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Autry Museum of the American West, Los Angeles

4.6
History Museum · Hidden Gem · Museum
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Dedicated to exploring the American West's diverse cultural history, Autry Museum of the American West features more than 500,000 pieces of art and artifacts. The museum is well known for its comprehensive collection of Native American artworks, considered to be one of the most important collections in the country, and its extensive collection of western frontier firearms. You may have the opportunity to do a craft, practice a native dance, or pan for gold as you soak up the culture of the American West. Grab a bite to eat at the on-site cafe, which honors the West's varied cultures through its menu. You can pick up a memento of your visit at the gift shop, which sells music, fine art, Native American jewelry, Western memorabilia, and more. To visit Autry Museum of the American West and get the most from your holiday in Los Angeles, create itinerary details personal to you using our Los Angeles online trip builder.
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Autry Museum of the American West reviews

TripAdvisor traveler rating
TripAdvisor traveler rating 4.5
625 reviews
Google
4.6
TripAdvisor
  • I loved it! This place is full of art, artifacts, galleries, exhibits, and stories. I spent quite a few hours here and enjoyed every part of it. I learned a lot and gained a new appreciation for this....  more
    I loved it! This place is full of art, artifacts, galleries, exhibits, and stories. I spent quite a few hours here and enjoyed every part of it. I learned a lot and gained a new appreciation for this....  more »
  • A wonderful surprise. We stayed over 3 hours because there was so much to see: weapons, clothing, short films, art. The boundaries were pushed a bit - Hawaiian clothing - but everything was put into.....  more
    A wonderful surprise. We stayed over 3 hours because there was so much to see: weapons, clothing, short films, art. The boundaries were pushed a bit - Hawaiian clothing - but everything was put into.....  more »
  • I recommend a Visit to the AUTRY Museum of the American West! We spent several hours here on a Sunday and it was not crowded, great exhibits, great history DOWNSTAIRS. We did a quick perusal of the.....  more
    I recommend a Visit to the AUTRY Museum of the American West! We spent several hours here on a Sunday and it was not crowded, great exhibits, great history DOWNSTAIRS. We did a quick perusal of the.....  more »
Google
  • A fantastic museum and well worth visiting. I came for their Dress Codes exhibition but ended up spending half the day there also exploring the other galleries which I hadn’t planned. Not only did the artwork draw me in but the exhibition design and interpretive text is eye-catching and well-designed. I look forward to coming back in the future and will def be recommending this to other museum goers when they’re in the area.
  • Fun museum detailing the history of the American west - great kid education moment. Also had a fun exhibition on the history of the Aloha shirt and denim when I went. Yee-haw! 🤠
  • We visited this museum while on our way to Griffith Observatory. While it the museum is good, it has a lot of contexts all together. On a side note, if you bring your Bank of America cards, you have free entry
  • This museum has a very nice collection of antique guns in pristine condition from late 19th century. A lot of first model Colts. If you like guns this is a good place to check them out.
  • No Longer An Old-West Museum What once was a shining museum of art & artifact bearing the name of one of the most beloved cowboys, has turned more into a "message" of current cultural direction in the west. Our visit on a Saturday was met with an empty parking lot & not a docent in sight. Several exhibit halls are closed on both floors, which leaves very little to do, as even the traveling exhibits have very limited displays & have very little to do with what the name Autry evokes. There is however a common thread throughout the halls and exhibits, that of today's cultural direction. Author talks, regarding racism and slaves was today's topic. An audience comprised of mostly "woke" Anglo-Saxons were being lectured on the Civil War. Last time we visited, we were treated to a uniformed "Buffalo Soldier's" account of the time period, and it was a great learning experience that was remembered. The western gun display is nearly cleared out, someplace in mothballs, leaving the exhibit completely lackluster now. Where we stood and snapped an old-time "behind bars" picture years ago, has been replaced with the plight of the incarcerated video booth/experience. A more modern take on the new-west I suppose. The guards were all very kind and encouraged us to see the "Dress Codes" exhibit before it moves on; a glorified lesson on jean culture, and what to wear to a gay bar video. "Dress Codes" is a far cry from "Sparkle & Twang" that we enjoyed over a decade ago when The Autry still shined. We ended our trip at the museum bookstore, hoping to purchase a nice piece of American Western art, or memorabilia of Gene's Melody Ranch, only to discover the widest variety of urban books that have little if not nothing to do with the West (pics.) Though there were still some worthy things to see, the Bison diorama, the refurbished stagecoach, and the (albeit very limited) western landscape artwork, what we would like to see is a new Museum Director. It has gone by way of the modern era, no longer a step back in time and a tribute to the old West. Happy Trails

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