The LAFD Museum is the perfect pit stop for your kids if you’re spending a day in Hollywood (and because, really, what kid doesn’t love everything firefighter related?!?). When the station opened in 1930, it was the largest one west of the Mississippi River. Now, Old Fire Station 27 is home to more than 100 years of educational artifacts, apparatus and photos. Here are five things my daughter and I discovered on our recent visit:
It’s free
Admission to the LAFD Museum is free. They take donations ($5 per adult suggested donation) and are a 501c3 non-profit public charity. Every gift assists them in their mission to support the community by providing fire and life safety education, and preserve the memory of the firefighters who died protecting the citizens of Los Angeles.
It’s educational and fun
It’s available for events
It’s a memorial
Outside the building is the LAFD Fallen Firefighters Memorial. The memorial wall lists the names of every known department member who died while at an incident or as a result of a duty-related case. Bronze statues of LA firefighters in action are on display in front of the wall, showing their heroic efforts. A good conversation to have with your children about this memorial is how teamwork, spirit, friendship, and family values are presented.
It has a sister location
In addition to the Hollywood location, there is also the Harbor Museum in San Pedro. Old Fire Station 36 is only open to the public on Saturdays from 10am to 3pm. This location houses a perfectly restored 1923 Seagrave Fire Engine that your kids will definitely want to see.
Tips for your visit:
• It’s a small but dense museum. You can get through it in less than an hour if you have an active toddler, but if you (and your kids) like to read about history, there’s plenty of information.
• Parking is easier to find around the museum if you arrive early.
• Kids get to take home a plastic fireman hat—score!
• If your kids can walk, it might be easier to leave the stroller in the car while visiting the museum. The museum is small!
For More Information
Go to their website at: lafdmuseum.org
