You’re staring at weekend plans, your kids are bouncing off the walls, and the 405 looks like a parking lot. Here’s the move that actually works for Los Angeles families: slide up to the Skirball Cultural Center in the Sepulveda Pass, time a Noah’s Ark slot, and make a day of it without blowing your budget or your sanity. Parking is free during regular museum hours, the food on site is better than the average kid museum snack bar, and if you hit a Thursday, admission is free for everyone. That combination is hard to beat on the Westside or in the Valley.
Skirball keeps pricing simple. General Admission is $20 for adults and $15 for seniors, full‑time students with ID, and children ages 2–17. Children under 2 are free. There’s a twist that matters for families: Noah’s Ark, the interactive children’s exhibition, is ticketed separately with timed entry, and it’s the same price tiers as General Admission. Either way, your Noah’s Ark ticket also includes access to the rest of the museum’s exhibitions and family spaces the same day.
Thursdays are the budget hack. Both General Admission and Noah’s Ark are free on Thursdays, but you still need to reserve a timed Noah’s Ark slot to board. Capacity is limited and walk‑up availability is not guaranteed, so reserve ahead when you can. If you’re trying to snag a popular time on a free Thursday, log in early in the week and grab a morning or late‑afternoon entry before they vanish.
Noah’s Ark time on board is 90 minutes, and the installation closes at 4:30 pm, so a 3:00–4:00 pm slot is your latest workable window. Box office check‑in for the museum closes at 4:30 pm daily. If you’re building a half‑day, that 1:30 pm or 2:00 pm entry is the sweet spot for most families. Skirball requires at least one adult for every four children in your party, and staff will check that ratio when you claim tickets.
For larger crews or camps, Skirball offers group rates for Noah’s Ark on select midweek times. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, groups of 15 or more can book at $17 for adults and $12 for seniors, students, and kids, subject to availability and blackout periods. There’s a maximum of 35 people per group and the 1:4 adult‑to‑child policy still applies.
If you have kids roughly 2–10, yes, but go in with a plan. The exhibition is an immersive, climbable world of animals crafted from repurposed materials, with staff facilitating collaborative play and problem‑solving. It’s not a quick photo‑op. That 90‑minute clock is active playtime across multiple rooms, including hands‑on moments that pull even shy kids in. When your session ends, the staff will usher you out to keep the next time slot on schedule, so arrive early enough to hit the restroom and stash snacks before you scan in. Food and drinks aren’t allowed in the galleries.
Outside the Ark, the museum’s family extras stretch your schedule. The Archaeology Dig and the Discovery Center sit near the main galleries and are included with General Admission. If you booked a 3:00–4:00 pm Ark slot, visit those spaces before you board, because they wind down by late afternoon. And don’t skip the Bloom Garden and the Family Art Studio when they’re open; both are included in your ticket and give kids a softer landing after the high‑energy Ark session.
Hours matter here. The museum is open Tuesday–Friday, 12:00–5:00 pm and Saturday–Sunday, 10:00 am–5:00 pm, closed Mondays. That means weekday morning playdates only work on Thursdays if you’re aiming for free‑day slots after noon. On weekends, consider the first session of the day to beat the noise level and glide into lunch without a meltdown window.
The campus sits at 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, 90049, just off the Skirball Center Dr exit from the 405 in the Sepulveda Pass, about 2.5 miles south of the 101. During normal museum hours, visitor parking is free. The main North Parking garage is underground at the north end of the main driveway. There’s also an East Parking garage across Sepulveda Boulevard, which can be handy when the North garage fills midday. Visitors with ADA placards can use the South Parking garage right by the Main Entrance. Garage clearance is 8' 2" at each entrance, with some lower clearances on deeper North garage levels.
If you’re charging an EV, stations are in North L1 and East P3. Charging fees apply and there’s a four‑hour limit while actively charging. Street parking on surrounding roads, including Mulholland Drive, is prohibited, and staff actively direct cars into the garages. If you’re doing rideshare instead, have your driver turn in at Herscher Way and drop you at the front steps. For public transit, Metro Rapid 233/761 stops across from the campus on Sepulveda. The northbound stop is on the southeast corner at Bergreen Pl, and the southbound stop is just north at Herscher Way, about 150 yards from the entrance.
One exception on parking: for the Skirball’s Sunset Concerts, admission is free but parking is $20 upon arrival. It’s a scene on those nights, so plan to arrive around 6:00 pm when check‑in opens. Museum galleries stay open for concertgoers into the evening, which can be a surprisingly mellow way to see certain shows if daytime doesn’t fit your schedule.
Skirball has on‑site dining that’s genuinely convenient for families. Zeidler’s Café serves a sit‑down menu Tuesday–Sunday, 11:30 am–3:30 pm, with indoor tables and a sunny courtyard. Reservations are recommended, especially if you’re trying to feed a crew right after a morning Ark slot. If you need something quicker, Judy’s Counter runs Tuesday–Sunday, 11:30 am–4:30 pm with grab‑and‑go salads, sandwiches, snacks, and coffee, plus indoor and outdoor seating near Taper Courtyard.
Museum admission isn’t required to dine, and parking stays free during regular hours, so you can meet friends here even if they’re not museum‑bound. One detail to know when you’re budgeting: as of mid‑2026, a 20% gratuity is automatically added to all food and beverage purchases, which supports collectively bargained wages and benefits for staff. Food and drinks aren’t allowed in the galleries, so time your meal before you scan into Noah’s Ark. If you’re wrapping up your visit, Audrey’s Museum Store is open the same hours as the museum galleries, Tuesday–Friday 12:00–5:00 pm and Saturday–Sunday 10:00 am–5:00 pm, and it’s an easy last stop for a small treat or gift.
| Option | What it includes | Cost | Time commitment | Reservation need | Parking |
| General Admission | All current exhibitions, Family Art Studio, Discovery Center, Archaeology Dig, Bloom Garden | $20 adult; $15 senior/student/child 2–17; under 2 free; free Thursdays | 1.5–3 hours, self‑paced | Recommended, walk‑ups often OK | Free during museum hours |
| Noah’s Ark timed entry | 90 minutes aboard Noah’s Ark plus all General Admission access the same day | Same tiers as above; under 2 free; free Thursdays with reservation | 90 minutes timed, Ark closes 4:30 pm | Reserve early; capacity strictly limited | Free during museum hours |
| Free Thursday playdate | General Admission and Noah’s Ark, if you hold a timed Ark slot | $0 for both tickets on Thursdays | 2–4 hours depending on your Ark slot | Ark slots book fast; grab early | Free |
| Sunset Concert evening | Free outdoor concert, galleries open to concertgoers into the evening, food/drink for purchase | Concert admission $0 | 2–3 hours, doors at 6:00 pm | No reservations; first‑come entry and seating | $20 event parking |
All three are solid with the under‑10 crowd, but they’re different animals. Cayton Children’s Museum in Santa Monica is open‑ended free play in one big footprint. Kidspace in Pasadena sprawls outdoors with trike tracks and water features. Skirball’s Noah’s Ark is more structured: a sequence of rooms with tactile prompts and gentle facilitation, designed for social play across ages. The adult‑to‑child ratio and timed entry keep the headcount reasonable, which many parents prefer once they’ve done a few chaotic open‑play mornings elsewhere. Add the free parking, the Thursday free‑day, and on‑site dining, and Skirball often wins for mixed‑age groups or guests staying on the Westside or in the Valley.
The tradeoff is scheduling discipline. You can’t just roll in at noon and expect to hop on the Ark, especially during school breaks. Book the timed slot, arrive 15–20 minutes early, and use the rest of the campus to pad your day. If you’re hosting out‑of‑towners, pairing a late‑morning Ark session with lunch at Zeidler’s and a quiet hour in the galleries is a classic Los Angeles day that avoids most of the 405 misery in the late afternoon.
No. A Noah’s Ark ticket follows the same price tiers as General Admission and includes access to the rest of the museum the same day. You will still choose a specific 90‑minute time for the Ark, and the exhibit closes at 4:30 pm, so plan your gallery time around that window.
Parking is free during regular museum hours in the on‑site garages. Use the North Parking garage off the main driveway first, with overflow in the East Parking garage across Sepulveda. For Sunset Concerts only, event parking is $20 upon arrival. EV charging is available with a four‑hour active‑charging limit.
Yes. Thursdays are free for everyone for both General Admission and Noah’s Ark, but a timed reservation is still required to board the Ark and slots fill quickly. If you want a specific time, especially morning or late afternoon, reserve in advance.
Pick an earlier time slot on weekends or a midday slot on weekdays. The timed structure keeps crowds manageable, but mornings tend to be calmer. Remember the 1:4 adult‑to‑child ratio is enforced, so bring enough grownups to keep the visit low‑stress.
Bottom line: if you want a kid‑forward landmark that respects your schedule and your wallet, the Skirball is easy to recommend. Reserve your Ark slot, stack it with lunch at Zeidler’s, and take advantage of free parking and Thursday deals. It’s one of the few family outings in Los Angeles that genuinely gets easier the more you do it.
Published: September 10, 2026 · Reviewed by the This Los Angeles editorial team