Whether you enjoy ancient fossils or modern art, you'll find a senior-friendly museum to suit your taste in the Los Angeles area.
1. Page Museum and La Brea Tar Pits
Photo © Nancy Parode
Let's start in the heart of Los Angeles, at the Page Museum and La Brea Tar Pits. Here you can see what the L.A. area was like 25,000 years ago and find out how scientists recover and study prehistoric fossils. Thousands of years ago, animals were trapped in the asphalt deposits here and died because they could not escape. They left behind a fantastic fossilized record of their existence. The Page Museum is wheelchair-friendly; enter via the Staff Entrance, which is near the handicapped spaces in the museum's parking lot. Eat lunch at nearby Farmers Market, a popular local hangout with several restaurants, on Fairfax Avenue and 3rd Street.
2. The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens
The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens definitely lives up to its imposing name. The mansion and surrounding gardens belonged to well-heeled businessman Henry E. Huntington. He amassed a collection of British and French paintings and sculptures, including the paintings Pinkie and Blue Boy, and many priceless books and manuscripts. The estate's gardens showcase trees and plants from around the world, grouped by habitat and country of origin. The Rose Garden and Japanese Garden are especially popular. You'll find the Huntington Library, as it is known locally, in the city of San Marino, about 12 miles from downtown L.A. Most of the gardens and all of the buildings are wheelchair-accessible.
3. Norton Simon Museum
Entrepreneur Norton Simon collected art from Europe, India and South Asia. When his art collection grew too large to lend out as a single exhibition, he joined forces with the Pasadena Museum of Modern Art to create the Norton Simon Museum. The museum's outstanding collection includes works from 14th- 20th century Europe, India, and many Asian countries. Whether you enjoy Old Masters or contemporary art, you'll find well-known works by revered artists at the Norton Simon. The museum's Sculpture Garden is a relaxing place to sit; you can enjoy lunch or snacks in the garden's café. The Norton Simon Museum is wheelchair-accessible. The Norton Simon Museum is just 13 miles from downtown Los Angeles.4. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum
Photo © Nancy Parode
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum is 50 miles from downtown Los Angeles, but it's well worth the drive. You can see mementoes, documents and photographs from Ronald Reagan's years as an actor and politician. You can also walk onboard his presidential airplane, Air Force One. Particularly interesting are artifacts from Reagan's acting years – you can even see the Gipper's Notre Dame sweater – and gifts the Reagans received during their eight years in the White House. President Reagan's gravesite is on a hill overlooking Simi Valley. Enjoy lunch in the museum's Country Café. The museum and grounds are wheelchair-accessible, but the narrow central passageway on Air Force One is not wide enough for wheelchairs.
