Bunker Hill: Museums, Concert Halls, and Grand Avenue
What Makes Bunker Hill Worth Exploring
Bunker Hill is Downtown LA’s cultural hilltop, concentrated along Grand Avenue between the 101 Freeway and 5th Street. The neighborhood holds the densest cluster of museums, concert halls, and performing arts venues in the city. If you visit one neighborhood in DTLA for arts and culture, this is the one.
Museums and Galleries
The Broad at 221 South Grand Avenue is a contemporary art museum with free general admission. The permanent collection includes major works by Koons, Basquiat, Warhol, Haring, and Kusama. The infinity mirror rooms require separate timed tickets.
MOCA Grand Avenue at 250 South Grand is the Museum of Contemporary Art’s flagship building, designed by Arata Isozaki. The collection spans post-1940 art across all media.
Music and Performance
Walt Disney Concert Hall at 111 South Grand is the home of the LA Philharmonic, designed by Frank Gehry. The exterior is a DTLA landmark; the interior is one of the best acoustical spaces in the world. Free self-guided audio tours of the building are available most days.
The Music Center at 135 North Grand is a performing arts campus housing the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Ahmanson Theatre, and Mark Taper Forum. It hosts LA Opera, Center Theatre Group, and touring productions.
The Colburn School at 200 South Grand is a conservatory and community school with frequent free student and faculty performances open to the public.
Landmarks
Angels Flight Railway at 351 South Hill Street is the world’s shortest railway, a restored 1901 funicular connecting Hill Street to Grand Avenue. The ride costs $1 each way and takes about a minute.
Health and Work
Stuart M. Ketchum Downtown YMCA at 401 South Hope Street has a full gym, pool, and group fitness. Downtown Dental is at 255 South Grand. Premier Workspaces at Wells Fargo Center offers flexible office space.
Getting Around Bunker Hill
The Grand Avenue corridor is walkable north to south. Metro B/D Lines stop at Civic Center/Grand Park (north end) and Pershing Square (south end). Angels Flight connects to the Historic Core below. Chinatown is a 10-minute walk north, and South Park is south past the Financial District.