Petersen Automotive Museum

Highlights include displays on the evolution of car shape, the use of silver in luxury finishing, and famous movie cars from Hollywood. Admire shiny hot rods, sit behind the wheel of a Ford Model T, and stop by the Disney/Pixar Cars Mechanical Institute—a hands-on center where kids and adults can explore the inner workings of car engines and design a virtual race car.

General admission tickets can be purchased ahead of time, with skip-the-line options available to help you save valuable vacation time.

• The Disney/Pixar section is a good option for families with kids, as many of the other exhibits are strictly hands-off.

• The on-site Drago Ristorante offers homemade pastas, wood-fired pizzas, and pastries from the family's restaurant in Culver City.

• Complimentary wheelchairs are available to check out on a first-come, first-served basis at the Admissions Desk, and strollers are welcome in the museum.

• Accessible parking spots are located on the first floor of the Petersen parking garage, close to the main entrance.

The Metro provides bus and rail transportation to the Petersen until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays. Convenient parking is available in the Petersen Museum lot and is free for the first 30 minutes.

The museum is open daily from 10am to 6pm. Weekends tend to draw larger crowds, so opt for a weekday visit to enjoy more elbow room.

Vault tours, led by a museum tour guide, offer the chance to see unique cars not on display in the museum galleries. These popular 2-hour tours often sell out and offer a sneak peek into the arc of automotive history.

It should take you around three hours to tour the Petersen Automotive Museum. There are three floors of cars to explore. The top floors usually take less time to visit, but many visitors spend more time in the vault, where the most rare and iconic vehicles are not to be missed.

No. Food and drinks are not allowed in the museum galleries, except for sealable water bottles. You can get something to eat at Meyers Manx cafe, open for coffee, breakfast, and lunch from 9am–5pm. Some tasty things on the menu include tacos, salads and bowls, and soft serve.

Yes. The museum is accessible for people with disabilities. There is wheelchair accessible parking, service dogs are welcome, care providers are free of charge, wheelchairs are available to rent, and elevators and bathrooms are also wheelchair accessible. ASL interpreters and touch tours can be arranged in advance if needed.

Every day is a great day to visit the Petersen Automotive Museum. It's open daily from 10am to 5pm, with the last admissions at 4:30pm. Children, youths, and seniors receive discounts, so all ages are encouraged to visit. Exhibits change regularly, so when they do, the museum will be open for you.

At the Petersen Automotive Museum, you’ll see automotive exhibits of iconic cars spanning over 100 years. You’ll be able to check out vehicles from around the world, including classic cars, those that belonged to Hollywood legends, cars that pushed the boundaries of innovation, sports cars of the future, and award-winning hot rods.

Yes. The museum is worth it, especially if you’re a car enthusiast. The upper levels of the museum have rotating, temporary exhibitions, so there’s always something new. But the real treasure is the Vault. Here, you’ll see rare cars, motorcycles, and trucks from over 100 years ago to cutting-edge future designs.