Have you come to L.A. [1] for the fabulous designer clothes, but your credit cards are screaming in agony? Is your all-time favorite TV show Project Runway? Then L.A.’s got the perfect museum for you.
The FIDM Museum & Galleries (919 S. Grand Ave., 800/624-1200, www.fidm.com [2], Mon.–Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., hours vary by exhibit, free) are open free to the public, giving costume buffs and clotheshorses a window into high fashion, Hollywood costume design, and the world of fashion design school. Check the website for current and coming exhibitions at the museum.
Each winter around award season, the museum shows off a collection of costumes from the previous year’s movies, highlighting the film honored with the Oscar for Best Costume Design. Through the rest of the year, the FIDM pulls from its collection of more than 10,000 costumes and textiles to create exhibits based on style, era, movie genre, and whatever else the curators dream up.
Parking is available in the underground garage for a fee. When you enter the building, tell the folks at the security desk that you’re headed for the museum. A small but fun museum shop offers student work, unique accessories, and more.
Also housed in the FIDM building is the Annette Greene Perfume Museum (Mon.–Fri. 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.–4 p.m.). This is the world’s first museum dedicated to scent and the role of perfume in society.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/california/los-angeles-and-orange-county
[2] http://www.fidm.com