There Is More To Los Angeles Than An Amusement Park

If you are planning a school trip around geography, history or art, then Los Angeles has lots to offer. You might think that its attractions are just for pleasure, but they are educational as well. You can visit the San Andreas fault, art galleries and Hollywood.

Los Angeles is home to the oldest wooden lighthouse in California, the largest historical theatre district and the world’s largest port, so you shouldn’t be surprised by what your students can learn on a trip here. Even a visit to Hollywood or the famous Universal Studios can offer a lesson in entertainment history.

Art Is All Around

Art students won’t have to look far in Los Angeles for a Brightspark of encouragement, as there are so many different venues to visit. Even the trip up to the Getty Center is unforgettable, with a suspended cable tram ride. Once inside you can visit works of art from such greats as Van Gough and Gauguin. The Museum of Contemporary Art houses pieces from Pollock, Rothiko and Lichtenstein. If you visit the sculpture park at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art you will find the work of Rodin.

See Beyond The Sign

The Hollywood sign may be one of the most famous signs in the world, but there is so much more to see within this district of Los Angeles. The Walk of Fame commemorates over 2,300 famous entertainment celebrities within stars on the pavement. There is the Hollywood History Museum, which is situated within the old Max Factor building and showcases a wealth of movie memorabilia. The recently built Dolby Theatre is the venue for the Academy Awards and you can take a tour round this state of the art complex. The world famous Grauman’s Chinese Theatre can also be found in Hollywood. It was opened in 1927 and today you can watch celebrity impersonators, as well as sampling a slice of Hollywood history.

Walk Down The Boardwalk

A trip to Santa Monica beach might be your students’ idea of heaven, but there is still an educational experience to be had. On the famous pier you can experience a number of historic rides, including the Ferris Wheel, which was the first to be solar powered. For art lovers there are a number of galleries in the area, including the Santa Monica Museum of Art. You can also experience the history of the region at the Santa Monica Historical Society Museum.

Tread Carefully

Although not something that you can actually see, a trip to the area around the San Andreas fault will be an excellent geology experience. Take your students on a field trip through the dramatic landscapes and geologists based at many of the national parks and nature centres in the region will be on hand to provide expert knowledge.

It might not seem your first choice for an educational trip, but Los Angeles can teach your children much about entertainment history and modern art. It is an experience that they will be talking about for years and will encourage them to continue with their studies.

AUTHOR BIO:
Monica writes regularly on travel for a range of education websites and blogs. Having trained as a teacher, she understands how children need encouraging and sees travel as a great way to give them a Brightspark and really understand their subjects.