The Wilshire and Westwood Boulevard intersection and its vicinity is the heart of the Westwood district in LA. Most of the businesses, commercial activity, and traffic congestion occurs around here. Unfortunately, this intersection is choked with cars, crowds, and some of LA’s longest waits for a green light.[1]
Attractions
UCLA Hammer Museum
Along Wilshire Boulevard, there are a number of attractions. The UCLA Hammer Museum at 10899 Wilshire Boulevard is the university’s art museum, some dozen blocks from the campus. The museum presents a diverse schedule of historical and contemporary art exhibits as well as a varied program of performing arts and selected works from the private collection of its billionaire founder.[2]
Grunwald Center for the Graphic Arts
Among the UCLA Hammer Museum’s permanent collection is the Grunwald Center for the Graphic Arts – the top three in the U.S. of works on paper. There are more than 35,000 Renaissance drawings, photographs, and paintings.[3] It was started in the 1920s by the wealthy industrialist, Armand Hammer, and features paintings and drawings by Old Masters such as Rubens, Titian, and Tintoretto, French impressionists and post-Impressionists such as Manet, Degas, Cézanne, and Gauguin. The highlight of the collection is Rembrandt’s 17th century Juno, which is a portrait of the artist’s young mistress. You’ll also find van Gogh’s Hospital at Saint-Rémy and Monet’s View of Bordighera.[4]
Westwood Memorial Park
The Westwood Memorial Park along Wilshire is worth a visit if you are interested in visiting the grave of Marilyn Monroe. There are also other notable dead celebrities like Joe DiMaggio, Natalie Wood, Frank Zappa, Buddy Rich, and Roy Orbison.[5]
Los Angeles California Temple
The Los Angeles California Temple located at 10777 Santa Monica Boulevard is the second largest temple run by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[6] The colossal temple sits atop a hill and is visible throughout the Westside. Its tower measures 257 feet and is topped by the angel Moroni. Only the visitors’ center is open to the public and it features a 12-foot marble sculpture of Jesus.[7]
References:
Dickey, Jeff. Los Angeles, 3rd Edition. Rough Guides, 2003. ISBN: 1843530589.
“Los Angeles Temple.” < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_Temple>
Michelin Travel Publications. California. Greenville: Michelin Travel Publications, 2001. ISBN: 2060001315.
[1] Dickey, 118
[2] Id.
[3] Id.
[4] Michelin, 164
[5] Dickey, 118
[6] Los Angeles
[7] Dickey, 118
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