LACMA shortens museum hours *

If you plan to visit the galleries at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, you better start thinking about going earlier in the day. The museum, currently open until at least 8 p.m. every night except Wednesday (when everything is dark), is shifting to an earlier schedule. Starting July 1, LACMA will begin the day an hour earlier — 11 a.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. weekends. On Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, the museum will close at 5 p.m. instead of 8 p.m. On Fridays, the museum will close at 8 o'clock, an hour sooner than now. And on Saturdays and Sundays the doors will close at 7 p.m. instead of an hour later.

"Devised in response to visitor patterns, LACMA will open an hour earlier every day, to better accommodate the many families and tourists who come to the museum," the announcement says. Free admission for Los Angeles County residents will now be 3 to 5 p.m. weekdays. "Ray’s and Stark Bar will continue to remain open late," says LACMA.

Fixed an errant 'Wednesday'

LA Observed photo: Judy Graeme