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BEST RATED PASADENA, CA PLACES TO SEE

3 Best Places To See in Pasadena, CA

Expert-recommended Top 3 Places To Visit in Pasadena, California. All of our places to see actually face a rigorous 50-Point Inspection, which includes customer reviews, history, complaints, ratings, satisfaction, trust, cost and general excellence. You deserve only the best!

Norton Simon Museum - Pasadena, CA Places To See - Park Image
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11+ YEARS IN TBR
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NORTON SIMON MUSEUM

(5.0 Score)
411 West Colorado Boulevard,
Pasadena, CA 91105 Directions

Since 1969

Specialty:

✓Lectures ✓Accessibility ✓Family Visits ✓Current/Future Exhibitions ✓Digital Exhibitions ✓Films and Performances ✓Staff-Guided Tour ✓Garden ✓Visitors with Special Needs ✓Tours ✓Events ✓Art ✓Schools and Educators ✓Collection ✓Youth Programs ✓Group Visits ✓Audio Tours ✓Museum Store ✓Private Tours ✓Self-Guided Tours ✓Drawing Lessons ✓Curator Talks ✓Adult Learning Resources

"Norton Simon Museum is a mid-sized, easily navigable museum with an exquisite art collection spanning the early Renaissance through the 20th century and centuries of South and Southeast Asian art. The museum displays numerous sculptures on its grounds. The museum's activity as a collector spanned over 30 years and encompassed the purchase of more than 8,000 works of art during his lifetime. Norton Simon Museum has a more than 11,000-item permanent collection that is well-known worldwide. The museum features a sizable collection of modern art, including important pieces by Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, Henri Matisse, and Diego Rivera on display at all times. Norton Simon Museum also grants free entrance to active duty service members (with a valid ID), museum employees (with a badge or business card), members of the AAM and ICOM, members of the press, and EBT cardholders.

2026 Highlights: Norton Simon Museum offers free admission for all visitors on the first Friday of every month from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m."

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License #0112212

Price:

ADMISSION FEES:
Adults: $20
Seniors (Ages 62 And Above): $15
MEMBERSHIP LEVELS:
Teacher Membership: $60
Participating Membership: $100
Supporting Membership: $190
Sponsoring Membership: $325
Patron Membership: $600
Benefactor Membership: $1,100

Discount:

20% Off for the Museum Store for Members

Contact:

(626) 449-6840

Mon,Thu & Sun: 12pm - 5pm
Fri & Sat: 12pm - 7pm
Tue & Wed: Closed

TBR® Inspection Report:

Kidspace Children's Museum - Pasadena, CA Places To See - Destination Image
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Best Places To See in Pasadena CA - Kidspace Children's Museum video
9+ YEARS IN TBR
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KIDSPACE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM

(4.9 Score)
480 North Arroyo Boulevard,
Pasadena, CA 91103 Directions

Since 1979

Specialty:

✓School Visits ✓Rentals ✓Café and Store ✓Programs and Classes ✓Camps ✓Toddlers ✓Girl Scouts ✓Schools ✓Video Gallery ✓Butterfly Season ✓Learn At Kidspace ✓Gift Shop ✓Field Trip ✓Rental Venue ✓Parties ✓Interactive Exhibits ✓Outdoor Play Areas ✓Climbing Towers ✓Trike Tracks ✓Splash Play ✓Nature Exploration ✓Hands-on Science Experiences ✓Volunteer Opportunities ✓Teacher Resources

“Kidspace Children's Museum is designed to delight and engage children emotionally, intellectually, and physically through joyful, kid-driven experiences. They invite all children to play, discover, create, and thrive, and to explore the world with curiosity and kindness. Kidspace Children's Museum has 3.5 acres of interactive environments to engage children intellectually. The museum's campus near the historic Rose Bowl features more than 40 hands-on exhibits for children ages 1-10. Kidspace Children's Museum's outdoor spaces invite children to climb into a giant hawk's nest, splash and play in their naturalistic water features, bring out their inner musicians, and get physical with rockets and giant levers. Members enjoy free admission through the same system, along with dedicated reservation capacity year-round.”

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License EIN #95-3501213

Price:

General Admission
Adults $17.00
Children (1+) $17.00
Seniors (62+) $15.00
MEMBERSHIP LEVELS:
Family Of 2 Membership: $145
Family Of 3 Membership: $200
Family Of 4 Membership: $260
Family Of 5+ Membership: $300
Friends Of Kidspace Membership: $525

Discount:

10% Off at Bean Sprouts Café and The Museum Store at Kidspace for Members

View Coupon

Contact:

(626) 449-9144 (626) 788-8795

Mon-Thu,Sat & Sun: 10am - 5pm
Fri: 10am - 8pm

TBR® Inspection Report:

Arlington Garden - Pasadena, CA Places To See - Destination Image
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Best Places To See in Pasadena CA - Arlington Garden video
11+ YEARS IN TBR
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ARLINGTON GARDEN

(4.8 Score)
275 Arlington Drive,
Pasadena, CA 91105 Directions

Since 2005

Specialty:

✓Guided Garden Tours ✓Self-guided Tours ✓Volunteer Gardening ✓Weekend Volunteer Projects ✓School Field Trips ✓Group Visits ✓Photography Permits

"Arlington Garden is Pasadena’s only dedicated public garden and a three-acre, water-wise habitat garden designed to inspire sustainable landscaping and environmental stewardship. Established in 2005 on a former freeway staging site, the garden features Mediterranean-climate plants, native wildlife habitats, butterfly-friendly landscapes, walking paths, citrus groves, shaded seating areas, and seasonal blooms. Visitors can enjoy self-guided tours, birdwatching, photography, educational programs, volunteer opportunities, and community events.

2026 Highlights: Arlington Garden offers free admission and is open daily from sunrise to sunset, welcoming families, nature lovers, and leashed pets."

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License #2696826

Contact:

(626) 441-4478 (626) 578-5434

Mon-Sun: 8am - 6pm

TBR® Inspection Report:

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NORTON SIMON MUSEUM REVIEWS

The Norton Simon Museum is such a gem, it’s intimate, and incredibly well curated. The collection is fabulous, with an impressive range that includes European masterpieces, modern works, and stunning South and Southeast Asian art. Each gallery is thoughtfully arranged, allowing the art to really shine without feeling overwhelming. The sculpture garden is also a highlight—lush, serene, and the perfect place to pause and reflect. Whether you’re a casual visitor or a serious art lover, this museum offers a truly enriching experience. A must-visit in Pasadena.

What a gem! I’m taking a class on Van Gogh at Stanford and the professor raved about this collection, I was in the neighborhood and was so happy to discover it. Gorgeous collection. Found a few new favorite paintings and left feeling inspired. Great gift shop. And great booklet for kids to take around to engage with the work.

The GOATs of art are here. Renoir, Cezanne, Degas, Monet, Manet, Picasso, Pissarro, Courbet, Corot, Matisse, Van Gogh, and so on. The best of modern art is also here. I’ve been to several museums both here and in Europe and this is my favorite one. I loved it. And this year they are celebrating their 50th anniversary! Beautiful grounds and lovely outdoor cafe.

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KIDSPACE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM REVIEWS

My kids loved this place. Buy your tickets online in advance. Online tickets only. It's mostly outdoors with a ton of activities. Including wall climbing, water rivers, water nature play streams, musical instruments, camping area, tricycle area, baby play area with water, etc. They also loved the indoor ant tunnel. It was very cute to see. We got soft serve ice cream before leavings. Will be back. We also played at the park at the end before heading home. The kids slept on the way back home.

I am obsessed with kidspace! I have a membership and I go almost everyday for 5 hours. Somya is my favorite play facilitator, she is amazing with my 2 year old daughter with using her imagination and having fun and learning. I try to follow her when I can find her. It is a huge place, it feels like 10 playgrounds in one. I sometimes drive to 2-3 playground in one day because my daughter will get bored, but she is never bored of kidspace.

This place is just so cute! I wish I would have done more research before going but still a great place to take the kids. I will have to pack lunch and more fun activities for after since it’s at a huge park. So peaceful and beautiful, can’t wait to go back.

ARLINGTON GARDEN REVIEWS

This site was one a lavash multimillion dollar estate, then it was barren land owned by Caltrans, then a few brave Pasadena residents transformed it into a beautiful wildlife sanctuary.This sanctuary is a peaceful place for animals, mostly bees, birds, skunks, and possums, as well as humans.The garden is maintained by a few local Pasadena residents. There is a small, but bountiful orange grove which bears delicious oranges that are a prelude to Arlington's Orange Marmalade.

Arlington Garden in Pasadena is a little oasis of serenity in the western part of Pasadena. The pathways wander through many different species of well maintained trees and plants packing a generous amount of goodness into just three acres. It is open to the public with no admission fees. The parking is limited to the residential area streets surrounding the gardens. One should be respectful of the community around this wonderful gem.

Delightful garden oasis in Pasadena, California. Winding paths, plenty of information signs about the plants and garden and lots of seating (some with tables). A beautiful place!.

TBR® Inspection Score Report

NORTON SIMON MUSEUM Total Inspection Points: 119/120
Contact Info: 9
Acknowledgments: 10
Business Hours: 10
Business Images: 10
Complete Info: 10
Exact Services: 10
Experience: 10
Legitimate Ratings: 10
Location Proximity: 10
Pricing: 10
Social Media: 10
Video: 10

TBR® Inspection Score Report

KIDSPACE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM Total Inspection Points: 117/120
Business Hours: 9
Contact Info: 9
Location Proximity: 9
Acknowledgments: 10
Business Images: 10
Complete Info: 10
Exact Services: 10
Experience: 10
Legitimate Ratings: 10
Social Media: 10
Video: 10
Website Source: 10

TBR® Inspection Score Report

ARLINGTON GARDEN Total Inspection Points: 116/120
Acknowledgments: 9
Business Hours: 9
Contact Info: 9
Legitimate Ratings: 9
Business Images: 10
Complete Info: 10
Exact Services: 10
Experience: 10
Location Proximity: 10
Pricing: 10
Social Media: 10
Video: 10