Combining spacious art galleries with a library and theater spaces, the Marciano Art Foundation is a fascinating space for contemporary art exhibits in Los Angeles. From the outside, it continues to look like the Masonic temple it used to be – and there’s an educational masonic gallery on the multi-floored building’s mezzanine. Inside the other galleries, you’ll find pieces from Yayoi Kusama, Jeff Koons, Barbara Kruger, and many others, as well as video exhibitions; Doug Aitken’s hour-long multi-screened ode to LA, Lightscape, was featured in late 2024 and early 2025.
Expect to spend an hour or so exploring the building’s spaces if you aren’t there to see Lightscape or shorter films that are exhibited in a smaller screening room upstairs. Visitors can also enjoy a balcony overlooking the Windsor Square neighborhood, and several noteworthy outdoor sculptures, including an oversized golden crown of thorns. Admission and parking are both free, though advance reservations are required.
