Discover the Arts in Los Angeles This Spring

Dinosaur fossils stuck in tar in the middle of a busy city thoroughfare, artifacts from the Old West, and photos of oppressed women from around the world. These exhibits are all on display somewhere in one of Los Angeles' 100 museums.

Now is the time to visit one of them.

Today is the first day of Discover the Arts Los Angeles when the city asks its residents to be tourists in their own town and visit some of its museums. Visitors can save up to 50 percent on admission through the end of April at museums including The Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits, The Autry National Center, and The Skirball Cultural Center.

The fourth annual Discover the Arts kicked off Tuesday in front of one of LA's iconic buildings, The Walt Disney Concert Hall, with a talk by the mayor and a concert by one of LA's favorite bands, Ozomatli.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said that Los Angeles thrives on its creative economy from the film industry to the music scene to the many art galleries in the city. The creative soul of the city, which employs nearly 1 million people in the creative arts, is all around and it's time to go and see it. "This is the month to see the city in a new light," he said.

More than 27 million people visited Los Angeles last year, more than any other year, and 53 percent of them got their tourist information from friends and family who live in Los Angeles, said Mark Lieberman, CEO of LA Inc., the Los Angeles Convention and Visitor's Bureau.

"We must be the best marketers of our city," he said.
Starting this month, museums will offer special discounts including 2-for-1 admission to The Grammy Museum at L.A. Live, Museum of Latin American Art, Peterson Automotive Museum, and the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA). Plus the Geffen Playhouse, the Natural History Museum, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic all have special offers for tickets. To find out more and get coupons, visit Discover the Arts LA.

Hotels.com is offering visitors 50 percent off vouchers at 50 cultural attractions in the city for anyone who books an overnight stay through the site. And Discover the Arts Discount cards can be found at Wells Fargo banks throughout Los Angeles.

Yvonne Condes is Editor and Cofounder of MomsLA.com and she also blogs at YvonneinLA.com.