Museum inside Battery Osgood-Farley, 1916 coastal gun battery in Angels Gate Park, telling how Los Angeles harbor was defended from World War I to the Cold War.
Fort MacArthur Museum is a military history museum inside Battery Osgood-Farley, a concrete coastal gun battery built to defend Los Angeles harbor. It sits in Angels Gate Park on the hill above Point Fermin, a short walk from the Korean Bell of Friendship.
Visiting the museum
- Cost: Free, with donations welcome to support the museum.
- Open: Afternoons on select days each week. Check the museum’s website or call 310-548-2631 before you go, and to arrange group tours.
- Where: 3601 S. Gaffey Street, inside Angels Gate Park. Parking is free.
What you’ll see
Battery Osgood-Farley once held two 14-inch “disappearing” guns. They were raised to fire over a thick concrete parapet, then dropped back behind it to reload. Inside the battery’s rooms, exhibits cover Fort MacArthur from its founding through World War II, the 1942 “Battle of Los Angeles” air-raid scare, and the Nike missile sites that guarded the city during the Cold War.
History
Fort MacArthur was established in 1914 and named for General Arthur MacArthur, father of General Douglas MacArthur. Its Upper Reservation, where the museum is, held the big coastal batteries that protected the harbor in both world wars. Much of the fort’s land later became Angels Gate Park, and part of the Lower Reservation still serves the Los Angeles Air Force Base.
Events
The museum hosts living-history weekends, including Old Fort MacArthur Days and the Great LA Air Raid, with reenactors, vehicles and displays. Check the museum’s calendar for dates.
Frequently asked questions
Is Fort MacArthur Museum free?
Yes. Admission is free, and donations help keep the museum running.
Where is Fort MacArthur Museum?
In Angels Gate Park at 3601 S. Gaffey Street, San Pedro, near the Korean Bell of Friendship.
What is Battery Osgood-Farley?
A coastal gun battery completed in 1916 that held two 14-inch disappearing guns to defend Los Angeles harbor. The museum is inside it.