Here's a list of L.A. museums free admission days. Of all those listed, which are the top 5 must see?

Free Every Day
J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Center
Museum of Television and Radio (donation suggested)
Frederick's of Hollywood Lingerie Museum
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, after 5pm
California African American Museum
California Science Center
Bergamot Arts Station & Santa Monica Museum of Art
Greystone Mansion

Free Every Thursday
Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), from 11am to 8pm
Museum of the American West, from 4 to 8pm
UCLA Hammer Museum, from 11am to 9pm
Japanese American National Museum, from 5 to 8pm
Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, from 5 to 8pm

Free Every Friday
Schindler House, from 4 to 6pm

Free Every First Tuesday
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, from 9:30am to 5pm
Page Museum at La Brea Tar Pits, from 9:30am to 5pm

Free Every First Wednesday
Craft & Folk Art Museum, from 11am to 5pm

Free Every First Thursday
Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens, from noon to 4:30pm

Free Every First Friday
Norton Simon Museum of Art, from 6 to 9pm

Free Every Second Tuesday
Museum of the American West, from 10am to 5pm
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, from noon to 8pm

Free Every Third Tuesday
Arboretum of Los Angeles County, from 9am to 4:30pm
Japanese American National Museum, from 10am to 8pm

Free Every Third Saturday
Pacific Asia Museum, from 10am to 5pm

Getty
(Greystone Mansion same day)

Museum of Natural History/ California Science Center down the street

Page Museum & the La Brea Tar Pits

Huntington Library and Gardens

Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum

I think it is best to think about the location of the museums because if you are a tourist--you can group then and see a few.

1) Go to LACMA, Tar Pits and Page Museum. You can make a day of it. Also, the Petersen Automotive Museum is across the street. Then go to lunch at the Farmer's Market on Third and Fairfax.

2) Huntington Gardens and the Norton Simon.

3) I love the Holocaust Museum on Pico in West LA. Small but definately worth a visit. The Hammer Museum is close enough--always depends on the current showing.

4) Gene Autry Museum and lunch in their cafe. The you can go to the zoo! Or combine with a trip to Pasadena.

5) Getty--can be combined with the Hammer Museum

I must be the only one who doesn't get this post. Is the point to only go to free museums or is the point to go to the five museums that most closely cover your interests?

It took me a moment too Jean, but I think what's really being said here is that nearly all the major museums have free days, so what are the five BEST museums to see. Ms.Jingles has already worked out how she can see those 5 BEST ones for free by going on certain days, she just wants to know which ones to pick -- the "free" part, she's already taken care of. I call it clever planning.

Patrick, you got me figured out!!! Yes, I want to go to the best five museums. Then I'll figure out which days to go based on free admission. I thought I'd post the museums for other travelers, too. Maybe beneficial for others, maybe not! I really like how someone posted going to museums near each other. Thanks!! It appears the Getty for sure. A little surprised about the Brea Tar Pits, but I have no idea what it is.

Haven't been to all of them, but here's my list:

Getty (definitely!)

LACMA

La Brea Tar Pits

Huntington

Norton Simon

I would probably want to spend all of my time in the Frederick's museum, but I would break away for a day at the Getty.

The Tar Pits--not really a museum, it is more like a park with big pools of tar. In the winter the rain would cover the top of the pools making animals think they were lakes. When they tried to drink, they would fall in and drown. So, lots of bones and archeological finds there. The thing is, it is right next to LACMA, so you can see it while you are there. And go to the Page Museum.

If you are coming from out of town, I would skip the smaller museums you have listed and go for the big ones.

Well, "best" is subjective. Are you interested in art (encyclopedic and/or modern and/or decorative and/or graphic), history, culture, arts and crafts, architecture, botany/horticulture, biology, archeology, science, media/communications, ladies' under garments? Prioritize your interests and you have your museum list.

Forums are subjective! I really think I'd like all the museums, and maybe eventually I will see them all!! I just needed a starting point. I have seen the Huntington Library, L.A. Arboretum, and the Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace (although the latter is not on the list). I loved all of them. I have seen a Museum of TV and Radio in NYC, so I wouldn't need to see the one in L.A. The people that responded gave very consistent replies, so I'm going to try Alisa's suggestions. Thanks again!

Don't look now, but the Huntington and the Norton Simon are free on different days and the Museum of Tolerance and the Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum are not on the free list. But I'm glad Alisa's list sounds good to you.

Even though it is wayy late for the OP's initial question, I am topping this... to give two thumbs waayyy up for the Huntington, based on spending a very pleasant 5+ hours there yesterday (and this in spite of a little bit of a knee injury, and moderately crummy, chilly weather). Went with my wife and daughter (of 23); last time we were there, the daughter was in utero, so it was a nice nostalgia. About 90 minutes of our afternoon was spent "at tea" (reservations required) in the Tea Room, adjacent to the Herb Garden. If it is not as good as a visit to Brown's or Claridge's - - well, then... it doesn't require a transatlantic flight either (in fact, for 10 million Californians and tourists from all around the world, it's a 60 minute car trip, or less).

Because of its "four-in-one" feature (the extraordinary gardens - - like a round-the-world tour, even in this very off-season, the art collections, the library... and the tea room), I rate it as one of the top 5 museums in all of the US (maybe in the world, in terms of my own enjoyment, in one day).

Just one more reason (Yosemite, Hearst Castle, Big Sur and so much more) why California may be one of the most concentrated "must-see" destinations anywhere.

Best wishes,

Rex