Explore Metro Art, Explore LA!
Out of an abundance of caution, and in alignment with Safer-At-Home orders, Metro Art temporarily ceased public tours in March 2020 and transitioned some events to online formats. Visual artworks in public settings—including at stations and other transit facilities as well as on posters and digital screens—remain on view to transit customers traveling for essential reasons.
Attend a free art tour
Metro Art Moves is our ongoing free, award-winning series of regularly scheduled and special tours of artwork in the Metro Rail system. Tours are led by trained Metro Art Docent Council volunteers and provide insights into the artworks, artists and art-making processes. Special tours heighten the passenger experience in novel and engaging ways through the perspective, experience and knowledge of artists and cultural experts.
The below information remains for scheduling reference when in-person, public tours resume. Information on virtual tours will also be posted here when available.
| Public Tours | Date/Time | Meeting Spot |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Hollywood / North Hollywood | 1st Saturdays, 10am-noon | Meet at North Hollywood Station at street level entrance |
| 2. Downtown | 1st Sundays, 10am-noon | Meet at Information Booth at Union Station entrance |
| 3. Downtown (¡en español!) | Segundo sábados, 10:30am-12:30pm | Los tours se reúnen en la caseta de información dentro de la entrada de la calle Alameda del histórico Union Station. |
| 4. Union Station Art + Architecture | 2nd Sundays, 10:30am-12:30pm | Meet at Information Booth at Union Station entrance |
| 5. Gold Line (between Union Station + Azusa) | 10:30am-12:30pm This tour is offered quarterly. | Meet at Del Mar Station |
| 6. Expo Line | 10:30am-12:30pm This tour is offered quarterly | Meet at La Cienega/Jefferson Station |
* Reservations are not required but appreciated as it will help the Docents know what numbers to anticipate.
General Information
- Metro Art tours take about 2 hours and are approximately 90% walking; there are elevators and escalators in all of the stations.
- The Docents distribute TAP cards that are pre-loaded with an all-day pass allowing tour participants to ride the Metro Rail & Bus system for free (except for the Union Station Art + Architecture tours). Attendees may keep the TAP cards and reload them for future use.
- Docents use voice amplifiers and wear bright orange safety vests for easy identification.
- There are no public restrooms available in the stations but there are restrooms available to the public at Union Station and the Hollywood/Highland shopping complex as well as various businesses along the routes.
- Groups of 10+ people can make special reservations with a minimum of three weeks’ advance notice. Make a group reservation online here.
“I went on a tour of Union Station during the 75th Anniversary celebration and immediately asked how I could do this! I had a great tour guide, and the tour felt like a mix of a bunch of things I loved – public transit, art, LA history. It’s really helped me to learn more about those subjects over time and I have a new appreciation for public art in particular.” — Metro Art Docent
Become a Docent at Metro Art
The Metro Art Docent Council is a dedicated group of volunteers committed to increasing awareness of the broad range of public art in the Metro Rail system through tours that provide insights into the communities they enhance, the art, the artists, and their processes.
“I chose to be a docent because I love art and I love subways. I think what I love most about it is the chance to explore the city via the trains. As a docent, I’ve explored so many parts of the city that I would have never seen if I had not been one.” — Metro Art Docent
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer Metro Art Docent, we invite you to review the following information:
Should you have any questions, please contact:
Barbara Lashenick
Senior Community Relations Officer
Founder Metro Art Docent Council
213.922.2738
LashenickB@metro.net
You must be logged in to post a comment.