(This article is cross-posted on my other blog, Reel Travels Magazine, because of its film/tv connections.)
I would like to thank The Hollywood Museum for hosting me on my visit to this incredible place! And, to me, the word incredible is an understatement. I visited many places on my three-week cross-country trip to see WrestleMania 39, but The Hollywood Museum was, by far, my absolute favorite, and I wish I had more hours to spend there looking at every single item. There’s no doubt when I’m in California again, I’m making a beeline back to The Hollywood Museum. And even though the Museum hosted my visit, I am not being paid to say any of this.
The Hollywood Museum is located in the old Max Factor building at 1660 North Highland at Hollywood Boulevard. Max Factor was the makeup to the stars in the early years of Hollywood. This building is where Marilyn Monroe became a blonde and Lucille Ball became a redhead. The Museum houses the history of Max Factor, makeup, Hollywood, and so much more — SO. MUCH. MORE. Their website boasts that it has more than 10,000 items!
Lucy, Lucy, and more Lucy!
Speaking of the legendary Lucille Ball — my idol — I knew before I walked into the Museum that they had some Lucille Ball stuff, but oh boy, was I blown away! I saw Lucille’s Emmys, wardrobe, makeup, scripts, magazines, etc. Lucille was nominated for 13 Primetime Emmy Awards. She won 5 times and also won other awards, including the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award, and she has TWO stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. After your visit to the Museum, check them out nearby at 6436 Hollywood Boulevard (for her film career) and at 6100 Hollywood Boulevard (for television).
See that poster for The Dark Corner? Here’s an interesting fact. I have always called myself a Lucille Ball fan, but I had only seen a few of her movies. I loved her more from, like many fans do, I Love Lucy. That poster for The Dark Corner inspired me to watch as many movies that Lucille had been in as I could. (If you want to watch The Dark Corner, it’s on YouTube here.) There are many, but TCM had a marathon of her movies in August and I have watched about 10 now. If you want to read about my trip to Lucille’s birthplace, Jamestown, New York for the Lucy Comedy Fest, click here. Click here for the article on Lucille Ball‘s room at the El Ranch Hotel.
What else?
Above are photos of other things I saw, including outfits from Judy Garland, and Marilyn Monroe, the television shows Knots Landing and Gilligan’s Island, and movie posters and autographs of Abbott & Costello, the cast of Singin’ in the Rain, Smokey and the Bandit, the Little Rascals, etc. I posted all of my favorite photos and will post more on my Instagram page. You are walking through an incredible array of Hollywood history when you step through those front doors.
As you walk around, you will also see memorabilia from Back to the Future and Ghostbusters. Some exhibits are temporary, and some are permanent, so expect that there might be something new there or something you wanted to see that’s gone. Call ahead to confirm if there is something specific you are there to see.
So here’s a fun fact about me. I am not good with horror movies or television shows or anything horror, for that matter. So I didn’t head downstairs to Museum’s Dungeon of Doom to check out the entire section dedicated to horror memorabilia. It’s just not for me, but someone I was with did and said it was awesome.
My son came with me too, and he’s not as big a TV/film fan as I am, but he loved this Museum and said he learned so much. He also thanked me because he realized that he knew more than he expected and credited it to my sharing my interests with him.
If You Go
The museum is self-paced. An important tip is that they are only open from Wednesday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., so plan accordingly. You can purchase tickets online or at the box office, and adult tickets are an affordable $15. A child is $5, seniors and students are $12. You can use your purchased ticket up to 30 days after you buy it. Once you’re done, the Hollywood Walk of Fame is right up the street, along with Grauman’s Chinese Theater, where you can see the footprints and handprints of many Hollywood legends.
