Los Angeles has a lot to offer a visitor. Sunshine, mountains, beaches, hiking, stars, world-class museums and some truly wonderful dining with up and coming new chefs. Yet, it is also one of the weirdest places on the planet. While the term “Film noir” was coined in France, the term describes films made in and around Los Angeles during the 1940’s. In LA, there is always a sense of pessimism and menace.
Behind or under all that sunshine, there is a dark, troubling Los Angeles full of weird and sometimes dangerous things. This is also the city of corruption, the Black Dahlia, mad power grabs, famous unsolved murders, cults, and Charlie Manson.
This is also the city of strange, peculiar, and wondrously interesting people and places. Like the giant Randy’s Donut sign seen in so many movies about Los Angeles, the Watts Towers, or the Bronson Caves. One of the strangest yet most popular off-beat attractions in the City of Angeles is the Museum of Jurassic Technology. Located in Culver City, also the home of MGM and Sony Studios, the museum is located at 9341 Venice Boulevard in the Palms district of Los Angeles, California>.
The Museum
The museum itself seems to be a unique combination of interactive performance art and a provocative little haven of curiosities and rarities; scientific, historic and artistic in nature. Obscure exhibits feature everything from an extensive exhibit on a Soviet designer/engineer who influenced the Soviet space program but never actually made a rocket to folk curses and cures through the ages. Examples include “the restorative properties of urine” and “cures from eating mice.” Is it a parody or is it a witty homage to private museums of the 16th and 17th century or just some confused collector’s obscure items that only they truly care about? Truth or fiction, myth or reality? You have to decide for yourself.
The Museum of Jurassic Technology crafts its allure by seamlessly blending fact and fiction, creating a unique experience that is both bewildering and captivating. This blending is most apparent in the entrance galleries, where the themes are the oldest and most disjointed, setting the tone for the curious journey ahead.
At some point, you start to ask yourself where the joke is as you bump into an array of microscopes focused on tiny almost invisible arrangements made from butterfly wings and sculptures so tiny that they fit into the eye of a needle, juxtaposed against a clearly made-up exhibit of cheap items from junk shops called a “History of Trailer Park Art.”
Yet the exhibit is so painstakingly made with a history of the movement, models of trailers, several cases filled with plates and photos of supposed collections, and in-depth histories of each of the collectors that you almost begin to believe that it is truly real.
Embracing Your Imagination
While the factual nature of what you are viewing might tempt you to question its authenticity, the true spirit of the museum is not about verifying facts but about embracing the presentation. It’s an invitation to lose yourself in a world of imagination, where the boundaries between reality and fiction blur, offering a glimpse into the unknown.
Ultimately, the significance of this blend lies in its power to transform the mundane into the extraordinary, challenging visitors to see beyond the surface and engage with the deeper narrative woven throughout the museum’s halls.
Stepping into the Museum of Jurassic Technology: A Journey into the Unfamiliar
Upon approaching the Museum of Jurassic Technology, you might second-guess if this place is actually a museum at all. The facade is minimalistic, marked only by a subtle sign above a modest wall fountain. Yet, it isn’t long after crossing the threshold that Venice Boulevard’s clamorous world is left behind.
The Gift Shop: A Glimpse into the Mysteries Ahead
Your entry is immediately into the gift shop, a small area where dim lighting accentuates tightly packed shelves of perplexing merchandise. These items offer a sneak peek into the curiosities awaiting within, though at first glance, they seem almost cryptic. A friendly attendant greets visitors, confirming reservations and reiterating the museum’s key rule: keep your phones off and no photos allowed. This secrecy maintains the museum’s enigmatic charm.
Venturing Through the Entrance Gallery
The journey begins through a labyrinth of narrow corridors, barely wide enough for two people to pass side by side. The ambience is defined by a variety of sounds—a calm water trickle, wolf howls, and an opera singer’s haunting tune. Somewhere near, an introductory film is playing, its purpose seemingly to mystify rather than clarify.
The film introduces the museum, claiming it centers on the “Lower Jurassic” era but offers no further explanation. It’s an institution that defies conventional understanding, and it invites visitors to embrace the unexplained.
Museums and Curiosities: Inspirations and Misconceptions
While the film hints at the evolution of modern museums, drawing inspiration from historic “cabinets of curiosities,” it suggests a philosophy contrary to typical museum logic. Here, the unusual is not just an aspect but the essence. Charles Willson Peale’s quote about leading learners from the familiar to the unfamiliar is humorously opposed; at this museum, visitors dive directly into the peculiar.
Disorienting Displays: Fact Blends with Fiction
As you navigate the galleries, you’ll encounter displays ranging from conceivable to absurd, with some appearing perpetually under repair. Wall-mounted telephones sporadically narrate stories about the exhibits. Whether these tales inform, entertain, or simply confound is part of the experience. The blending of reality and imagination is not a flaw but a design—an invitation to suspend disbelief.
Embracing the Unique Experience
The Museum of Jurassic Technology is not a place to scrutinize for historical accuracy. Instead, it’s an avant-garde odyssey through a world where presentation outshines the subject itself. By abandoning expectations, visitors can truly immerse themselves in the otherworldly charm of this unmatched museum.
Getting to the Museum of Jurassic Technology
If you’re planning a trip to the Museum of Jurassic Technology, public transit and walking are both viable options. Here’s a simple guide to help you reach your destination with ease.
By Public Transportation
The most convenient way to get close to the museum is via the E Line of the Metro. From the Culver City Metro station, you can hop on Metro bus #33. This bus travels along Venice Boulevard and conveniently stops right in front of the museum. This route spares you the walk, but be prepared for a short wait if the bus isn’t immediately available.
By Walking
Should you choose to explore on foot, the museum is about a five-block walk from the Culver City Metro station. While you could walk directly down Venice Boulevard, be aware that this section can be busy and lacks pedestrian-friendly amenities.
A more scenic and enjoyable route involves taking a brief detour through Downtown Culver City:
- From the Culver City Metro station, head to the intersection of Venice and Robertson Boulevard.
- Turn left onto Robertson Boulevard.
- Walk one block to the traffic light and make a right onto Washington Boulevard.
- You’ll soon encounter various landmarks:
- Notice the car dealership on your right.
- On your left, the striking Art Deco buildings house the Sony Animation studios.
- Continue to the next light, where Washington Boulevard curves. Cross the street and proceed through the pedestrian plaza.
- On your left, you’ll find the historic Culver Studios and nearby, the iconic six-story Culver Hotel.
- Take the first right turn, crossing Culver Boulevard onto Main Street, which is lined with charming cafes and shops.
- Continue walking until you reach Venice Boulevard. The museum will be directly across the street on the right.
Enjoy the journey, as it offers a glimpse into the area’s rich architectural and cinematic history. Whether you opt for the bus or the walking tour, you’ll find the museum ready to welcome you with its eclectic exhibits.
TripAdvisor #1 Thing to do
TripAdvisor.com lists this as the #1 thing to do in Culver City, and it is sure worth the couple of hours you could take to wander through this warren’s den of small, dimly lit exhibits. The setting is very theatrical, mysterious and bizarre as you move from one unrelated exhibit to another. At some point you start to ask yourself where the joke is as you bump into an array of microscopes focused on tiny almost invisible arrangements made from butterfly wings and sculptures so tiny that they fit into the eye of a needle juxtaposed against a clearly made up exhibit of cheap items from junk shops called a “History of Trail Park Art”.
Yet the exhibit is so painstakingly made with a history of the movement, models of trailers, several cases filled with plates and photos of supposed collections and in-depth histories of each of the collectors that you almost begin to believe that it is truly real.
The Founders
The museum was founded by spouses David Hildebrand Wilson and Diana Drake Wilson in 1988. Wilson won a MacArthur Foundation Award in 2001. The museum’s pamphlet itself states the museum is “an educational institution dedicated to the advancement of knowledge and the public appreciation of the Lower Jurassic.” The link to the term “Lower Jurassic” and how it pertains to the museum’s collections is left unexplained.
The Roof Top Tea Room
At the end of your tour on the top floor, there is a lovely little tea room which is included in the price of admission, where you can ponder your vague, disquieting visit or reflect on the challenging originality and dry humor of the place.
This tea room, adorned in a charming Georgian style, invites you to unwind with a complimentary cup of hot lemon tea and a cookie. The warm ambiance offers a perfect spot to sit and soak in the eccentricity of your surroundings. If you prefer, take your refreshment outside to the adjacent courtyard.
The courtyard is a serene escape, transporting you to a tranquil corner reminiscent of Europe. Here, the hustle and bustle of the city fade away, replaced by the gentle murmur of a fountain and the soft cooing of doves. Occasionally, the soothing strains of an unusual stringed instrument or accordion fill the air, enhancing the otherworldly atmosphere.
This space is a hidden gem within the museum, offering a moment of peace and reflection that complements the avant-garde experience of your visit.
Street and free meter parking were pretty easy to find on a Sunday afternoon. Admission is a donation of $8.00 per adult (well worth it!) with varying discounted costs for other visitors. Uniquely stocked gift shop to peruse at the completion of your visit. No photos allowed and the staff is amazingly friendly. This is a very small and peculiarly offbeat museum and it is well worth the time to visit and wonder about its mysterious and confusing exhibits, and the apparent randomness of it all.
About The Author,
James Carey is an avid world traveler, blogger, writer and award-winning theater and film director based in Atlanta GA. He writes about travel worldwide, entertainment, and lifestyles. You can find out more about him at his personal websites listed below.
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