Is the Miracle Mile walking route family-friendly?

Yes, it is very family-friendly. Children especially enjoy seeing the life-sized mammoth models at the Tar Pits and the colorful cars at the Petersen Museum. The park area surrounding the museums offers plenty of space for kids to run.

What is the best time to see the Urban Light installation?

The best time is at sunset or during the evening. The 202 cast-iron lamps are equipped with solar sensors and turn on automatically as it gets dark, creating a magical atmosphere for photography.

Can I see the Tar Pits for free?

Yes, you can walk around Hancock Park and view several of the active tar pits, including the large Lake Pit, for free. A ticket is only required if you wish to enter the George C. Page Museum building to see the fossils.

Is there a lot of uphill walking on this route?

No, this is an easy-flat walk. This section of Wilshire Boulevard is almost entirely level, making it accessible for people of all fitness levels and those using mobility aids.

Is this walking tour Los Angeles safe at night?

Yes, the Miracle Mile is a well-trafficked and well-lit area. The LACMA 'Urban Light' area is particularly popular with locals and tourists alike well into the evening hours.

Where can I find parking near the start of the walk?

There is a paid parking lot for the La Brea Tar Pits and LACMA at 6th Street and Curson Ave. Street parking is available but can be difficult to find and often has strict time limits.

Can I visit all the museums in one day?

While you can see the exteriors of all these landmarks in one afternoon, visiting the interiors of LACMA, the Academy Museum, and the Petersen in one day would be very rushed. It is best to pick one museum to explore in depth.

Miracle Mile: Prehistoric Pits and Modern Art | Self-Guided Walking Tour

About This Guided Walking Tour

Step into a world where the prehistoric past collides with the cutting edge of modern culture on this self-guided walking route through Los Angeles' famous Miracle Mile. This stretch of Wilshire Boulevard was once a bean field, transformed in the 1920s into a bustling commercial hub designed for the burgeoning car culture. Today, it serves as the city's premier museum row, offering a unique juxtaposition of Ice Age fossils and world-class art. On this self-guided walk, you will discover why this area is considered the cultural heart of Los Angeles. The journey begins at the La Brea Tar Pits, where natural asphalt has preserved the remains of mammoths and saber-toothed cats for millennia. It is one of the few places on Earth where you can witness an active paleontological excavation in the middle of a major metropolis. As you continue your neighborhood stroll, the scenery shifts from the ancient to the avant-garde. You will encounter the iconic 'Urban Light' installation at LACMA, a forest of 202 restored cast-iron streetlamps that has become a symbol of the city’s creative spirit. Nearby, the futuristic architecture of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures and the ribbon-clad Petersen Automotive Museum showcase the industries that define the California dream: film and cars. This walking tour Los Angeles experience allows you to explore at your own pace, whether you want to linger over a prehistoric pit or photograph the stunning Art Deco lines of the El Rey Theatre. Unlike a traditional guided tour Los Angeles, you have the freedom to stop for coffee or dive deeper into a museum gallery whenever you choose. From the labor history at the SAG-AFTRA Plaza to the neon glow of historic theaters, the Miracle Mile tells the story of a city constantly reinventing itself. Whether you are an architecture enthusiast, a history buff, or just looking for the perfect Instagram shot, this route offers a comprehensive look at the layers of Los Angeles history.

Tour Highlights & Things to See

Witness active Ice Age excavations at the La Brea Tar Pits
Photograph the 202 vintage streetlamps of LACMA’s 'Urban Light'
Admire the futuristic 'Sphere' at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
See the striking stainless-steel ribbons of the Petersen Automotive Museum
Discover the Art Deco elegance of the historic El Rey Theatre

Route Map

Numbers indicate the order of stops on the tour.

Tour Stops & Points of Interest (6)

1

La Brea Tar Pits and Museum

Welcome to one of the most unique sites in the world. Thousands of years ago, sticky asphalt seeped to the surface here, trapping unsuspecting mammoths, dire wolves, and ground sloths. Today, this is an active paleontological research site. As you walk around the park, you can still see the dark, bubbling 'tar' (which is actually heavy oil called asphalt) and smell its distinct petroleum scent. The George C. Page Museum on-site houses the skeletons recovered from these pits, offering a literal window into the Pleistocene era right in the middle of a modern city. It’s a stark reminder that beneath the pavement of Los Angeles lies a prehistoric wilderness.

2

LACMA Urban Light

Standing before you is perhaps the most photographed spot in Los Angeles. Created by artist Chris Burden in 2008, 'Urban Light' is composed of 202 restored cast-iron streetlamps from the 1920s and 30s. These lamps once illuminated the streets of various Southern California neighborhoods. By grouping them together in this neoclassical grid, Burden transformed functional city objects into a cathedral-like forest of light. It serves as the gateway to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), the largest art museum in the western United States. If you visit at dusk, you can watch as the solar-powered sensors trigger the lamps to glow simultaneously.

3

Academy Museum of Motion Pictures

Look up at the massive glass-and-concrete sphere attached to the historic Saban Building. This is the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano. The Saban Building itself was originally the May Company department store, a 1939 Streamline Moderne masterpiece. The new 'Sphere' addition houses a state-of-the-art theater and a rooftop terrace with views of the Hollywood Hills. This museum is the definitive home for the history of cinema, celebrating the craft of filmmaking from costume design to visual effects. It represents the ultimate intersection of LA’s architectural heritage and its most famous industry.

4

Petersen Automotive Museum

You can't miss the red building wrapped in stainless-steel ribbons. This is the Petersen Automotive Museum, and its exterior is meant to evoke the feeling of speed and movement. Inside, it celebrates Los Angeles’ deep-rooted car culture, featuring everything from Hollywood movie cars to rare vintage racers. The Miracle Mile was originally designed in the 1920s specifically to be viewed from the window of a moving car, making this the perfect location for such a museum. The building’s 2015 redesign by Kohn Pedersen Fox turned a former department store into a bold architectural statement that looks like it's zooming down Wilshire Boulevard.

5

SAG-AFTRA Plaza

This building is the headquarters of SAG-AFTRA, the union representing over 160,000 actors, announcers, and recording artists. Originally known as the E. Clem Wilson Building, it was built in 1929 and was once the tallest building on the Miracle Mile. Notice the classic late-Moderne style. This site has been a focal point for labor history in the entertainment industry, often serving as the backdrop for significant announcements and protests. It stands as a monument to the professionals who work behind the scenes and in front of the cameras to create the media we consume every day.

6

El Rey Theatre

Our walk concludes at the El Rey Theatre, a stunning example of Art Deco architecture. Designed by Clifford A. Balch and opened in 1936, it served as a single-screen cinema for nearly 50 years. Notice the intricate neon signage and the stylized geometry of the facade. In the 1990s, it was converted into a live music venue, hosting legendary acts from across the globe. The El Rey is a designated Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument, representing the era when the Miracle Mile was the city's premier destination for high-end shopping and entertainment. It remains a vibrant part of the neighborhood’s nightlife today.

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Frequently Asked Questions

The walk itself is about 1 mile long and takes 20-30 minutes of continuous walking. However, with stops to see the Tar Pits and take photos of the architecture, most visitors spend 2 to 3 hours on this self-guided route.