What a fun experience…read more My lady & I enjoy Pasadena for its many great spots for history. We visited this museum on a Saturday and were greeted very warmly by Christian who presented a small group of us with a great narrative tour. Such a nice time to see how the wealthy used to live back in the day. I highly recommend this museum and a special bonus if Christian leads the tour.

Honestly, such a cool hidden gem right in Pasadena! Stepping inside the Fenyes Mansion feels like…read moretaking a quick trip back to the 1900s, and the tour guide had the best facts-like how this massive 10,000-square-foot mansion was somehow the owner's idea of "downsizing," or how it's been used in movies like The Prestige. The place is loaded with original art and cool vintage details, but I honestly didn't want the tour to end. I was lowkey hoping we could explore every single room in the house, especially that secret basement with all the archives underground. Super worth checking out if you're looking for something fun and different to do for an afternoon!

I visited the area years ago, but was unaware this museum was here. So I made sure to visit given…read morea second chance. The ladies at the front were very welcoming, even though they couldn't answer all my questions. I wondered what their electric bill is every month. Apparently that number is above their pay grade! My favorite things were the oldest ones. I seem to remember neon signs from the 1930s on. Perhaps the highlight of the collection (at least it was for me) was the Grauman's Chinese Theatre Dragon. I just wish they hadn't put other objects in front of it. But the museum does not have a large footprint, so they have make do. What's there is great, I just wish there were more rooms and more exhibits. But it's only $10, which is cheap for a museum these days.

A small museum with not much to see but it was very interesting. Some of the neon lights were out…read moreand no longer working, making the total number of signs even fewer. The signs were very 'cool and neat' and if you are into old fashioned signage, this place is worth a stop in. The person who walked around with us was knowledgeable and shared some history to the signs which made the experience more insightful.

RE: There's another review for Rockhaven Sanitarium at:…read more https://yelp.to/ZIov0ej5Kbb We Are Friends of Rockhaven! Agnes Richards founded Rockhaven in 1923 after being a psychiatric nurse and witnessing the cruel treatment of women with mental illness. She made sure to call each and every patient a resident, and treat them with respect. The beautiful history of Rockhaven Sanitarium (or home for the Golden Age Stars) is the most vivid piece of history that's been forgotten by so many. My favorite actress Billie Burke (Glinda, the good witch), Mrs. Topper, and, well, just too many of her parts to list resided there until her death. Do you remember Elly May Clampett? She was played by Donna Douglas, who was also a resident at Rockhaven as was, Clark Gable's first wife, Marilyn Monroe's mother, Marion Rose of Vaudeville's Statler and Rose, Broadway's actress and producer, Peggy Fears; I'm just naming a few of the long list of golden age stars that have resided at Rockhaven. And, when you're enjoying the walk you can feel the glow they left behind. It's closed now due to the COVID pandemic but we're able to go once in a while to clean up a little and just 'be' in it's past. To relish in the feeling of just 'being' there, is amazing. You're able to touch all of the past around you! This is something I've seen only in LA and its surrounding areas. This type of museum interaction is priceless; it's like watching a golden oldie but, being right next to the star you admire(d) so very much. There's a group called Friends of Rockhaven that loves and cares so much for the Sanitarium; it's so heartwarming. One of the many protectors Joanna Linkchorst has allowed us to become one of the many friends of Rockhaven and contribute to its survival. It's been such a pleasure and an honor to help in any way we can and my sincere hope is that it won't be sold for demolition or forgotten. Thank you so much, Friends of Rockhaven for all you do!

This is such a gorgeous property with a lot of history - a real gem in the middle of Montrose. I…read morehope it can be rehabbed and turned into something historical and useful for the community. Definitely look into taking one of their free tours (donation optional at the end). Joanna and Mike are so knowledgeable and passionate about this place, it's really worth your time if you like history, architecture and are fascinated by mental health institutions of the past.

As a native Angeleno and fellow film buff, I am shocked I had never heard of this wonderful Burbank…read moregem. Take a stroll down memory lane with memorabilia from the early days of Hollywood. Are you a fan of Sophia Loren, Humphrey Bogart, the early days of Disney? This place is for you! The best part by far is the tour guide, Tony Rivera, who guides you through each part of the museum as if he was welcoming you into his own home. The loveliest of humans along with being a wealth of knowledge. Couldn't think of a better way to spend part of my weekend, cooling down during this maddening summer heatwave while chatting with Tony, who will make you feel like part of the family. Another perk; the entire experience is free (though donations are encouraged by both them museum--let's keep LA history alive!). Gordon R Howard Museum, you won my heart for life.

This little house is such a great hidden gem! It's furnished for the period it was built. Hard to…read morebelieve that it was a "kit house." During that time you could order a house from a catalog for $725. It had to assembled upon arrival, but I'm sure the owner could hire a few people to help. The docent gave a very informative tour of the house and explained the renovations and upgrades (indoor plumbing & electricity). The outdoor patio in the back can be rented for events! I would consider having a small party back there. It's lovely!

Grounds are magnificent house beautiful 1937 glamour the Camellia with your blue is are…read moremagnificent. It's a lovely oasis for LA County.

The Boddy House, built in 1938 and refurbished in 2007, was the former mansion of Elias Manchester…read moreBoddy; a self-made millionaire, (1891-1967). Descanso Gardens was his 150 acre estate where the house is located. The entire estate was donated to Los Angeles County in 1953. Well worth seeing if you happen to be visiting Descanso Gardens. 22 rooms and over 12,000 Square Ft.

Autry Museum is a hidden gem that has so many fun things going on…read more I attended two screenings here and was blown away on how easy it is to get to the location! I actually took public transportation here and the bus drops you off in front of the museum! The amazing statues of horses and their riders, the architecture of the building and there's even a theater for screenings or talks on the stage! I saw that there's an American Indian Artist's Marketplace which I want to check out. I will definitely come back here to explore the exhibits!

The Autry is such a great museum. I hadn't been here in years and decided to come with a friend…read more Our favorite exhibits were Imagined Wests and Future Imaginaries. We came on the first Wednesday of the month which was free. Parking is free as well.

*Hours: Saturdays only, 10am-4pm. *Free admission…read more *Large parking lot available. *You'll spend thirty minutes to an hour here, depending on how quickly you read. Before you go here, understand what this is. If you're looking for a big museum with a focus on all things Western, go to the Autry Museum of the American West (Griffith Park). This is a historic building owned by the Autry, which still retains some of the Native American artifacts originally exhibited and stored here (others have already been relocated to either the Griffith Park museum or their research building in Burbank). There are only two rooms (one with Pueblo pottery and the other chronicling the museum's history and showcasing a few examples of Mayan and Incan art). Supposedly, the Southwest Museum is LA's oldest museum. It was opened as the Southwest Museum of the American Indian in 1907 (downtown location) by archaeologist and journalist Charles Lummis, to preserve and document the indigenous cultures of the Southwest. Lummis ran the Southwest Society (the western branch of the Archaeological Institute of America). The museum moved to its current building in 1914 (constructed for this purpose). In 2003, financial challenges pushed the museum to merge with the Autry. There is quite a bit of controversy involving the merger and the subsequent decisions made by the Autry. The facility has remained as a conservation site, with visiting hours only on Saturdays. You can read more criticism at savesouthwestmuseum.com, run by Friends of the Southwest Museum. According to the group, the merger would ideally have revitalized the museum instead of limiting visitation and transferring parts of the collection to other locations. Currently, the building is for sale. Naturally, this will invite more criticism as the collection will be completely separated from the historic building. I don't want to blame the Autry as I don't understand the financial issues at play here. I don't know why the museum wasn't revitalized after the merger (it's unfortunate that it wasn't). I also don't doubt that it costs a lot to keep this building running (and they have two other facilities in Los Angeles). Of course, keeping the collection at the building is ideal. But if it's draining the Autry's resources and they have two other buildings to house the artifacts? I'm sure people will chide this cowboy-oriented institution for completely subsuming an institution that focuses on indigenous culture. However, it seems like they saved this building from closure in the first place and invested a lot of money to keep it running. It also seems like the Autry has committed to furthering indigenous voices in their programming (thus not only focusing on cowboy history). It's not ideal to let go of the historic building but if they can wholeheartedly commit to preserving indigenous art and make room in their facilities for these stories? It might be the best case scenario. Letting go of a building that's draining resources makes sense, from an administrative and financial perspective (especially after Covid). Hypothetically, if there were a donor or buyer that offered to finance the retention of the building with the artifacts and the Autry declined? That'd be a different story. In the end, I hope they can find ways to honor this site's legacy and adequately incorporate the indigenous art and history.

This small museum gathers even smaller exhibitions of Native American art - perfect for a Saturday…read moreafternoon stroll after a tea break. The convenient parking lot is situated in the back, but it's best to start your trip by parking on the Museum Drive. Then take a quick photo in front of the museum entrance before walking thru the long tunnel access. The whole place is small and easily navigatable in about 30 minutes. The FIRST FLOOR hosts some displays covering the history of the Southwest Museum institution as founded by archeologist Charles Lummis. Few modern art draperies hang in the inside for comfort viewing as you walk through the museum. The SECOND FLOOR is currently displaying a ceramic art exhibition showcasing Pueblo art and other crafted items from South West Native Americans. There were plenty of Navajo pottery and other figurines on display dated over a span of a few centuries. The free admission on Saturday makes this a great destination to pair with the nearby Heritage Square Museum, or even perfect to go right before heading to the Autry main campus. The walking distance from the Gold Line Station makes this museum an easy and convenient stop! Don't forget to bring some snacks and enjoy the fantastic view of Mount Washington at the top of the museum grounds!

It's so peaceful here and although I don't have anyone who is a permanent resident I still enjoy…read morecoming here (cemetery hangs). I'd love to come here and just take photos of dandelions and see the space shuttle. I've been here at least 11 times if not a little more.

Found this in OFF BEAT ATTRACTIONS…read more This is a beautiful 75 foot marble shrine structure and burial site for 15 pioneers of aviation, found at the entrance to Pierce Brothers, Valhalla cemetery in Burbank. It's a beautiful dome structure with intricate and beautiful mosaic craftsmanship with plaques and stories to read. There's a nice little rose garden off to the side and just past the gates is a miniature shuttle replica. It was nice stopping in here.