An Eclectic Beverly Hills Mansion Full Of '80s Pop Art Has Its Doors Open As A Free Museum

Los Angeles has no shortage of excellent art museums, from the Getty Center, one of the best free museums in America, to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, home to a dazzling artistic forest of antique lights. However, art lovers should know about another hidden gem tucked away in Beverly Hills: the Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation. The museum, brimming with a world-class modern art collection from abstract expressionism to Pop art, was once the private mansion of the founder, Frederick Weisman, who lived there from 1982 to 1992. The 1920s-era Mediterranean residence doubled as an exhibition space for his impressive collection, which features works by the biggest names in 20th-century art, such as Pablo Picasso, Mark Rothko, Helen Frankenthaler, Jasper Johns, and Andy Warhol. Beyond the main residence, Weisman's extensive collection extended into a contemporary annex that was built in 1991, as well as onto the estate's tropical grounds and swimming pool, which are dotted with sculptures.

Weisman was passionate about the power of art and intended for his home's collection to be shared with fellow art lovers. In 1994, the Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation opened to the public with no admission fee, and visitors could enjoy the spectacular collection and see what it was like for Weisman to live daily in the presence of hundreds of remarkable, museum-quality masterpieces. While the Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation is free to visit, you must register online in advance for a guided tour. Tours are held Monday through Friday either at 10:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m., and they last one hour and 45 minutes. The museum is just a 5-minute drive from downtown Beverly Hills and a 40-minute drive from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

Ensconced behind gated hedges of a luxurious Beverly Hills neighborhood rises the discreet villa of the Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation. The life-size bronze figures near the gate and mosaic artwork at the doorway hint at the eclectic collection that awaits inside. The entire house pays homage to Weisman, as the furnishings have been kept just as they were when he resided there in the 1980s. The original Mediterranean-style architectural details provide an elegant backdrop for the medley of modern abstractions and neon-hued pop art that adorn the walls, showcasing Weisman's bold curatorial eye.

In particular, Weisman was an avid champion of the contemporary pop art movement, which captured the American cultural zeitgeist from the 1950s through the 1990s. Throughout the home are Weisman's acquisitions by the leading artists of the movement, such as Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Roy Lichtenstein, and Red Grooms. Andy Warhol was a dear friend of the Weisman family and even made a screenprint portrait of Frederick in 1984. "This is a must see in Los Angeles," raved a Tripadvisor reviewer. "Every room in this house has amazing art treasures. The tour is really interesting and well done."

The tour continues throughout the nearly 3-acre property, which features landscaped gardens and a swimming pool. From large-scale Fernando Botero figures set beneath palm trees to a sculpture of a sunburnt figure on a pool float in the swimming pool, the collection is whimsical and thought-provoking. After your tour, do as the residents of Beverly Hills do, and head for lunch nearby at the Beverly Hills Hotel, one of California's most legendary hideaways that has hosted Hollywood royalty.