Exposition Park Rose Garden and fountain
CAAM is located in the heart of Exposition Park, a historic public park that is also home to several great museums and attractions just south of Downtown Los Angeles.
Adjacent Museums and Other Points of Interest
– The California Science Center (which includes an IMAX theater) is a science museum where kids can discover fun, hands-on science exhibits, live habitats, and animals. Visitors can also view the space shuttle Endeavour.
– The Natural History Museum is the largest natural and historical museum in the Western United States. It holds more than 35 million objects - some as old as 4.5 billion years. There are also gardens, interactive activities for children and a cafe.
– The Exposition Park Rose Garden is a seven-acre, historic sunken rose garden that is in walking distance from CAAM. It is in the National Register of Historic Places.
– Lucas Museum of Narrative Art: Coming soon!
– The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is home to the USC football team and is the temporary home of the LA Rams. Nearly 100 years old, it has hosted the summer Olympics twice (in 1932 and 1984) and is a US National Historic Landmark. The Coliseum offers tours Wednesdays through Sundays.
– BMO Stadium: Now open, this new stadium is the home of the Los Angeles Football Club and Angel City Football Club.
History of Exposition Park
The 160-acre site that is now Exposition Park served as an agricultural fairground from 1872 to 1910. In 1880, the State of California purchased the fairground to foster agriculture in the Southland. Horses, dogs, and even camels competed on a racetrack that is located where the Rose Garden now blooms. In 1909, former Pasadena Mayor Horace Dobbins decided to reform the park, removing the racetrack and other “unsavory” activities. He replaced them with gardens and what is now the Natural History Museum. The park itself is an open public space managed by the California Natural Resources Agency.
Restaurants
Though CAAM doesn’t have an on-site café, a family-friendly food court at the California Science Center is open to the public. In addition, several chain restaurants are walking distance, including Chipotle, Chik-Fil-A, Starbucks, Quiznos, and Hart House.
Half a mile away (about a 10-minute walk) is Mercado La Paloma. This recently-renovated warehouse space has independent shops, nonprofit offices, events, and a food court.
We are a short, 4-mile drive from Downtown Los Angeles where you can enjoy some of the most exciting dining and shopping experiences in the nation.