About Los Angeles
USC is located in a thriving city of 13.1 million, where more than 200 languages
are spoken and no single ethnic or racial group constitutes a majority. Rich in
vibrant neighborhoods - from Little Armenia to Thai Town - Los Angeles offers an
extraordinary range of cultural and entertainment options.
Directly across the street from the University Park campus of USC are the Natural
History Museum of Los Angeles County (an active research center and the largest
natural history museum in the western United States), the California Science Center,
the California African American Museum of History and Culture, and the Los Angeles
Memorial Coliseum.
Three miles from campus, in downtown Los Angeles, are the landmark Cathedral of
Our Lady of the Angels, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Walt Disney Concert
Hall (home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic) and other Music Center venues featuring
major theatre, dance and Los Angeles Opera productions.
A short drive from USC are night clubs featuring everything from hip-hop to salsa,
small theatres, trendy shops and restaurants serving food from around the world.
Sports fans enjoy the proximity of Dodger Stadium and Staples Center (home of the
city's two basketball teams, the Lakers and the Clippers, and the ice hockey team,
the Los Angeles Kings). As you travel around the city, you'll probably see a location
shoot for a film, video or TV show - just another aspect of everyday life in Los
Angeles.
Other prime cultural attractions in Los Angeles and neighboring cities include the
Los Angeles County Museum of Art; The Getty Center; The Getty Villa; the Norton
Simon Museum of Art; and the Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Garden.
Mountains, deserts and beaches are each about an hour's drive from USC. Year-round
balmy weather - average temperatures range from 58º F. (14º C.) in December
to 75º F. (24º C.) in August - is ideal for outdoor activities, from surfing,
tennis and team sports to hiking in Griffith Park, the Angeles National Forest or
the region's other urban green spaces.
