Friday
Warpaint and Yeasayer at First Fridays: The Natural History Museum’s First Fridays is in full force! This isn’t a free event, but you get so much for the price of museum admission. In addition to amazing bands, DJs spinning music throughout the night, and being in an illuminated museum where you’re free to roam the exhibits, there’s a series of thought-provoking discussions. They’re keeping the theme for this year’s talks local, which is Science in Southern California. Friday’s talk is Where in the World Will Our Energy Come From? Local bands Warpaint and Yeasayer will be performing in the mammal hall. The schedule is as follows: a guided tour at 5:30 p.m., discussions at 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and the bands play from 8:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. Be sure to get there early as this event’s popularity has risen to meteoric proportions.
Cost: $9 General Admission $6.50 for Students$40 year pass gets you VIP admittance to all the First Fridays plus free admission to the NHM and La Brea Tar Pits for the entire year
Time: 5:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Parking Tip: Get there late and the parking lots may be full. There’s free street parking on Figueroa
Natural History Museum | 900 Exposition Blvd. | Los Angeles 90007 |
Shark Lagoon Nights
Do you like sharks? Do you like looking at sharks? Do you like getting so close to a shark the danger of being eaten by one is a very real thing? Then come out to The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, where Friday is Shark Lagoon Night. Touch bamboo sharks and get an eyeful of large sharks such as sandtigers and rays in their shark lagoon. This event is going on until May 7th*, so for you loner shark lovers, consider having your next 12 Fridays booked. Huzzah!
Time: 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
*Almost every Friday is free; please check dates on their website before heading out
The Aquarium of the Pacific | 100 Aquarium Way | Long Beach 90802 | (562) 590-3100
Saturday
Fruit Tree Giveaway: LACMA, in conjunction with the artist collective Fallen Fruit, will be giving away 150 fruit trees this Saturday and Sunday. The idea is to generate public participation in the making L.A. more green by planting trees in the city. You get a fruit tree that comes with instructions for planting and ideas on how to beautify your neighborhood. All you have to do in exchange is plant the thing, ideally in a public space or on the perimeter of private property, so that generations to come can enjoy public fruit.
Time: 12 p.m. – they run out
Locations: LACMA, Watts Towers Arts Center and Charles Mingus Youth Arts Center
For more info, check it out
B o A Free Museum Day
If you have a Bank of America account, the first Saturday of the month gets you in for free to museums across the nation. Just flash them your debit or credit card. Cardholders can check out India’s comics at LACMA, or take a day trip to The Living Desert in Palm Desert, an amazing zoo and botanical garden that showcases the desert environments of North America and Africa. Check out our post on it for more info.
Free Food Foraging Expedition in Westwood: The Machine Project, as part of their yearlong residency with the Hammer Museum, is presenting a chance to learn about edible flora and fauna of the Westside! Led by Mike Metzger, you’ll get to roam the wildness of Westwood in an informative expedition to collect wild greens, edible flowers and fruit for a giant salad. The best part is you’ll get to eat it! Meet in the lobby of the Hammer Museum at noon. It’s highly recommended that you come prepared with a knife, and a pad of paper and writing utensil for note-taking. RSVPing is required:
Cost: Free
Time: Noon – 5:00 p.m.
For more info, check out the Machine Project’s website.
Hammer Museum |10899 Wilshire Blvd. | Los Angeles, 90024 | (310) 443-7000
Echo Park Art Hop: The burgeoning art community in Echo Park is opening its doors and waving a big “hello” with its art work that’s all about public displays of art. Trapaise about the hilly neighborhoods where you can get visit over 20 galleries and creative spaces to celebrate art that’s both hung on white gallery walls and displayed underneath freeway overpasses. Participants include Echo Country Outpost, Evil Monito, The Dahl House, and Lola Mora Gallery. There will also be free workshops, mini-movie screenings and performances at street intersections.
Time: Noon – 6:00 p.m.
Echo Park Avenue – Sunset Boulevard à Champlain Terrace
For more info, visit Art Needs Freedom
Gallery Nucleus: Zombie Walk: To kick off opening night of their new art show, “Zombies in Love,” Gallery Nucleus is putting on a zombie walk! Come dressed in your ghastliest zombie getup to schlepp about the streets of Alhambra with the fellow undead. Anyone who participates in the zombie walk or dresses up like a zombie to the show gets in for free. The art show itself sounds pretty rad, with a free gift upon entrance (while supplies last), free refreshments, raffle giveaways at the top of each hour and a free drawing session with live zombie models. Chris Lane will begin signing his book, “Zombies: A Record of the Year of Infection,” plus a ton of new and original artwork.
Cost: $2 (free if you dress up like a zombie)
Time: 7:00PM – 11:00PM
Gallery Nucleus | 210 East Main St. | Alhambra 91801 | (626) 458-7482
