Urban Light, Los Angeles, United States

Standing: High
Rank: Rank 374 of 6,837

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

About Urban Light

Urban Light is a large-scale assemblage sculpture by the artist Chris Burden, installed in 2008 at the Wilshire Boulevard entrance to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). It is made of restored street lamps from the 1920s and 1930s, most of which once lit the streets of Southern California. Burden began collecting the lamps in December 2000 without a specific work in mind and kept collecting for seven years. The museum bought the work through the family foundation of Andrew M. Gordon. It fills a forecourt between Wilshire Boulevard and LACMA's entry pavilion, and Burden saw it as a formal entrance to the museum.

Checked 2026-11-10 · Source

What's inside

The work is made of 202 street lamps arranged in a near grid. They came mostly from Hollywood, Glendale, Anaheim and other Southern California streets, with some from Portland, Oregon, and represent 16 different streetlight models, many originally commissioned for particular neighbourhoods. The Broadway Rose, the largest and most ornate model, appears six times. The glass globes come in three shapes: round, acorn and cone. In 2018 the museum fitted LED bulbs matching the original incandescent light; the 309 solar-powered bulbs switch on from dusk until dawn on an astronomical timer.

Checked 2026-11-10 · Source

Getting there

Urban Light stands on the forecourt of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art at 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036, between Wilshire Boulevard and the museum's entry pavilion. According to LACMA, the Metro D Line now brings visitors directly to the museum at Wilshire/Fairfax Station; the museum suggests planning the trip at Metro.net. Its visitor pages also cover directions and parking for those arriving by car.

Checked 2026-11-10 · Source