opportunity to learn about Los Angeles’ culture and history through art.
18th St Art Center:
The 18th St art center was created in 1988 by Susanne Dakin and Linda Burnham who both worked at a copublishing nonprofit called the High Performance Magazine. Dakin purchased a collection of warehouses and then launched the center as a nonprofit geared toward art activism. The center’s exhibits focus on issues such as gentrification, public health, equitable development and environmental sustainability. The center hosts two recurring free events each month, held on the first and third Tuesdays. This exhibit is around 10 blocks away from Samo, making it extremely convenient for everyone who lives in the Santa Monica area. Events highlight local and global artists using a wide variety of media, including visual art, performance and installations. This center is a vibrant hub of contemporary art and performance, showcasing many different media of art. The exhibits tend to rotate and only happen once, but they are always free. In Dec., there are five scheduled displays of art that will be coming in. These displays include “Sanctuary” by Debra Disman, which attempts to use art as a way to display overcoming trauma. Another display is “Sun of city mural” by Haruka Yamada, which is a display of sundials. And lastly, “Everything that hurts” by Moshe Roas, which is an intricate modern art sculpture.
Bergamot Station:
In 1994, the city of Santa Monica sought an artistic use for Bergamot Station, which worked as an active train and bus station until it was decommissioned in 1953. Made up of many warehouses and bungalows, Developer Wayne Clark purchased the 7-acre lot and created what is now known as Bergamot Station. Bergamot Station has free art opportunities daily and it is located on Olympic Boulevard, directly next to the train stop. One standout feature that sets this center apart is that it doesn’t have the ‘normal’ layout of an art museum. Bergamont Station has over 20 different galleries featuring a wide variety of art. Art instal]lations here look to highlight the diverse community that is found in Santa Monica and in all of Los Angeles. Many art features here serve as forms of activism, such as the Social and Public Art and Resource Center (SPARC). SPARC serves as a whole section of the station featuring an in-depth look at art that has been used for various activist purposes. This organization looks to encourage nonviolent political activism, political advocacy and education. Another remarkable facet here is that access is extremely easy and convenient for the Santa Monica Community. The E-line rail (train) stops right at Bergamont Station, and has stops all over Santa Monica.
The Getty Museum and Getty Villa:
The Getty Center was founded after oil tycoon J Paul Getty died in 1976. His fortune was used to create the J Paul Getty Trust, which bought out a large estate of land in the Santa Monica mountains, right off the 405 freeway. Opened to the public in 1997, the center offers free daily admission and houses a wide array of famous artworks spanning many styles. The Getty Center mainly focuses on pre-20th-century European art, from the Renaissance to the end of the 19th Century. The museum houses art from Van Gogh, Monet, Degas and many other famous artists. “Irises” painted by Vincent Van Gogh has been a part of the Getty’s permanent collection since 1990 and is considered one of the most famous art pieces in the world. Although free, the spectacular views of the Los Angeles Basin and Pacific Ocean make this museum have an elaborate and high end feel. This museum is best known for the vast collection of art, impressive architecture and beautiful gardens.
