There's two floors so much amazing collections to see. The garden area is a work of art. I really…read moreenjoyed it. It's easy to get lost wondering thru each art piece. Can't believe the museum is here in our area. We watched the history of Norton Simon in the theater. Great job narrating his work. I would go again so much to see and be inspire. The Staffs were very professional and courteous.

I've been to this museum twice already since I was amazed at what this location has to offer. It's…read morea smaller museum compared to the Huntington library. If you're a student or have EBT you can access this museum for free. Parking is free as well. You reserve your tickets online & just present your proof of ID for student or EBT. There are 2 floors to this museum & an outdoor garden as well. A mix of European art , modern pieces , sculptures , & Southeast asian art as well. I was here for a good 2 hours for my last visit since I was taking it all in. Once done, I love to grab some kettle chips & a signature drink from their cafe by the garden. I sit & journal for a bit then walk around the gardens. The small souvenir store is delightful in where you can purchase small or large prints of your favorite pieces. Books , trinkets, & museum merchandise is also available. I will come back for their next exhibit to see what other pieces will be displayed.

Parking: very narrow lot entrance in the back…read more You have to enter thru the back where the parking is and not thru the front. There is a small desk with an iPad when you walk in and descend to the lower level. When there is no field trips this place is a great place to bring your kids. It is very quiet and not a lot of high stimulation toys. It is no pretend city but it has some interesting toys such as a beach and surfing installation and a camper van.

Best for toddlers. I brought my kindergarten aged kids and there wasn't a lot to do for them. They…read morestill enjoyed the imaginative play but for the price of the kids plus an adult ticket, it was too pricey for the experience. I wish parents had a lower price than the kids or better yet free especially since there isn't anything for adults. Great place for toddlers and families since it feels safe, has clean facilities, small communal snack break area with a handwashing sink and water fountain nearby.

To be perfectly honest, if you were to ask me how to describe/explain what The Huntington has to…read moreoffer, I wouldn't even know where to start - quite literally. When I've told friends and family about this place, I've almost always been at a loss for words because there is just so much to detail. And yet, if/when they ask me if it's worth checking out, the answer comes out quick, clean, and clear - absolutely! Sitting on what is/was the Huntington family's estate, this place is very impressive. Within their expansive, palatial grounds, there's a library, multiple art galleries and museums, several botanical gardens, a conservatory, a research center, an educational center, a Japanese heritage house (Shoya House), a tea room, a Chinese restaurant, a milk tea shop, numerous smaller gardens, and so much more. What's more, each of those museums, galleries, and gardens are distinctly different from each other - galleries and exhibits featuring American, British/European, and Asian artwork, a Japanese garden, a Chinese garden, a desert garden, a rose garden, a bonsai garden, a California garden...and the list goes on. Despite having spent the better part of a day walking around and exploring the grounds, I'm pretty sure we only managed to get through roughly half of what there is to see here. Of the ones we did make it through, my favorites were the Chinese and Japanese gardens, as they felt the most tranquil and offered the most shade of all of the gardens we saw. Not to mention the fact that we ended up spending a lot of time here before and after stopping in for lunch at the Jade Court Cafe in the Chinese garden. Among the galleries, I also enjoyed walking through the Huntington's Art Gallery, which seemed to hold most of the oldest American and European pieces, as well as historical info about the Huntingtons themselves. Given how much there is to see here, The Huntington is worth the price of admission, even if it does appear to be a little hefty ($34 for adults, with discounted rates available for seniors, students, military, and kids). They do offer free admission on the first Thursday of each month as well, but you'll need to claim tickets in advance starting the Thursday before. Also, if you're short on time, the visitor center has a list of highlights and suggested itineraries, but you'll inevitably miss out on a lot to see. Whenever you do come here, though, even if it's just to go to their tea room, make sure to bring sunscreen and wear some comfortable shoes, as you'll end up doing plenty of walking outdoors. They do have a tram that circles loops around the grounds, but you'll still have to walk from the stop to wherever you want to go. Just make sure to stop and smell the many flowers along the way!

An amazing & beautiful experience! Came w/ my mom on a Wednesday and it was so packed!…read more I want to give a Honorable shout out and thanks to the shuttle busses! T-T ^_^ The shuttle lines really saved my mom, as she wouldn't have been able to enjoy the park or walked that far apart from the gardens. Thank you so much for having and keeping this feature! Staff were welcoming and friendly. The Japanese & Chinese garden was def their main features alongside the Rose Garden blooms which were beautiful in the spring bloom. They also have a huge gift shop for people to enter w/o the need of a ticket as well(:

I love that the USC Pacific Asia Museum offers free admission. There is also plenty of free parking…read moreon Union St. Fyi~they are only open Wednesday to Sundays from 11am-5pm. It's pretty tiny, so you'll likely finish browsing within an hour. Unfortunately, only the Crossroads Silk Road and Collection Highlight galleries were open when I visited, but I still enjoyed learning about the pieces. Outside of the galleries was the Garden Waves installation. It felt so peaceful, and I felt like I could sit there the whole day listening to it. I would love to go back one day when the other galleries open back up.

Nice smaller museum with an eclectic mix of modern and older pieces. I loved how they highlighted…read morecontemporary Asian American artists. Lovely courtyard/garden between buildings and a super nice staff. Entry price is a little high at $20, but the museum is unique and a nice way to spend an hour in Old Town Pasadena.

Tried something new thanks to the Los Angeles Adventure Bucket List Scratch-Off Cards and ended up…read moreat Neon Retro Arcade. Came here last night for a date night. Such a fun/ cute experience. Definitely brought out my inner kid. The arcade had a good amount of games, good energy, and was perfect for a spontaneous night out. I have passed by this place many times and honestly wouldn't have gone if it wasn't on the card, so I'm glad it pushed me to try something different. Play for adults I believe was $15 for an hour. Located on Raymond Ave in between Colorado Blvd & Green St. You can find meter parking if you're lucky or park at the structure nearby.

Came here with a decently sized group as the activity for a birthday celebration before dinner at a…read morenearby restaurant on a Sunday evening. Unsure how they handled making sure they weren't overcrowded or people were waiting too long to get a chance at the games but they did a great job and I never felt like I had to wait (or wait too long) for a machine to be available. They have a large variety of games from more modern ones like Switchs in the back, older versions of Mario Kart, older games in general like Pac-Man and my personal favorite Burger Time. Loads of pinball machines too. The entire facility (and bathroom) were very clean and the ambient noise was never too loud and I never had to yell to talk to someone next to me. Some games will have slightly sticky or unresponsive switches but it's just what happens with the amount of people that use these machines. We had an issue with a pinball machine and they were very quick to come help fix it and immediately get us back to playing. Overall a solid experience, not what I'd actively look for myself, but would gladly go again if someone else wanted to.

I would recommend you verify what the installations are before you go along with doing it on a day…read morewhere you can tour the house so it's worth the fee. $9 per person to just see two small installations is too expensive. I believe if you tour the home it's $20 per person and you get into the museum as well. The stag was lovely and polite as well as the property being beautiful.

An opulent, historic mansion on Millionaire's Row, the hoverboard from Back to the Future II, and…read morethe first Finnish consulate in SoCal - these are just some of the things we saw at the Pasadena Museum of History! It was really fun playing tourist so close to home - a true hidden gem, I never knew this museum was here even having lived here all these years lol! We did the Fényes Mansion tour which includes admission to the main museum and is the best way to experience the museum imo. The main museum is currently running an exhibit featuring films made around Pasadena and it was so fun to explore and see things like the BTTF hoverboard and Eddie Murphy's outfit in Beverly Hills Cop, and so many more interesting items and info tidbits. But it's small so it's best to pair it with the mansion tour - which is a fascinating glimpse into the area's past and the prominent family that owned the mansion. It even holds the original office of the first Finnish consul, Y.A. Paloheimo, still intact as it was all those years ago, complete with the consul emblem and his photo with Eleanor Roosevelt. The mansion is one of two remaining fully intact mansions on what used to be "Millionaire's Row" - the other is the Gamble House which is a craftsman - but Fényes Mansion is over the top grandeur! There used to be 52 mansions and these are all that's left :-o And here's a fun little fact we learned - did you know Tiffany & Co made elaborately carved wooden chairs?? You can see them in the dining room of the mansion and they're absolutely beautiful! We learned SO many interesting bits of history about Pasadena and the surrounding area - I won't share it all here - you gotta take the tour - it's totally worth it! But I will leave you with one other fun fact I learned that answered a burning question I had every time I would drive the 210 - this is for the locals - do you know how Michillinda Ave got its name? It came from some of the earlier settlers of the area in the 1870s: Michigan + Illinois + Indiana = Michillinda!! The tour is a great experience for local history and I highly recommend it - they're infrequent so if you can get in on a tour, DO IT!! They're around $20 and you can get them in advance via Eventbrite which I recommend bc they sell out (especially on weekends). You can also buy them onsite but the tours are likely to be full. The museum admission is included and they have bathrooms and a small private parking lot available. Shout out to our awesome tour guides Andrea & Paul - tysm for a great afternoon!!

Background On Visit: Last Sunday (4/12/26), the venue hosted the Pasadena Festival Of Tea. We were…read moreone of the participants for this event. Hours Of Operation: They welcome visitors to the garden on many Friday and Saturday evenings and during the day on Sundays. You can check out their schedule of events and admission cost on their website: https://japanesegardenpasadena.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/japanesegardenpasadena/event.jsp?;=&event=1612& Admission Cost: Mostly, $15 on Friday and Saturday. Sunday, it's $12. For other events, they post the cost on their website. Location/Parking: Located across from the Arlington Gardens (Free). It's kinda hidden, but just use the gps on your phone to guide you. Parking can be found along Arlington. For special events, they encourage you to park at Westridge School (Orange Grove and W. State St.) and walk up to Storrier Stearns. Ambiance/Decor: The Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden is a beautiful and charming retreat with a quiet and tranquil elegance. The place is small which contains many of the much admired design features found in the most lavish of Japanese-style gardens of its era. As Kendall Brown states in his book, California Japanese-style Gardens, "this is the genius of Kinzuchi Fujii: this was once a flat area of two tennis courts; now it is a masterwork. 1) Classic Niko-an Teahouse, the garden landscape offers a variety of other beautiful details. 2) Numerous gathering points, seating areas & vistas 3) Four original bridges plus the original cedar log Japanese Waiting Bench 4) Two large interconnected, irregularly shaped koi ponds 5) The sounds of two waterfalls, one cascading down a 25-foot hill 6) An artful dry riverbed for rain overflow winding through the garden 7) Cooling shade everywhere from spreading sycamores & old oaks 8) Many tons of boulders & stones 9) Granite statuary & stone lanterns Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden For Thought: Wouldn't mind coming back to re-center myself. I did a have nice time.

This is the most difficult Botanical Garden to get in touch with…read more The hours they have posted on their website are wrong, no one picks up the phone after calling several times and leaving several messages. I went in person last weekend, and it was closed despite their online hours posted. The lack of clarity even upon walking up to the venue is not clear. They have no signs stating they are closed and it's clear they do not care to return voicemails. Please do not waste your time going there.

We made a last minute reservation for Sunday 4/26 with our membership. Morning slots were sold out…read moreso we got 12pm. We arrived a little before 1pm. Today they had two special events: 1) meet a mermaid, and 2) party in paradise (Guam dancers). Today was particularly busy with Ronald McDonald House run from 9-11am and free admission for those who participated. Love that Kidspace has themed events to keep families coming! Lots of beautiful themed decorations in the front entrance and right as you walk through. We went straight to the reading area to get in line for meet the mermaid. We waited about 15 minutes. The mermaid was very friendly and played the part well. There were lots of Kidspace photographers. Next we went to the 1:30pm "party in paradise" performance at the outdoor amphitheater. My girls' (almost 5 & 7yo) favorite is the craft room. Today's activity was still the paper butterfly cutouts (we came on 3/30). They could spend the whole visit in the craft room! Los Trompos is also another favorite! Other favorites we didn't get to today: muddy boots farm, blue ocean area, arts/crafts up at the top of the hill, tricycles, climbing structures (2 indoor, 1 outdoor). My youngest really wanted to do the pressurized water bottle experiment. It wasn't working properly today, but a little boy showed us the trick. Tip: press low, high, AND bottom row buttons all at the same time. Watch the stick rise, the water fill up, then shoot up! Shout out to Events Director, Michael, who is always friendly and helpful! Thank you for saying hi!

This place is so special. Theres endless options for kid-led fun. We particularly loved the arroyo…read moreand all of its outdoor wonders. They do not allow adults in without children, which I'm so appreciative of. Liv helped me upon arrival and was very informative and patient while I waited for my party. She even offered to escort me in to find them if they were having too much fun to come get me, which I really appreciated. Great team -- great place!

If I just say "Gamble," that may not mean much. But if I say "Procter & Gamble," now you have a…read morebetter idea who these people were and how much money they had. I can almost guarantee the company makes many of the products you buy all the time. The Gamble House in Pasadena is an architectural (Craftsman) gem. If you want to go inside, you need to book a guided tour. Book your tour well in advance or you will likely get shut out. We saw it happen. There are multiple tour choices but the basic option is a one hour docent-led one. I highly recommend it. The docents are passionate about this property and it shows. By the way, if you don't want to spring for a tour (or you get shut out), you can still walk around the porch and/or the grounds for free. You don't have to be an architect or a design junkie to appreciate the tour. If you like style, or even history, you will enjoy the experience. (Or maybe you are a "Back to the Future" fan; yes, the exterior was shown in the movie.) And it is only a one hour tour, after all. The exterior is gorgeous but the interior is beautiful, too. The lighting, furniture, materials, and just the colors are lovely. For a home that was built about 115 years ago, it is in remarkable condition. It is well worth visiting.

Came to check out this very historic house which also serves as doc browns house in back to the…read morefuture! It's always cool to be walking through places that seem like a time capsule especially when everything is original and in mint condition Lovely tour and lots of great details and things to see!

The Norton Simon is an absolute treasure…read more The variety of art is staggering. The modern work is terrific. Degas speaks for itself. The renaissance art is masterful. The collection downstairs is phenomenal. The rotating exhibits are always terrific, and feature well known names. The cafe offers some light bites and some drinks, but the real star is the patio and the grounds. I always see artists painting or drawing in the garden - and for good reason! It's beautiful. So serene. The gift shop is charming. I always manage to find a little something. Don't skip it! It's easy to miss in a tucked away corner, but seek it out. The museum offers free admission on the first Friday nights of the month. Beware, though, if you're heading over then that parking can be limited and the small lot fills quickly! Arrive early to beat the rush and avoid hassles. Note that, despite full parking lots, the museum never feels crowded. It's kind of amazing like that.

The art there is very good and if this review was based just on that I would give it four or five…read morestars. The people who work there are the snootiest people I have ever met in my whole freaking life. They are not nice, they are condescending, and I just didn't like them.