The Norton Simon Museum is an art museum at 411 W. Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena, with collections spanning European, modern and contemporary, and South and Southeast Asian art. For a day trip from Chino, plan around the museum’s opening schedule and check the practical details for admission, parking, and transit before setting out.
- Location: 411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91105, at Colorado Boulevard and Orange Grove Boulevard.
- Opening pattern: Open Monday and Thursday through Sunday; closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
- Admission: General admission is $20 for adults and $15 for seniors ages 62 and above; some visitors qualify for free admission.
- Getting there: Pasadena Transit lines 10 and 33 and Metro bus line 180 stop in front of the museum.
Where is the Norton Simon Museum?
The Norton Simon Museum is at the corner of Colorado Boulevard and Orange Grove Boulevard in Pasadena. Its address is 411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91105.
Art collector, businessman, and philanthropist Norton Simon (1907–1993) founded the museum. Its collections include European art from the Renaissance to the 20th century, modern and contemporary art from Europe and the United States, and South and Southeast Asian art spanning more than 2,000 years.
More than 12,000 objects are held by the museum, with roughly 1,000 on view in its galleries and gardens.
How can you travel from Chino to Pasadena?
Pasadena Transit and Metro buses stop in front of the museum, while the closest Metro Rail station is Memorial Park Station on the A Line. The station is at 125 E. Holly St. at Arroyo Parkway.
If you plan to use bus service, Pasadena Transit lines 10 and 33 serve the museum, as does Metro bus line 180. For a rail connection, Memorial Park Station is the nearest Metro Rail stop. Transit routes and schedules can change, so check the official site before you go.
The supplied travel details do not give a journey time or route from Chino to Pasadena. They do identify Chino Motel as the starting point for the trip, but a specific drive or transit duration cannot be stated here. For another museum outing from Chino, consider a day trip to the Museum of Contemporary Art.
What are the museum’s collections, tickets, and hours?
The museum’s collections range from Renaissance-era European art to modern and contemporary works, alongside South and Southeast Asian art covering more than 2,000 years. Roughly 1,000 of its more than 12,000 objects are displayed in the galleries and gardens.
The museum is open Monday and Thursday from 12:00 to 5:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 12:00 to 7:00 p.m., and Sunday from 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. It is closed Tuesday and Wednesday. For visitors without tickets, final entry is 4:15 p.m. on days the museum closes at 5:00 p.m., and 6:15 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
General admission costs $20 for adults and $15 for seniors ages 62 and above. Admission is free for children ages 18 and under, students with valid ID, and museum members. Admission is also free for everyone on the first Friday of each month from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Advance tickets are not required, but they are recommended to expedite check-in. General admission tickets are for a specific day rather than a specific entry time, and they are non-refundable. If you cannot use a ticket on its purchased date, you can redeem it up to 30 days after the original visit date; tickets are non-transferable.
How should you plan time around the museum?
Match your arrival to the day’s closing time: the museum closes at 5:00 p.m. Monday, Thursday, and Sunday, and at 7:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The Garden Café and Museum Store operate during museum hours and close 15 minutes before the museum closes.
The museum’s parking lot is free, though it can fill during peak hours. Limited free parking is also available on adjacent streets. Accessible parking is available in both the upper and lower museum parking lots, and entrance ramps are beside the main entrance stairs and in the lower parking area.
A limited number of wheelchairs are available first-come, first-served. An elevator connects public areas on both levels, and the restrooms are ADA-compliant.
Informal, noncommercial photography and filming are permitted in the galleries and gardens, but flash, tripods, monopods, selfie sticks, and professional or commercial shoots are not permitted. A separate cultural outing from Chino is a Los Angeles theatre visit.
Check the museum’s official site before you go for current hours, ticket details, and transit information.
FAQs
Where is the Norton Simon Museum?
It is at 411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91105, at the corner of Colorado Boulevard and Orange Grove Boulevard.
Does the Norton Simon Museum require advance tickets?
No. Advance tickets are not required, though the museum recommends them to expedite check-in.
Is parking available at the museum?
Yes. The museum has a free parking lot, and limited free parking is available on adjacent streets. The lot can fill during peak hours.
Which buses stop at the Norton Simon Museum?
Pasadena Transit lines 10 and 33 and Metro bus line 180 stop in front of the museum.