Self-Guided Tours

Take historic tours on your own time!

Below are a collection of resources providing information about LA.’s historic architecture and neighborhoods, presented in tour formats. Many include information from past Conservancy tours (downloadable in PDF format).* We’ll continue adding to this list over time. Enjoy!

Tours of Historic Architecture

Griffith Park’s 125th Anniversary Celebration 
Explore the nooks and crannies of Griffith Park at your own pace!

Paul Revere Was Here: On the Trail of L.A.’s Legendary Architect Paul R. Williams
Visit sites associated with Paul R. Williams up close on your own schedule and hear audio commentaries of SoCal NOMA members discussing their favorite Paul R. Williams sites.

Paul Revere Was Here: Paul R. Williams Homes in La Cañada Flintridge
Take a self-guided tour through Paul R. Williams’ collection of residences in La Cañada Flintridge.

Rolling Through the ’70s: A Weekend in Los Angeles
Buckle up! You’re in the driver’s seat on this fun driving tour through ’70s Los Angeles.

LRS Unseated
These five free self-guided tours of filming locations throughout Los Angeles were created in the spirit of Last Remaining Seats, by the Conservancy’s LRS Volunteer Committee!

The Homes of View Park
Explore the history and architecture of View Park, a National Register Historic District, using our PDF booklet. You can also view historic images of View Park from the opening presentation of the November 2016 tour.

Mosaic L.A.
This booklet from our 2007 tour features five different sites with unique mosaics.

Restoring Wilshire Boulevard Temple
Learn about the history, architecture, and monumental restoration of this Los Angeles icon.

Venice Eclectic: Modern Architecture from the ’70s and ’80s
Visit innovative modern structures by architectural greats Frank Gehry, Frederick Fisher, Steven Ehrlich, Frank Israel, and many others.

We Heart Garden Apartments!
Did you know L.A. has one of the largest collections of garden apartments in the nation? Learn about the history and preservation efforts of four of these sites.

Tours of Historic Neighborhoods

Irangeles: A Driving Tour
Explore five neighborhoods significant for their connection to Iranian communities.

The Arts District: History and Architecture in Downtown L.A.
If you didn’t make it to our one-time-only tour in November 2013, use the tour booklet to explore the neighborhood on your own.

Exploring Chinatown: Past and Present
Learn about the multi-cultural history of L.A.’s Chinatown. Produced for our one-day-only tour in April 2016, you can explore Chinatown using this PDF booklet, or on the Geotourist app, available in the iTunes store and Google Play store.

L.A.’s K-Town: Culture and Community
Explore the layers of history of Koreatown. This PDF booklet was produced for our November 2017 weekend of special events in Koreatown.

Pico-Union: Layers of History
Use this bilingual map and guide to explore of one of L.A.’s most architecturally diverse and distinctive communities.

Strolling on 7th Street: Downtown’s Historic Thoroughfare
Visit one of downtown’s most dynamic corridors with this map and guide to lead you.

Would You Believe L.A.?
This printable map highlights over 30 historic locations in downtown Los Angeles.

*These guides were created as part of past L.A. Conservancy events. As such, the information presented in these guides may be out of date.

Major funding for the Los Angeles Conservancy’s programs is provided by the LaFetra Foundation and the Kenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris Foundation.