Grammy Museum, Los Angeles

The Grammy Museum, squeezed into LA LIVE half a block from Staples Center, makes the most of a small amount of space.  Visitors enter into a small foyer on the ground floor; the only exhibit here is Janis Joplin's car.  Signs warn that photography isn't allowed inside at all, which is a shame, because everyone here wanted to take pictures next to the car!  You can check your coat or bags here, and an attendant/elevator operator will send you directly to the 4th floor to begin the tour.

The main exhibit area begins with an interactive touch device called the Crossroads (there are several, so you shouldn't have to wait for one) which is designed to teach visitors about the links and influences between various genres of music.  If you touch "Country," for example, you will get images of different sub-genres of music that influenced, or were influenced by, Country music.

The next room carries on this idea; individual booths showcase different genres.  Visitors can sit inside the booths and watch videos of performances or retrospectives.  The outsides of the booths have the usual artifacts--instruments, costumes, posters, etc.  It is interesting to note that classical music is also included here; this is primarily a pop music museum, but it gives a nod to all genres that are included in the Grammy awards. Near the back of the room, more interactive screens focus on geography, as visitors can click on an area of the United States and find a quick audio/visual history of pop music associated with that city or state. Interactive exhibits, in fact, continue throughout the museum, so this is a great place to take older school aged kids who are interested in music.

When we visited in January of 2011, the featured traveling exhibit was the John Lennon: Songwriter exhibition.  The most striking feature of the exhibit was the listening/viewing room--I assume this feature remains and is used for all special exhibits.  It's a great place to sit and rest and take in the video display.

Visitors continue down to the lower floors for exhibits on the Grammy awards show itself.  Jennifer Lopez's famous green dress is on display here, along with a few other notable outfits.  Since the museum is only  three years old, I assume this collection will grow in future years.  A screen behind the display plays performances from Grammy broadcasts.  Tucked away in one corner we found an exhibit on the Latin Grammys, complete with instruments and headphones, and a video screen showing clips from the Latin Grammy awards.  Another area features several large glass booths with recording and mixing equipment.  Visitors can experiment with various effects and techniques for different types of music in each one.

The gift shop is a little small and cramped, out of necessity.  You'll definitely find some t-shirts you'll like, but the rest of the selection is limited.  Also, be aware that there is no cafe or food available in the museum.  It opens at 11:30, so you might want to have an early lunch (or late breakfast at The Original Pantry down the street).  There are plenty of places to eat within a block.  You can also leave and re-enter the museum; just get a wrist bracelet from the attendant at the ground floor.

All in all, a good way to spend 2-3 hours on an afternoon in downtown L.A.

Added July 2012:  According to The Huffington Post, the Grammy Museum will open the exhibit " “Whitney! Celebrating the Musical Legacy of Whitney Houston" on August 15, 2012.  The exhibit will run until February 2013.

From the museum website:

How to Purchase Museum Tickets

General admission tickets to the Museum are available through Ticketmaster and at the Museum Box Office. For program tickets, please see the Public Programs and Educational Programs pages on this website.

Adults: $12.95
Students: $11.95 (18 years and older, valid ID required)
Seniors: $11.95 (65 years and older)
Youth: $10.95 (6-17 years)
Military: $10.95 (Valid ID required)
Groups: $10.00 (10 or more persons, see Groups below)
School Groups: $8.00 Tour and program, $5.00 Tour only
Children: Free (5 years and younger)
Members: Free

Groups

When booked in advance, groups of ten or more qualify for a discounted ticket price of $10.00. For more information, please see the Group Sales page or call 213.765.6800 (ext. 3).

Box Office

Location
The GRAMMY Museum is located at the corner of Olympic Boulevard and Figueroa Street, at the northeast corner of L.A. LIVE. The Museum entrance and Box Office are located off of Figueroa Street. All same-day sales are available through the Museum's Box Office.

Hours
Monday - Friday 11:30am - 7:30pm, Saturday - Sunday 10:00am - 7:30pm

Contact
Phone: 213.765.6803
Email: boxoffice@grammymuseum.org