If you find the holidays more frightful than delightful, the Santa Monica Art Museum is putting a scary twist on the holiday season with an unconventional Monsters: Exhibit of Horrors. The exhibition blends holiday cheer with hair-raising thrills to create a journey into the macabre. 

On view now through Sunday, Jan.  5, there will be three new holiday-inspired creatures this year,  including Jacob Marley from A Christmas Carol, The Ghost of Christmas Future, and Krampus, the legendary anti-Santa, brought to life as an 11-foot-tall, menacing figure.

Highlights include eight immersive chambers, each uncovering the origins, myths, and psychological depths of the monsters that have haunted humanity across centuries, as well as monstrous artwork from celebrated artists like Jim McKenzie and Andrew Freeman (Season 12 Winner of Face Off).  Expect surprises at every turn and Instagram-worthy monster photo ops.


Also, through the end of December, Santa Monica Art Museum is hosting a holiday food drive promotion. In exchange for donating food, guests will receive $5 off general admissions tickets to the museum.

Opening on Saturday, Dec. 7, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures presents a new gallery experience, Animation and Me, which immerses viewers in projections of clips, concept art, and behind-the-scenes footage that illustrate the art and process of animation that spans the entire history of animation. Animation and Me will complement educational programming with special guests and unique activities for visitors of all ages. On opening day, join Marlon West, an award-winning animator, Head of Effects, and VFX Supervisor at Walt Disney Feature Animation Studios, for a Drop-in and Draw session from 12–3 p.m. 

Limited film series at the Academy Museum this December include Present Past: A Celebration of Film Preservation, a series showcasing newly preserved and restored films from the Academy Film Archive and beyond, with 10 restoration world premieres and 23 films in total from around the world. Also this December, the museum presents its third annual 3D- CEMBER!, which will screen a range of 3D films of varying genres for every generation during the last week of the month.

On Saturday, Dec. 14, the Academy Museum will present Making a Movie Poster with Kenny Gravillis , an inside look at the making of the modern-day movie poster with award-winning graphic designer and creative director Kenny Gravillis.

Films are shown in 16mm, 35mm, 70mm, or digital laser projection in the  Ted Mann Theater or David Geffen Theater.