Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena

4.8

Must see · Art Museum · Museum

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Norton Simon Museum features collections of European paintings, sculptures, and tapestries from the Renaissance period to the 20th century, and Asian sculptures, paintings, and woodblock prints spanning 2,000 years. You'll have the chance to see works of di Paolo, Zurbarán, Rembrandt, van Gogh, and Picasso. Browse through world-renowned pieces from the Indian subcontinent and south-eastern Asia, and view selected works from Afghanistan, China, and Japan as well. You can also visit the garden with a pond featuring various sculptures, or watch some of the films, lectures, and performances at the museum's theater. Take an online audio tour of the site, or reserve a private guided tour. Klarna Trips's itinerary builder makes planning a Pasadena trip simple and quick.

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Norton Simon Museum reviews

TripAdvisor traveler rating

1,257 reviews

Google

4.8

By TravelingMerm

What an incredible hidden gem this museum is! I’ve lived here 12 years now and never knew it existed until this past weekend! I’ve traveled the world and been to almost all of the “major” art museums.... more

What an incredible hidden gem this museum is! I’ve lived here 12 years now and never knew it existed until this past weekend! I’ve traveled the world and been to almost all of the “major” art museums.... more »
By JJTR2011

We were able to visit this art gallery just prior to leaving Pasadena for our flight ✈️ from LAX to London. Has a great collection of Impressionist paintings and lovely Degas bronzes. The setting is..... more

We were able to visit this art gallery just prior to leaving Pasadena for our flight ✈️ from LAX to London. Has a great collection of Impressionist paintings and lovely Degas bronzes. The setting is..... more »
By Nomad44638402422

This place is beautiful. The architecture and placement of the art creates a scene straight out of a movie. The exhibits contain pieces ranging from historical to abstract. If you want a calming...

This place is beautiful. The architecture and placement of the art creates a scene straight out of a movie. The exhibits contain pieces ranging from historical to abstract. If you want a calming... more »

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Google

By A

The main floor is broken up into four wings. Each wing spans a different time period. The gift shop is located on the main floor as well as access to the sculpture garden which is a beautiful setting. Downstairs there are south and southeast Asian sculptures. Then kind of tucked away on the lower level was a special exhibit. Saw a lot of famous pieces here. I’ve seen so many prints of Diego Rivera’s The Flower Vendor, and it was great to finally see the original. There were also pieces by Van Gogh and Picasso.

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By Jess H

As beautiful as ever! It has been several years since I visited the Norton Simon. It was one of my favorite museums in so cal. Perfect smallish museum with loads to see. You can explore the whole museum, from ancient artifacts to modern art, in one day plus there are beautiful grounds to walk around plus a lovely cafe. If you have never visited this museum, you are missing out!

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By Reece Lemmon

This is now my favorite museum. It is quiet and small, but packed with some of the most amazing art in the world. The garden cafe is also reasonably priced for some really great food. One word…DEGAS. No wait, two words…Van Gogh!

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By David “250 Billion Star Hotel” Martinusen

Great audio tour through your smart phone. BRING WIRELESS EARBUDS. My wife and I shared a pair and it worked great. Many of the works on display have a code on the information card, displayed with the work. When you enter the code, an informative, dramatized, audio recording will play. Some have special, age appropriate, recordings for children.

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By Jennifer Rozo

Norton Simon is a treasure of a museum. It is right off the 134 freeway in Pasadena. So much to see. My favorite part is how you can download the app and get a private little tour right from your cell phone. Love the garden as well so beautiful. Parking is free and if you have your student ID you get in for free. I love going to Norton Simon for my weekend outing.

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