The Three Top Museums in Pasadena
PACIFIC ASIA MUSEUM
46 N Los Robles Pasadena 91101
626 449 2742
http://www.pacificasiamuseum.org
Open Wed, Thurs, Sat, and Sun from 10:00 to 5:00 and Fri from 10:00 to 8:00. Admission is $7 and $5 for students and seniors. There is free parking next to the Museum.
The Asia Pacific Museum is housed in an old Pasadena mansion that was designed in an Asian, especially Chinese, style. It has a blue tile roof, sweeping corners, and elaborate Asian stonework. It surrounds a beautiful and peaceful courtyard and koi pond.
There is always a traveling exhibition on view as well as some the Museum’s 14,000 representative examples of art and artifacts from Asia and the Pacific Islands. The Museum features work from China, South East Asia, the Pacific Islands, Himalayan Buddhist Art, Japan, Korea, and Orientalist Art (art done by westerners using Asian styles and themes). The exhibits are very well organized and informational.
NORTON SIMON MUSEUM
411 W Colorado Blvd Pasadena 91105
626 449 6840
http://nortonsimon.org/
Closed Tues. Open Fri from noon to 8 and all other days from noon to 6. Admission is $8. Seniors pay $4 and students get in for free. There is ample free parking at the Museum.
The Norton Simon Museum is not the largest Museum in the world but it holds some of the greatest art in the world. From Rembrandt to Rauschenberg, the viewer is overwhelmed with great works of art. This museum cannot be viewed in one day. You might take a very quick walk around and then settle in on a section or two. If you don’t know much about art, don’t worry; just pick what you like most and you will enjoy yourself. But don’t miss the garden that was inspired by Monet’s famous garden.
The collections include the following:
14th to 16th Century European paintings, sculptures, and tapestry
17th to 18th Century art from Italy, Spain, France, and the Netherlands
19th Century art of the Barbizon school, the Nabis, Impressionists, and post Impressionists
20th Century Important works from American and European artists
South Asia An extensive collection of work form India and other South Asian cultures
HUNTINGTON LIBRARY AND BOTANICAL GARDENS
1151 Oxford Rd. San Marino Ca
626 405 2100
http://huntington.org/
Open Tues. to Sun 10:30 to 4:30 in summer and closing at 6:00 the rest of the years. Admission is $15 for adults, seniors pay $12, students are $10, and youth pay $6. The Huntington is free the first Thursday of each month.
OK, strictly speaking, the Huntington is in San Marino, not in Pasadena but spiritually it is in Pasadena. There is no way the riches of the Huntington can be seen in one day. Seeing all of it would take up a vacation, sort of a cultural Disneyland experience.
If you have only one day, I would advise skipping the world famous library and all the art galleries and concentrate on the 120 acres of the gardens.
These gardens are works of art in themselves and large enough so that no matter how many people are visiting them, you can get off to yourself. Whatever the season something is happening, some plant is blooming. The gardens are in different sections and include the Rose Garden, the Shakespeare and Herb Gardens, Desert Garden, Japanese Garden, Australian Garden, Subtropical and Jungle Garden, Palm Garden, North Vista, Camilla Collection, Children’s Garden and Conservatory. The Chinese Garden is newly opened while still being worked on.
The galleries:
THE HUNTINGTON LIBRARY
The library is world famous and draws scholars from all over the world. You can view a Gothenburg Bible, Chaucer’s Tales, and working manuscripts of many great writers.
THE HENRY E. HUNTINGTON GALLERY
This was a original home of Henry Huntington and his family, but its not very homey. It works much better as a museum. It houses British and French painting, furniture, decorative objects, and sculpture. It is the home of the Blue Boy and of Pinkie.
VIRGINIA STEELE SCOTT GALLERY
The gallery has changing exhibitions of American art, paintings, sculpture, furniture and silver from colonial times to the early 20th Century.
THE LOIS AND ROBERT E ERBURU GALLERY
This gallery will ultimately house the expanding American art collection but is now showing art from the Huntington Gallery while it is closed for repair and renovation.
The Huntington has a teahouse in the gardens, which serves very good, reasonably priced lunches.
