People living in Greater Los Angeles know they live in a city of great ethnic and cultural diversity. One particularly notable example of this is the Great Wall of Los Angeles, a half-mile-long mural featuring images contributed by more than 400 local artists. The mural covers an entire side of a 3-story building located at the intersection of Oxnard Street and Tujunga Avenue in the North Hollywood neighborhood of The San Fernando Valley.
The Great Wall Cultural Center, at 1125 N. Van Nuys Blvd., was built by Sidney Woodruff, a Canadian entrepreneur who opened its doors on December 3, 1984. Woodruff began collecting public submissions from local artists shortly after moving to Los Angeles in the 1970s. The artworks on display are mostly murals depicting traditional Chinese themes, but Woodruff’s collection also includes sculpture, digital imaging, and photography displayed indoors via LCD screens.
The Great Wall Cultural Center in the North Hollywood area is open to visitors on Sundays from 1-5 p.m., but only during daylight hours because the adjacent mural is not visible after dark. Parking is free, but visitors are encouraged to use public transportation because the surrounding neighborhood has limited parking available in the North Hollywood area.
The Great Wall of Los Angeles is located at 10361-10699 Oxnard St., North Hollywood, CA 91605. Visitors who enter the Center’s gate will see The Great Wall Cultural Center’s own website on their left, as well as some rows of shops selling ice cream, tea, and souvenirs.
