The Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
1151 Oxford Rd, San Marino, CA 91108 (626) 405-2100
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LA Weekly Best Of
Los Angeles, CABest Museum Gift Shop
The happeningest place at any museum, aside from the courtyard coffee cart, is the gift shop. The one at MOCA in New York is almost as legendary as the museum itself. The shop at Armand Hammer Museum in Westwood has a stellar collection of whimsical toys and modern doodads, and I'd wager that only Amazon.com has a more extensive collection of artist monographs. A truly great museum gift shop both recapitulates the spirit of the museum and not-so-subtly commodifies the museum's oeuvre, giving those of us who aren't shopping at Sotheby's anytime soon the chance to take home a bit of the wonder we've experienced. You can't buy the Mona Lisa, but you can buy a Mona Lisa night-light.
Intensely curated, yet overwhelming in sheer quantity of stuff, the Huntington Library gift shop is as good as they come. Air conditioning cold enough to make a polar bear shiver blasts through the place, and it's as if you've walked into heaven itself after the hellish, landlocked heat of the gardens.
For the botanical set—and you guys are well represented here—there are rose journals, insect stationery, big floppy UV ray–blocking hats, water bottles, umbrellas, field guides to herbs and spices. For birders, try a plush toy Audubon bird that whistles a recording of its real song. For generalists, there are beaded bracelets, wrought silver necklaces, Edward Gorey cat and bat pendants arrayed in brightly lit Edwardian glass terrarium cases. Historians can peruse presidential biographies, maps, bundles of John Singer Sargent portrait post cards and William Morris–style artisan tiles.
For those who feel the need to memorialize the museum in its most literal sense, there is a great book, The Huntington Botanical Gardens 1905–1949, Personal Recollections of William Hertrich, written by the Huntington's head groundskeeper when he was a young landscape gardener just starting out there. "I purchased gopher traps and engaged a young intelligent Mexican to devote his entire time to this work," he writes in the chapter on Gophers and Squirrels. I went home with that book recently, as well as a small pink pamphlet on "A Lady's Guide to Perfect Gentility" from the Jane Austen section, and an Arts and Crafts–style lantern.
"That's a beautiful way to remember it," said one woman to her friend, holding up a Zen rock-garden mousepad. They'd just been to the Japanese rock gardens section of the Huntington. And, hey, why not? With museum gift shops as with museums, one man's tacky is another man's art.—Gendy Alimurung
DJ Adam 12
Male / Los Angeles, CAThere's like a tea garden in the middle. It's a beautiful place to walk around. Very romantic. It's dope. You're still in Los Angeles, but you feel like you're in some other world. It's great.
Veronika
Female / 29 / Woodland Hills, CAGorgeous Gardens
The Huntington Gardens are phenomenal. This is a huge 120 acres estate featuring a variety of vegetation and botanical gardens. The gardens are divided by categories into areas. My favorites are the Rose Garden, Japanese Garden, Subtropical and Jungle Garden. You can also see Palm, Desert and Camellia Gardens. This is a beautiful place. Also you can visit the Library and museum areas which feature different art and historical exhibits. If you make reservations in advance… the tea room is really fun place to visit for some tea and pastries. Marvelous place to visit if you feel like getting away and enjoying some peaceful time.
ClaireH
Female / 35 / Los Angeles, CAA total escape from LA, some of the most beautifully curated gardens I've ever seen. The rose collection is epic. This has been a favorite destination for me and my family on Mother's Day. They also serve a nice tea if you want to really do it up.

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