DAY TRIP The Armand Hammer Museum of Art and Culture Center

The Armand Hammer Museum of Art and Culture Center, more commonly known as the Hammer Museum, was founded in 1990 by Armand Hammer, the late chief executive of Occidental Petroleum Corporation. Besides showcasing historic and contemporary art, the museum has programs that include lectures, film screenings and musical performances. The center, managed by UCLA, interprets visual art and shows the work of artists often underrepresented. In 1994, Bill Gates bought Leonardo da Vinci’s Codex Leicester, a collection of scientific writings, for $30.8 million.

GETTING THERE

Take the I-405 north. Stay on the I-405 north for about 45 miles. Take the Wilshire Boulevard exit and merge onto Wilshire Boulevard, driving toward Westwood. Continue on Wilshire Boulevard for about one mile until you reach the Armand Hammer Museum of Art and Culture Center, on the left. Parking is available under the museum. For the first three hours with a museum stamp, parking is $3. Another $1.50 is added for every 20-minute period beyond the first three hours. Disabled parking is provided on levels P1 and P3.

HOURS

The Hammer Museum is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. The museum is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. The Museum is closed Monday.

ADMISSION

An adult ticket costs $7. It’s $5 for seniors 65 or older and UCLA Alumni Assn. members. Admission is free for museum members, students with ID and UCLA faculty and staff. Guests younger than 17 who are accompanied by an adult may also enter for free.

BOOKSTORE

In 2006, Los Angeles Magazine named the Hammer bookstore one of the best museum shops. The bookstore has a large collection of books on art, architecture and design. Guests can find, from the 10,000 titles available, numerous subjects involve art. Visitors can also find gifts or souvenirs in the store.

TOURS

Although guests to the Hammer Museum can explore freely, group tours are available. UCLA student educators lead the tours. Groups can choose to view the permanent collection, special exhibits or the Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden. Tours are available 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. Thursdays. Most tours last about 45 minutes, and guests are encouraged to arrive 15 minutes early. Adult tours can cover up to 20 adult admission tickets and require a $60 nonrefundable deposit. If the group is larger than 20 people, each additional person will be charged $3. Student tours are free, but require chaperones. All tours must be scheduled one month in advance. To schedule a tour, call (310) 443-7078.

SCULPTURE GARDEN

The Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden includes more than 70 sculptures in its 5-acre radius. Artists such as Jean Arp, Alexander Calder, Gaston Lachaise, Jacques Lipchitz, Auguste Rodin, David Smith and Francisco Zuñiga are featured. Visitors should park in Lot 3, as the garden is on UCLA’s North Campus. General parking for the garden costs $7.

— Jacquelyn Rumfola