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Free Traveling Guides » States » California » Greater Los Angeles

Norton Simon Museum

The Norton Simon Museum, formerly known as the Pasadena Art Institute, is considered one of the premier art museums in the country. Completed in 1969, this museum was designed by two of the leading architects of Pasadena, Thornton Ladd and John Kelsey. Later on, the interior of the building was renovated and updated by Frank O. Gehry and Associates to accommodate some modern facilities and the state-of-the-art security systems of the building. The exterior of the museum is covered with 115,000 brown tiles.

The museum gardens had always been beautiful. The original garden, which adorned the grounds where the museum now stands, was planted by Dr. Ezra and Jeanne Carr in the 1870s with a variety of plants form all over the world. This garden was considered the most extensive in all of Pasadena at that time.  When the Museum was erected, the gardens were laid out again, and this time, their design was inspired by Monet’s Giverny. Today, the gardens surrounding the museum are considered one of the most beautiful in the world.

When it comes to art collections, the Norton Simon Museum simply has one of the best in the world. The permanent collection of the Museum includes Asian and Western art from different periods. In fact, the whole collection of the museum spans more than 2,000 years of art history. The masterpieces that are currently on display at the Norton Simon Museum include some rare etchings by Rembrant and Goya and a collection of Picasso graphics. The museum also showcases the Galka E. Scheyer Collection of the Works of Feininger, Kandinsky, Jawlensky and Klee.

• Address: 411 W Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91105
• Telephone: (626) 449-6840
• Hours: Wed –Mon,  noon - 6 PM; Fri, noon – 9 PM
  The Museum Store and Gardens close 15 minutes before the galleries close.  The Museum is also closed on New Year's Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. 
• Website: http://www.nortonsimon.org

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