The One-Of-A-Kind Vibrant California Museum That Won A Coveted 'Best Of LA' Award

Lovingly described as a time capsule of Los Angeles in museum form and named one of LA Weekly's "Best of LA" winners in 2017, the Valley Relics Museum located in Van Nuys, California, is an homage to local history. Here, stories of Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley's nostalgic past are told through the lens of pop culture and material culture through its eclectic displays. Home to a robust collection of vintage neon signs of LA's beloved-but-defunct storefronts and restaurants, artifacts that speak to specific cultural moments in the Southland, and antique pieces of iconic hardware, the Valley Relics Museum is a one-of-a-kind vibrant California attraction.

Founded by longtime Valley resident Tommy Gelinas, the Valley Relics Museum is the spot to visit if you're looking for something a little off the beaten path from LA's traditional tourist track. The museum covers roughly 4,600 square feet of donated materials, most of which were saved from local residents or collectors who understood the value of the artifact's local history. In a series of neon-colored, brightly lit exhibits situated throughout an unconventional exhibition space in two airplane hangars, this museum at the crossroads of several San Fernando Valley towns promises to be one of the most unique places to visit during your LA holiday.

Just 22 miles outside of Downtown Los Angeles and 25 miles away from Southern California's famous flea market, Valley Relics Museum is located in the heart of the San Fernando Valley. Inspired by his Valley roots, Tommy Gelinas sought to find a home for the rich material history of the area, and in 2013, he opened the first iteration of the Valley Relics Museum as a side project to his other creative endeavors. Today, the museum is a beautifully chaotic collection of the artifacts that Gelinas felt told a story of LA and the Valley but were at risk of being discarded as old trash. The pieces mostly date from the 1940s through the 1960s.

Valley Relics Museum's collection isn't just vintage signs and rusty wares, however. Gelinas has collected a vast array of some quirky, yet incredibly important and interesting, materials. Autographed portraits of Hollywood royalty like Alfred Hitchcock, actor Jack Oakie's Academy Award cuff links (in the shape of good old Oscar himself), and artifacts from local aviation powerhouses Hughes Aircraft and Lockheed are among the museum's highlights. Not to mention the rows of classic cars and motorcycles on display that would get any gearhead excited. Fair warning, though, that many of the displays are not labeled, so it's truly a sensory experience rather than your traditional museum visit. Overall, the museum's collection of roughly 25,000 pieces will keep you occupied for hours.

While not among the exciting free activities to do Los Angeles, the admission price at Valley Relics Museum is a reasonable $15 per person (and free for children aged 10 and under), making it ideal for a budget-friendly trip to LA. The museum is open weekends, and tickets can be purchased at the door. Since the museum is housed in an untraditional airplane hangar setting, accessing the front entrance can be a bit tricky; while the museum is located on Balboa Boulevard, go around the corner to Stagg Street, where'll you'll find the front door.

The museum seems to resonate particularly with visitors who have some sort of connection to Los Angeles or the San Fernando Valley, be it current or former residents or frequent visitors. While those who have an appreciation for nostalgic artifacts in a larger-than-life cabinet of curiosities will adore this spot, some past visitors who weren't from the area found the museum to be an eclectic and confusing experience rather than a walk down memory lane. All in all, though, the Valley Relics Museum is a beloved treasure trove of local memorabilia that immerses the visitor in the not-so-distant history of an ever-evolving Los Angeles.