A modern day curiosity cabinet.

An offbeat angle on the ocean viewed through an antiquated lens.

A second generation sun-powered marvel lights up the night.

In one Santa Monica parking lot a mushroom cloud made of chains heralds a message of peace.

The programmatic glory of LA's giant whiskey barrel building has become an upscale reminder of the city's kitschy roadside past.

This Hollywood dive houses a mural painted by the artists who animated its namesake film.

The decor of this Hollywood movie palace just barely predated the opening of King Tut's tomb.

A few iconic structures are all that remain of America’s first outdoor shopping mall.

The mall's looks were inspired by the cowboy extras who used to meet up—and cause real trouble—at this Hollywood hub.

This grand mansion has starred in everything from Bones to Buffy.

The "world's biggest dinosaur" once housed a creationist museum in its abdomen.

A meditative space out of a fantasy story.

An Italian restaurant became a rock-and-roll hangout and the lair of the "Hollywood vampires."

A multimedia experience that chronicles the atrocities of racism.

First LEED-certified gas station in the United States.

Scores of vintage street lamps shine along L.A.’s Miracle Mile.

The last of its kind in the country.

Hollywood's oldest hotel is the site of the first Academy Awards, the birthplace of Marilyn Monroe's career, and the home of Montgomery Clift's ghost.

This centerpiece of the Hollywood & Highland shopping center is a recreation of a long-lost movie set.

The private clubhouse for the members of the Academy of Magical Arts.

A quirky collection of figurines backdropped by city views is hidden next to a popular restaurant in the Hollywood hills.

A prohibition-style speakeasy takes up residence in the last Victorian residence in Hollywood.

Resting place of Hollywood's immortals is also site of summer film screenings.

It should come as no surprise that the best view of the Hollywood sign is from Batman's lair.