• Hours:
  Tue. - Sun.
  10 a.m.- 6 p.m.

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Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly and Angelenos gotta drive.

This shiny black multistoried building in the Miracle Mile district was named for its major donor, Robert Petersen, former publisher of automotive and pop-culture magazines. The permanent collection of more than 150 cars offers a historical overview of the automobile -- from the Model T Ford (one of the few visitors can manhandle) to futuristic concept cars. There's even an electric vehicle charging station for all those 21st century movers and shakers.

Also on display are the popular Dream Cars: the Viper, a thunderbird convertible, Batman's Batmobile and anything James Bond might have raced through the south of France. Fast cars using gas and even faster cars using nitro are also on display.

Upstairs, there's a family Discovery Center for children, and downstairs the Museum bookstore is packed with books, posters, trinkets and mementos--even a burning tiki antenna topper. Although there's a replica of a 1930s cafe on the first level's streetscape, there's no place to eat inside the Petersen. Lots of good options nearby, but it'll probably mean getting back in the auto you've just learned so much about. You could probably hoof it to Caffe Latte, home of some seriously good coffee and a variety of California cuisine options, but it also comes equiped with a small parking lot in its strip mall environs. On the other end of the spectrum, Mr. Coney Island's deli-with-a-deep-fryer approach results in some high quality corn dogs. If you're still in the neighborhood once the sun starts to set, almost any night of the week you can count on Molly Malone's traditional Irish pub, just down a ways on Fairfax, for some musical entertainment.

Tips: parking in Petersen's on-site garage will set you back $8.