Whether you are a car buff, window shopper, art gallery fanatic, or celebrity watcher, Los Angeles has plenty for everyone. Art appreciators will especially enjoy the spectacular galleries that Los Angeles has to offer. There are hundreds of galleries throughout Los Angeles that are an easy drive in a rental car. To get you started, we’ve compiled a list of 5 great galleries to check out when you’re in town.

LA County Museum of Art

Since its inception in 1965, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art has collected enormous amounts of artwork that anyone will enjoy. The museum is the largest of its kind in the western United States. You can find the museum on Wilshire Boulevard in the Miracle Mile area of Los Angeles.  Within its vast walls are hundreds of thousands of modern and historical art objects to enjoy. Go early to make sure you have enough time to enjoy all the wonderful exhibits they have on display. Best of all, admission to the museum is inexpensive.

J. Paul Getty Museum

The Getty Museum is actually 2 separate locations. The main location is in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. It is a quick trip in a rental car if you’re near LAX. The secondary location is in the Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles. The secondary location features artwork and other exhibits from ancient Greece and Rome. They renovated the museum in 2006 when the main facility moved from the Pacific Palisades to its current location in Brentwood.

The main facility features collections of artwork that span from the Middle Ages to present times. There are over 1.3 million visitors from all over the world who make the trip to the Getty Museum to view the exhibits. They also have detailed information on their art exhibits available on their own “GettyGuide” network throughout the museum.  This network is also available online, before and after your trip.

Annenberg Space for Photography

The Annenberg Space for Photography is a great place those tourists looking for media-centric art. From anywhere in Los Angeles, the museum is a quick trip in a rental car. The museum features several exhibits dedicated to the art of photography. In addition, several highly rated photographers have lent their talents and skills to making the exhibits unique and wonderful. From traditional photo prints to the latest, state-of-the-art printing and digital technology available, the intimate location offers its own special view of the world of photography.

Adamm’s Stained Glass Gallery

If you’re looking for something unique and beautiful, a quick trip in your rental car to Santa Monica will bring you to Adamm’s Stained Glass Studio & Gallery. The gallery features exquisite art glass objects from over 175 of America’s top art glass creators. Curator Adamm Gritlefeld also has a stained glass studio and restoration center. Adamm’s works has been featured in countless businesses, churches, hotels, and restaurants throughout the world, including the White House. While it’s a shop, the selection is so varied and interesting, it feels like a museum. After your visit, it’s also fun to spend the afternoon and evening enjoying all the other attractions in Santa Monica.

La Luz de Jesus Gallery

The La Luz de Jesus Gallery is the place to go if you’re looking for a different kind of art. Located in Los Feliz, you and your rental car can easily make the drive to this unique destination. In fact. its owner, Art collector Billy Shire, sums up his gallery with the saying “Art should be by the people and for the people. It should be something that speaks to you, that entertains and challenges and changes your outlook.” The gallery has been the first to introduce to the public many then-unknown artists. These artists have gone on to claim their fame in the art world. With its unusual sculptures, narrative and figurative painting, and group exhibitions, it’s a great and interesting place to spend a long afternoon.

Getting Around Los Angeles

Every trip to Los Angeles should include a trip to at least one or two of these great art attractions. Value Rental Car makes it easy to get around Los Angeles. Their Inglewood location is close to LAX, and their Pasadena location is close to many of these great attractions. They offer free pickup and dropoff service within 7 miles. If you’re visiting the Pasadena area, look for the Value Rental Car location on E Colorado Blvd.

Photo courtesy of the The Jon B. Lovelace Collection of California Photographs in Carol M. Highsmith’s America Project, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division