Petersen Automotive Museum

Petersen Automotive Museum, 6060 Wilshire Blvd. at jct. Fairfax Ave., showcases a century of automotive history with nearly two dozen exhibits on three floors, each with its own theme: history, industry and artistry. Start with the video in the Introduction Galley to set the mood for your visit. While the collection has more than 250 vehicles, only half are on view at a time; take the Vault Tour to get a peek of some of the vehicles not on public display.

The museum offers much more than rows of beautiful parked cars. You can get inside a Ford Model T to see what operating a vehicle used to involve in the early days of the automobile. There's a full-scale reproduction of scenes and buildings that marked important milestones in the development of the motor car and Los Angeles. Other galleries display automotive memorabilia and changing exhibits. The Discovery Center uses hands-on, interactive exhibits to teach scientific principles.

Note: Photography is permitted in the galleries but not in the vault.

Guided tours are available. Food is available.