Hollywood's Oldest Surviving Movie Studio Is A Museum Boasting A Treasure Trove Of Silver Screen Artifacts

Steeped in silver screen history, it's no secret that Hollywood is the film capital of the world. Revered as one of Los Angeles' most popular neighborhoods, its cinematic legacy dates back to the city's humble yet rapidly growing beginnings when the first film studio (the no-longer-standing Nestor Studios) opened in 1911. Attracted by the diverse geographical landscapes and ever-sunny weather, Los Angeles appealed to filmmakers from across the globe, leading more studios to sprout up around the city, and quickly ushering in Hollywood's Golden Age of cinema.

Over a century later, the City of Angels is now home to 102 film and television studios and pumps out hundreds of movies a year. While historic movie palaces like Warner Bros., Paramount, and Universal Studios are still producing films (and offering famed studio tours), the cameras at Hollywood's oldest standing motion picture studio stopped rolling long ago. However, its legacy has yet to fade to black.

Hidden in plain sight across from the iconic Hollywood Bowl is the Hollywood Heritage Museum. Housed in a historic barn, you'd never know that Hollywood's first feature-length film was shot inside its weathered wooden walls, or that a collection of cinematic relics and iconic film costumes is on display year-round, comprising a one-of-a-kind vintage California attraction that's a paradise for film lovers (much like the vibrant Valley Relics Museum). If you love Old Hollywood history, the Hollywood Heritage Museum in LA is a hidden gem you can't afford to miss.

Built in 1901, the wooden façade that houses the Hollywood Heritage Museum originally served as a stable on the corner of Selma Avenue and Vine Street. In 1912, it was transformed into a small motion picture studio and rented out the following year to shoot Hollywood's first feature-length film, "The Squaw Man." At the reins of the trailblazing project were Jesse L. Lasky, Samuel Goldfish (later changed to Goldwyn), and Cecil B. DeMille, who partnered to form the Jesse L. Lasky Feature Player Company. Making his directorial debut, DeMille would go on to produce and direct over 70 films, and appear as himself in the 1950 noir classic, "Sunset Boulevard," which delivered the famous line, "All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up."

After making "The Squaw Man," DeMille bought the barn (which eventually became the Lasky-DeMille Barn). In 1926, it was moved to the company's new lot on Melrose Avenue between Gower Street and Van Ness Avenue. By that time, the company had grown significantly, merging with the Famous Players Film Company before evolving into one of Hollywood's most illustrious production companies: Paramount Pictures.

For decades, the barn occupied the Paramount lot, where it served as everything from a storage room to a background set piece on the western television series, "Bonanza." Designated as a California State Historic Landmark in 1956, the barn was eventually donated to the Hollywood Heritage organization. After sitting empty in a parking lot behind the Capitol Records building during the early 1980s, the barn finally landed in its current location on Highland Avenue in 1983. From there, the little grey barn with the legendary silver screen past became the Hollywood Heritage Museum, which has been operating faithfully at the gateway to Hollywood since 1985.

If you've ever longed to time-travel back to the Golden Age of Hollywood, you'll find vintage Los Angeles personified at the Hollywood Heritage Museum. Open Saturdays and Sundays (and the first Thursday of the month) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., a $15 ticket grants you access to some of Tinsel Town's most treasured artifacts. After stepping inside the museum via its red wrap-around porch, hang a right to explore the replica of Cecil B. DeMille's office. Inside, you'll be greeted by DeMille's personal effects, including a director's megaphone, an antique typewriter, and well-preserved pairs of leather shoes.

Traveling through the main lobby and gift shop, you can explore the museum's two gallery sections, which are packed with movie memorabilia hailing from the early 1900s, including vintage film cameras, movie posters, and sepia-toned photographs. While many of the artifacts are on permanent display, the museum features a series of rotating exhibits that spotlight an array of Old Hollywood themes. For instance, at the time of this writing, "The Rise of Hollywood's Leading Ladies" is the museum's featured exhibit, paying homage to legendary actresses like Mary Pickford, Lucille Ball, and Carole Lombard with displays of their famous film costumes and personal belongings.

Throughout the year, special events commence in the back gallery, looming under the barn's commanding vaulted ceilings. Oftentimes featuring special guest speakers, the museum's past events include "A Very Judy Garland Christmas," which displayed iconic costumes from Garland's career, as well as an unveiling of the museum's latest artifact: the fireplace from "Gone with the Wind." Connecting the modern generation to Tinsel Town's silver screen past, the Golden Age is alive and breathing at the must-visit Hollywood Heritage Museum. For more Hollywood lore, visit this iconic Koreatown bar that's a favorite filming location.