A visit to The Broad in Los Angeles

My husband I and spent a lovely day in Los Angeles visiting the The Broad, a new contemporary art museum. 

The founders of the museum are collectors and funded the huge collection and the building of the museum (through their foundation.) The museum is free, and the architecture is simply amazing. It's well worth a visit! (You want to get tickets in advance.)

All these photos were taken by me. The museum encourages photos and of course, social media tagging.

Angry Because It’s Plaster, Not Milk by Edward Ruscha 

Jean-Michel Basquiat 

Jasper Johns

I wouldn't call myself a contemporary art lover, but I always enjoy seeing it, and find it thought-provoking for sure.

Robert Therrien

The Broad has the big names in mid-century contemporary art set in a stunning venue.

Jeff Koons Balloon Dog 

Me and my husband in Yayoi Kusama's infinity room at the Broad.

If you go to the museum, on the entry level, you'll likely see a line of people in the center of the large space. You'd think this line was to get into an exhibit, but no, it's to sign up for a time to get into an exhibit. Once you sign up (on an ipad, with your first name and cell phone number), you get at text telling you when to come back. My text read to come back in 147 minutes. Yes. I had to do the math!

Of course, we didn't really know what we signed up for, other than we had to see it. It was Kusama's infinity room, pictured above. And yes, it was totally cool. And I'm very glad we saw it. But here's the thing. When your assigned time comes, you wait in line again, and then you go into the infinity room, for 45 seconds. Yup. 45 seconds is all you are allowed, then the door opens and you're ushered out and the next one or two people go in. Crazy huh?

See more of Kusama's infinity rooms. She's been creating them since the 1960s.

We had lunch and the new and trendy Otium Restuarant. It's right next to the museum, in the courtyard and really cool. Not cheap, but the pasta is made right there and is fabulous. Dine there if you can. 

 

Disney Concert Hall

Next door to The Broad, is Disney Concert Hall, a breaktaking building designed by the genius Frank Gehry. I would have loved to attend a concert and go inside the building, but seeing the outside and walking up the stairs to the most serene and perfect garden was a huge treat! 

The Museum of Contemporary Art is just across the street and the Mark Taper Theater is also very nearby. Next time, I'd love to spend the night at the Bonaventure hotel and walk around this amazing art district for two days, and include a concert or play.