Frederick R Weisman Art Foundation

What is there not to like? It is a free art tour of A-​listers in a private home in the exclusive suburb of Holmby Hills. Visits are by appointment only. No photography is allowed indoors but exterior shots are permitted.
The guided tour is conducted in a group of about 16 people for the house and annex. It is an incredible collection of art work and the tour duration is about 1.5 hrs. Here is the description from their website:
More than four hundred works of art are on display at the Foundation. The collection includes works by European Modernists including Cezanne, Picasso, and Kandinsky and Surrealist works by Ernst, Miro, and Magritte. The holdings in postwar art include works by Giacometti, Noguchi, Calder, Rauschenberg, and Johns; Abstract Expressionist paintings by de Kooning, Francis, Still, and Rothko; Color-​Field paintings by Frankenthaler, Louis, and Noland; and Pop Art by Warhol, Lichtenstein, Oldenburg, and Rosenquist. Contemporary California works include those by Ruscha and Goode, and Super Realist sculptures by Hanson and de Andrea.
THE FREDERICK R. WEISMAN ART FOUNDATION is dedicated to continuing the legacy and vision of Frederick R. Weisman, an extraordinary entrepreneur, philanthropist, and art collector. He held an uncompromising belief in the cultural value of art and understood the importance of both the individual artist and creative process. In carrying out Mr. Weisman’s intentions, the Foundation seeks to preserve, collect, and make publicly accessible his collection of modern and contemporary art as a means to strengthen and contribute to the greater artistic and intellectual life of our time.
In 1982, Frederick R. Weisman purchased the Los Angeles estate to serve as a showcase for his personal collection of 20^th-​century art. He and his wife Billie Milam Weisman, an art conservator and curator, worked together to create a unique environment located within the Mediterranean-​style villa. The villa was designed by Gordon B. Kaufmann in the late 1920s and exhibits the craftsmanship characteristics of that period, including hand-​painted ceilings, stucco details, and wood-​inlaid floors. In 1991, the Weismans added a contemporary annex, or art pavilion, designed by Franklin D. Israel, to accommodate larger-​scale works. Today the Foundation estate, annex, and surrounding gardens is made accessible to the public by appointment only on guided tours.

House turned museum… how fun and unique!
This is a fun way to spend an afternoon. It’s definitely a place a lot of people in LA don’t know about so it’s perfect for out of town guests or locals looking for something new.
LOGISTICS:
–The tour is FREE and takes an hour and a half.
–There were approximately 10 people on my tour.
–They have 2 tours per day at 10:30am and 2pm.
–A docent shows you around and talks about the pieces.
–You have to RSVP. No walk ins. Book early as the first choice I wanted was full and I had to pick another day.
–The art in the house is mostly modern. Unknown artists are mixed in with known ones.
–Parking is inside the gate so you don’t have to worry about where to park.
–No pictures are allowed in the house but you can take them outside. And there is plenty of art both in and out of the house.
Definitely one of LA’s hidden gems!
GOOD for DATES
G00D FOR GROUPS
GOOD FOR TOURISTS
NOT GOOD FOR PRETEEN CHILDREN

I was fortunate enough to take a tour through The Weisman Foundation’s Collections and it is truly, truly impressive! Reservations are required, so plan ahead! Photography is forbidden in the interior.
I found our tour guide to be delightfully urbane and clever. What a bounty of famous artists, displayed in a whimsical colorful living space. You will not be able to linger, even if you want to, for the tour is timed. Observe all gallery etiquette.
You’ll be here for hours, but you’ll be so glad you did it. There are pieces here you would otherwise never be able to view so intimately. Wear comfortable shoes!

This place is really a gem. It’s the private collection of Weisman housed in a lovely home in the tony area of Holmby Hills. Our tour guide, Penny, was fabulous! You have to email and book ahead (it’s free) and they respond by going you an option for a tour time.
I was on a tour of 15 people, so it felt a little large. Penny started off by talking about the front garden art (Botero, Henry Moore sculptures) and then led us inside.
Holy mackerel, is this collection the bomb! The first thing you see when you walk into the foyer is a bad ass Clyfford Still painting! It keeps getting better from there, with works by Francis Bacon, Rene Magritte, Willem de Kooning, Wassily Kandinsky, and Mark Rothko… and that’s just in the first few rooms. This place is an art lover’s paradise. Granted, the furniture is dated and apparently needs to be left alone and never swapped out as per Weisman’s will, but damn. These works of art are all great examples by hugely important artists. More: Jim Dine, Andy Warhol, Donald Judd, Yves Klein, Joseph Cornell, Roy Lichtenstein, David Hockney, among others. There are some bad works of art peppered throughout as well. But it’s worth it to put up with those in order to see the great pieces!
Highly recommend this place!

This is a wonderful art collection that I would highly recommend to anyone. The docents are incredibly well-​versed in the collection, and the small groups make it feel like you’re part of something truly special. The collection is practically all after 1950, making it easy to enjoy for newbies to the art world. Whether you’re visiting LA or a local, make note of this free tour and add it to your list.

I just visited the Weisman collection this morning and it was stunning! The docent, Dick, had an encyclopedic memory for the large collection with several wonderful, anecdotal stories to tell, as well. The home is beautiful and while the collection is extraordinary, the mission to have people experience what it is like to live amongst amazing art in a lived in setting is completely met!

What a wonderful, unique experience to get a private tour of an amazing contemporary art collection, and a beverly hills mansion in one — all for free.

Love! Love! Love! This place !! The mini art museum is inside a secret house close to bel air. You have to schedule an appt. For the tour in order to visit the museum. Once u schedule the appt. For the tour, they email u the address of where the museum is located. The tours are usually very early. and They try to keep the tours in small groups .once inside nothing but contemporary/​modern art paintings, never seen an artistic house in my life. even the furniture and carpets were on the artsy side. Plus this place is free admission! Awesome!

Road trip vacation starting in LA. This is a secret to many. 10 to 12 in a group at a time: no food, chewing gum, drinks or indoor photos. You follow the docent who is incredibly knowledgeable and delivers the information with a touch of humor (quite afew back stories to accompany the displays) as the house, its art evokes a big gracious fun personality.
Remember a reservation for this free tour is mandatory.

Most museums are huge and are not free and have walls and walls. Our daughter offered us this guided tour and kept it a surprise. Two guided tours every week day, and the dozen guests meet as if they were chosen for a discovery mission. The first lady I saw staring at me once inside kept still for several minutes, never saying a word, and I kept waiting for her to introduce herself… well she was part of all «humans» spread out throughout the house. The two hour tour is pure pleasure, art is never so cleverly presented. Ah the paintings! mostly modern, and amazing sculptures. The house is furnished because the owners lived with all that beauty in every corner. Do buy the hardcover book, don’t leave without it!
Pure joy!

Beautiful house, tons of wonderful art, free!

I just had a 2:00 pm appointment for this private intimate complimentary tour on Monday this week. It was the private home of the late Frederick Weisman, whom made his fortune from the food label Hunts. His widowed wife actively runs the foundation, and lives a few houses over.
The Weismans were avid contemporary art collectors, and their life revolved around ART. His second wife was an art dealer. Our docent explained the history of the art, no description signs posted next to each piece, or to be read. Some outrageous colorful, gigantic, and unusual pieces –including the life like human model pieces. throughout the house, pool area, and back grounds.
There is an eclectic array of ASTRACT and CONTEMPORARY arts. Every square inch of walls, corners, home furnishings and décor, and exterior grounds was highlighted to showcase the art.
The front entry, foyer, and great room were very nicely decorated, with the open space, high vaulted ceilings, Spanish terra cotta floors. I also enjoyed the mural painting with pillar column details near the main front entrance (those added touches make all the difference!)
Eyesore: I did not personally care for many of outdated tacky décor or furnishings the master bedroom, family room, bedroom, bathrooms, and staircases. It did not compliment the beauty of the art — in fact, it was a clashing distraction… Downgraded to 3 stars — for the disturbance to the raw artistic beauty of the actual pieces.
Mr. Weisman even commissioned Andy Warhol to do several portraits of his second wife and him. Pretty cool and impressive, which evidenced his significant influence in the art circle.
Other negatives — no pictures allowed inside. Very strict parking rules, entry must be inside estate — through a gated driveway. No visitor parking on the residence streets.

Truly one of the most amazing art related afternoons I have ever spent. The collection is out of this world! Our docent, Dick, was fantastic and his knowledge of the 400 works in the collection was fantastic.
As an art loving Angeleno, I can’t believe it took me until my 45^th year to experience this!
Plan ahead and make an appointment to tour this collection!!!

For those who don’t know much about Modern Art, this is a great place to begin. Our docent invited us newbies «in» in a fun and interesting manner; it was obvious that those in our small tour group who had a wealth of art knowledgee appreciated all that was being presented. The Weisman Estate is beautiful; the collection amazing!
Tours are only given after RSVP document is completed. Easy to do and well worth it! While there is no charge for the tour, the experience is priceless! Give them a call.

This is truly a hidden gem.
I don’t know much about art but I enjoyed the tour immensely. Our docent, Dick, was a wonderful host. He was very informative and went through nearly every single piece of art in the home. It was very neat to see the pieces within a warm home rather than in a cold museum. I recognized pieces from Magritte, Lichtenstein, and Warhol and also discovered many neat artists such as Vasa and Klein. The home itself is also very beautiful.
Tours by appointment and on weekdays only. It’s a bit of a drawback for those of us who work normal hours but if you get a day off, come check this place out.

If you are lover of modern art, you must make the reservation to come here! Even if you don’t love it, there is a lot to learn here. A great collection of pieces. Read the reviews below for all the info. A must do! And… it is free!

Another gem cut for me by Adam at LACMA. We received an invite to a private tour of the Weisman Art Foundation located at his former home in the Holmby Hills (most people consider it Bel Air).
As Aaron said in his review… this place truly is a hidden treasure. I am almost embarrassed as a second generation Angeleno that I didn’t know about it. In my opinion, one of the most prolific modern art collections in the world.
He doesn’t just have Rothko, Warhol, Miro, Dali, Lichtenstein… he has multiples of each. They’ve added a large, modern building off to the side of the house which houses larger works including two sportbikes painted by Keith Haring. At one point, we walked into the dining room and our docent pointed out a small Miro on the wall called «Painting-​Object» which was once thought to be lost. It was discovered by someone from MOMA in NYC who was looking at his collection to select pieces to show once the house opened up to the public.
As we were preparing to leave, we had the special honor of meeting Bunny, Weisman’s wife who still works on her art on the property. She was friendly and gracious.
I struggled with posting this review because I wanted to keep Weisman’s collection to myself… but then would that be fair to all my Unilocalees?
I took my staff here for a team building event about a year ago and I’m still getting thank yous from them today. Don’t miss it.

The Weisman foundation is a true gem. One of the hidden treasures of the city, the small museum in the Holmby Hills is located in a mansion on Carolwood Drive, north of Sunset, just west of Beverly Hills.
The Weismans collected with an incredible eye — they have Rothko, Andy Warhol, and Ed Ruscha. The setting of the museum — an incredible mansion with a stunning view over a ravine is amazing. This is a setting that most would never have access to. It feels like you are stepping into the private home of an amazing collector — unless you get invited over to Eli Broad’s place — this is as good as it gets.
Reservations only. They have some rules about what you can carry in from your car but its worth jumping through the hoops because of the payoff.