Eastside · Landmark
Norton Simon Museum
About
The Norton Simon Museum sits on Colorado Blvd in Pasadena, right on the Rose Parade route. The collection punches way above its size: Degas dancers, Van Gogh, Monet, Rembrandt, plus a deep holding of South and Southeast Asian sculpture. It's never crowded, and the sculpture garden and pond out back are peaceful.
Jasmine says
A small, exquisite temple of a collection:
Degas, Van Gogh and Picasso lined up side by side.
Few crowds, a comfortable flow,
and Pasadena's most underrated hour.
Quieter than the big museums, with a super dense collection.
Jasmine’s notes
- Pasadena（Colorado Blvd）Small, yet it holds Degas's ballerinas, Van Gogh and a whole wall of Impressionists, with a sculpture garden and pond out back.Order: Impressionist galleries → Asian sculpture → sculpture garden; free on the first Friday of the month 4–7pm; closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays
- Address
- 411 W Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91105
- Website
- nortonsimon.org →
Where I wrote about it
- Every LA Itinerary
- Before the Getty closes, which LA museums should you see? | The LA museum guide 2026
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