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Photo: Jengod, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The Ballona Creek bicycle path is a 7 mi long concrete path that is popular with bicyclists, walkers and joggers. The bike path runs along Ballona Creek from the back of the sports fields in Syd Kronenthal Park on McManus Street in Culver City all the way to the ocean, where it then joins the Coast Bike Path along the beach. While some wildlife and plant life is present along the route, the creek itself was lined with concrete by the Army Corps of Engineers after the Flood of 1938. In addition to the access from either end of the path, the bike path can also be accessed at most major intersections where the road passes over the creek. During heavy rains access points will be locked as the area can quickly become unsafe, with the creek rising and submerging portions of the path under fast-moving water.
The Ballona Creek Bike Path is a 6.7-mile (10.8 km) Class I bicycle path and pedestrian route in California. The bike path follows the north bank of Ballona Creek until it reaches Santa Monica Bay at the Pacific Ocean. The route is defined by, and recognized for, the dramatic contrast between the channelized waterway's stark cement geometry and the abundant wildlife of the verdant Ballona Wetlands.
An archives and resource center preserves local history, and aims to serve everyone from young children to senior citizens.
Located in downtown Culver City, Culver Studios was founded in 1919. Fans of classic motion pictures will immediately recognize the studio's colonial mansion from the opening credits of the David O. Selznick International productions such as Gone With the Wind and Duel in the Sun. Unfortunately public tours are not available.
This museum is a truly unique experience, as it is an artistic mixture of fact and fiction, featuring weird and wonderful displays of things that never happened, next to strange but true practices of bygone years; it can be hard to distinguish between the two, and it's best not to try. Exhibits include micro-sculptures that fit within the eye of a needle, portraits of the canine astronauts of the early Soviet space program, and artwork made from the scales of butterfly wings that can be viewed under microscopes. An enjoyable afternoon's visit and a tribute to the weirdness of the world. The Tula Tea Room is located upstairs and serves complimentary tea and cookies, while the Borzoi Kabinet Theater has free movie screenings hourly; both open one hour after the museum, closing one hour before the museum. Photography and cell phone use (including texting and pictures) is not allowed in the museum. This attraction is actually in the Palms district of Los Angeles, although it has a Culver City address.
A unique organization, the CLUI is devoted to researching and illustrating how land is used and perceived. The exhibits hosted in their minuscule gallery space are small, but are usually very intriguing and often draw attention to features of the landscape you would normally overlook. The tiny bookstore (more of a bookshelf, really) is a real treat, selling some excellent texts as well as humorous postcards.
An exotic environmental science & wildlife rescue center that is in a nondescript building, the Eco Station is a hidden attraction offering hands-on experiences with rescued tropical birds, mammals, reptiles and other critters. Most of the facility's animals are illegal shipments seized by US customs that needed a home. Hands-on tours lasting 45-60 minutes leave every hour on the hour from 10AM-3PM on weekends. Hands-on opportunities as part of the tour. Special community events throughout the year. If you are in the area for Earth Day they hold a massive celebration including hands-on experiences and special events.
The mission of the Wende Museum is to preserve Cold War history. The museum's exhibits and artifacts include artwork, films and personal histories from the fall of Communist Europe in the late 1980s. Much of the collection is about the German Democratic Republic (DDR). Also has materials from Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union, and other Communist countries. In addition to its permanent collection, it hosts rotating exhibitions.