Exposition Park (urban park) facts for kids
Exposition Park is a huge park in Los Angeles, California. It's about 160 acres big, which is like 120 football fields! This park is a super cool place where you can find famous stadiums, amazing museums, and beautiful gardens. It's located in the southern part of Los Angeles, right next to the University of Southern California (USC) campus.
Exposition Park first opened in 1872 as a place for farming fairs. Today, it's home to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, BMO Stadium, the California Science Center, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, and the California African American Museum. A new museum, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, is also being built here.
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What You Can Find at Exposition Park
Exposition Park has many exciting places to visit:
- LA84 Foundation/John C. Argue Swim Stadium: A great place for swimming.
- BMO Stadium: This is where the Los Angeles FC and Angel City FC soccer teams play their home games.
- Lucas Museum of Narrative Art: A new museum that is still being built.
- Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum: This historic stadium is home to the USC Trojans football team. It has also hosted the Olympics!
- Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County: Here, you can explore dinosaurs, learn about animals, and discover the history of California.
- California Science Center: A fantastic museum where you can learn all about science.
- It has an IMAX Theatre where you can watch giant movies.
- You can even see the real Space Shuttle Endeavour here, which is a spacecraft that traveled to space!
- Exposition Park Rose Garden: A beautiful garden filled with many different kinds of roses. It's a peaceful spot to relax.
- California African American Museum: This museum shares the history, art, and culture of African Americans.
- You can also find concrete hand and footprints of actors, like Ed Begley Jr., from old medical TV shows.
- EXPO Center: This area includes the LA84 Foundation/John C. Argue Swim Stadium and the Soboroff Sports Field, which is used for soccer.
- Science Center School and Amgen Center for Science Learning: These are places where students can learn more about science.
The museums and cultural spots in Exposition Park are run by both the state of California and Los Angeles County.
A Look Back: The History of Exposition Park
From 1872 to 1910, this 160-acre area was known as "Agricultural Park." It was a big fairground where farmers sold their crops. Horses, dogs, and even camels used to race on a track where the beautiful rose garden is now.
Around 1909, some people who cared about the city, like former Pasadena Mayor Horace Dobbins, decided to make the park even better. They removed the racetrack and added gardens and museums instead. This made it the amazing park we see today!
Exposition Park is also famous for sports. The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum has hosted the 1932 Summer Olympics and the 1984 Summer Olympics. It will also be a key venue for the 2028 Summer Olympics, hosting track and field events and the closing ceremony. The BMO Stadium will be used for soccer games during the 2028 Olympics.
How to Get to Exposition Park
It's easy to get to Exposition Park using public transportation!
- The Metro E Line light rail train has a stop right at the park called Expo Park/USC Station.
- The Metro J Line bus also stops nearby at the 37th Street/USC Station.
See also
In Spanish: Exposition Park (Los Ángeles) para niños
- California State and Consumer Services Agency
- List of parks in Los Angeles
