This website (along with the accompanying book) is part of an ongoing project by me, Todd Lerew. It represents my decade-long quest to identify and visit every museum across greater Los Angeles. I’ve found this to be an incredible way to gain a deeper understanding of the region, and a greater appreciation for countless critical stories that the creators and caretakers of these spaces are dedicated to preserving and sharing.

This started as a private obsession during my spare time, but began to intersect with my professional life (as Director of Special Projects for the Library Foundation of Los Angeles), when I began researching for a 2018 exhibition at the Los Angeles Central Library about the storytelling potential of collecting, called 21 Collections. Prior to that time, I had visited something like 200 small museums in the region, but when I decided to try to visit them all, I quickly became more organized in my approach, while also realizing that defining what should count as a museum would not be so straightforward.

My efforts have been concentrated on spotlighting the smaller, more unique, and comparatively underappreciated spaces that make this such an interesting place to live or visit, but which often get ignored in conversations about local museums or in reports on trends in the field more broadly. Taken together, they can expand our view of the role museums play in our society.

I was struck by the fact that there was no single comprehensive resource for learning about these places, and after years of compiling this information, am pleased to have this outlet to share what has been a profoundly fascinating and fulfilling journey.

I can take no credit for the beautiful design nor the functionality of this site: for that, my endless gratitude goes to the talented Nicole Jaffe of Piknik Press, who went above and beyond to ensure the site’s success across every facet of its development.

To learn more, check out the FAQs.

You can also feel free to reach out by email at: museumsoflosangeles@gmail.com

Thank you for visiting, and happy exploring!