After a year of shutdowns, takeout and Zoom, we are so excited to see our city start to open back up with the many Los Angeles museums reopening this spring. As of March 15, Los Angeles County moved into the Red Tier, which means a wide range of indoor operations are allowed to resume under specific COVID-19 safety protocols.

Museums, movie theaters, zoos, aquariums, theme parks, and other family friendly businesses are starting to open their doors again, just in time for Angelenos to enjoy springtime. Although it feels like L.A. is getting back to normal, there are still rules you need to follow. We break down what you need to know to keep your family safe and still have fun at the museums and galleries, which have started to open to the public once again.

What you need to know

• Mask up. Wearing a mask or face covering in public or common spaces is still required.
• Keep your distance. Physical distancing of at least 6 feet between you and people not in your party is still required.
• Limited capacity. Indoor dining, museums, zoos, aquariums, and movie theaters are allowed at 25% capacity.
• Plan ahead. Most indoor operations require advance reservations to ensure 25% capacity.

Here is our running list of museums and galleries reopening that we can’t wait to visit. We will update this list as more information becomes available.

March reopenings

Peterson Automotive Museum – One of the world’s largest automotive museums reopened March 25 with new exhibits.

California African American Museum – The Exposition Park Museum, CAAM, welcomed back guests March 27 with new exhibits.

California Science Center – The Science Center adapted many of their exhibits for hand-free interaction for its reopening on March 27.

Autry Museum of the American West – The Autry Museum reopened March 30.

Wallis Annenberg PetSpace – Small, socially-distanced groups can reserve tickets for the “PetSpace Experience” as of March 31. The reopening includes activities for kids of all ages, visits to the Critter Corner, and a live Pet Encounter.

April reopenings

Natural History Museum – Guests can reserve their tickets now for the Natural History Museum’s April 1 reopening, which will include two exhibitions: “Rise Up L.A.: A Century of Votes for Women” and “Spiky, Hairy, Shiny: Insects of L.A.”

LACMA – Previously postponed exhibits will make their debut to the public starting April 1, including “Cauleen Smith,” “Yoshitomo Nara,” “NOT I,” “Bill Viola,” “View From Here,” and “Vera Lutter.”

JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles – The gallery space welcomed back visitors April 5, with their NATURE/SUPERNATURE exhibition featuring over sixty Japanese woodblock prints. The museum and cultural space also launched a new online reservation system so small groups can easily reserve their complimentary tickets. Walk-ins are invited as space safely allows.

Southern California Children’s Museum – The play-based museum opens their indoor space for private and semi-private sessions starting April 6. The outdoor space is open now.

Huntington Art Galleries – Select galleries at The Huntington reopen April 17, including the debut of “Made in L.A. 2020: a version.” The gardens, store and café are open now.

Getty Villa – The Getty Villa Museum reopens April 21 just in time for visitors to enjoy the blooming gardens throughout the Malibu coastal property. Take in the antiquities galleries, Roman-inspired architecture, and the Getty’s latest exhibit, “Mesopotamia: Civilization Begins,” which features works from the Louvre and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.