Hollywood Heritage Museum

The Hollywood Heritage Museum, affectionately known as “The Lasky-DeMille Barn,” is the oldest surviving building in California devoted almost exclusively to filmmaking. Built in 1901, it was rented by Cecil B. DeMille in 1913 for his production of one of the first American feature films, The Squaw Man. It was moved to the Paramount Studios lot and served a variety of purposes over the years before eventually being abandoned, then renovated and moved to its current location across the street from the Hollywood Bowl.

The museum is now home to many artifacts of early cinema, but the building itself is a time capsule of the dawn of Hollywood and well worth a visit. Pictured here are parts of the collection, including memorabilia and props associated with Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Douglas Fairbanks and Rudolph Valentino, in addition to historic cameras and other moviemaking equipment, including a Technicolor camera used on Gone with the Wind, The Wizard of Oz and other films.

For more information on the building, visit the museum’s website and the Historical Marker Database. The museum’s hours are limited, so plan in advance. After seeing the museum, I recommend walking to the Hollywood Bowl and its museum (if they are open) and then strolling down the hill to Hollywood Boulevard, where your drinking and eating options are numerous, including the historic Musso and Frank Grill or, for something easier and cheaper, Mel’s Drive-In.

(These photos, taken in 2023, are copyright MeierMovies, LLC, and may not be used without written permission and copyright credit. Click to enlarge.)