The Hollywood Museum

The Hollywood Museum is a film museum in Los Angeles that houses over 11,000 items from motion picture and television productions. The collection spans costumes, props, photographs, scripts, and artifacts that document the story of entertainment across more than a century.

The building dates to 1916 and once served as the workspace of Max Factor, a renowned makeup artist who created specialized rooms for different hair types during the early film era. The museum now occupies this historic site and preserves the original makeup preparation areas where film stars were groomed.

The collection shows how the film industry shaped acting and storytelling through authentic objects from productions across decades. Visitors see costumes, scripts, and props that reveal what filmmakers valued and how they created the stories people watched.

The space spans four floors filled with displays that require time to explore thoroughly. Comfortable shoes are useful since there is much ground to cover and stairs to navigate between levels.

The original color-coded makeup chambers of Max Factor remain intact and show the hands-on work involved in preparing actors for the camera. These rooms offer a rare look at the practical side of early filmmaking that many visitors do not expect to see preserved.