200 East Avenue 43, Los Angeles
323-226-1620
El Alisal (The Lummis Home) was the home of Charles F. Lummis, a booster, author, journalist, and early preservationist. He was a central figure in the first waves of preservation in Southern California and throughout the Southwest, and was the founder of Los Angeles’ first museum, the Southwest Museum. Lummis had a major impact on how we view the history and culture of the Southwest today, all while carefully crafting his own legacy as the first southwestern “influencer.”
El Alisal was built from 1897 to 1910 by Charles F. Lummis as an architectural homage to the history of the Southwest. This home is completely hand-built, and all of the walls are made of river stone from the nearby Arroyo Seco.
Architecturally significant, the home also marks the beginning of the Arts and Crafts movement in Southern California. Largely intact with very few alterations, El Alisal has never undergone a top-to-bottom restoration and is among the most landmarked historic sites in the entire city of Los Angeles, designated as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument (No. 68), a California Historical Landmark (No. 531), and listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
2025 MOTA DAY ACTIVITIES:
- Explore the Lummis Home and discover the architectural and cultural heritage of the historic building
- Museum guides will be on hand to answer any questions and provide light interpretation
- Pack a picnic and spread out on the grass of our beautiful grounds
- Embark on a scavenger hunt! Perfect for families and visitors of all ages, this fun activity will guide you to hidden gems and historical treasures around the home and grounds
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