Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum: Tours, Events and History

Walk up to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and the first thing you notice is the peristyle — that curved colonnade at the north end, topped by the Olympic cauldron and torch. It's one of the few stadiums on earth that has hosted the Summer Olympics twice, and it's gearing up for a third turn with LA28. That alone makes it worth a detour for anyone interested in sports history, architecture, or just seeing a building that's outlasted most of the stadiums built around it.

The Coliseum isn't a museum piece behind glass. It's a working stadium — USC Trojans football still plays here most falls, and the building sits inside Exposition Park alongside the California Science Center and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. That combination is the real draw: you can spend a morning with dinosaur fossils, an afternoon with Olympic history, and never leave a six-block radius.

Two-Time Olympic Stadium History

The Coliseum opened in 1923 and hosted the Summer Olympics in 1932 and again in 1984, which puts it in rare company — only London's stadiums have matched that feat at a comparable scale. The Olympic rings near the main entrance and the cauldron itself are the tangible markers of that history, and several commemorative plaques around the grounds detail specific events held there. If LA28 proceeds as planned, the Coliseum is slated to host again, which would make it the first stadium to host the Games three times. For visitors who care about this kind of milestone, that's a meaningful reason to see it now rather than wait — crowds and renovation work tend to increase as a Games approaches.

Football, Concerts and Big Events

Outside of its Olympic legacy, the Coliseum is best known today as the home field for USC Trojans football, drawing tens of thousands of fans on game Saturdays each fall. It also previously served as a temporary home for the Los Angeles Rams before they moved to SoFi Stadium, and it periodically hosts major concerts and special events. If you're chasing atmosphere over quiet contemplation, a USC home game is the move — expect tailgating in the surrounding lots starting hours before kickoff. Compare that to Banc of California Stadium a few blocks south, which hosts LAFC soccer matches in a newer, more compact venue; the Coliseum's scale and history feel entirely different, less polished but more storied.

There are two realistic ways to experience the Coliseum: see it from outside and around the perimeter on your own schedule, or book a guided stadium tour that gets you onto the field level and into areas otherwise closed to the public. Which one makes sense depends on how much time you have and whether seeing the playing field and locker room areas actually matters to you.

A guided stadium tour gets you onto the field and into historic areas, while an independent visit only covers the exterior and plaza.

Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum: ways to visit compared

Typical figures only; tour duration, access areas and event schedules change, so confirm details on official sources before booking.

Visiting Independently

You can walk the exterior and plaza area of the Coliseum for free, any day it's not closed for an event or private function. This gets you close to the peristyle, the Olympic rings, and the cauldron — plenty for photos and a general sense of the place. What it doesn't get you is access to the bowl, the field, or the tunnel areas, which are typically locked down outside of ticketed tours or events. If you're short on time or just want the iconic shot without committing to a scheduled tour slot, this is the practical option. Just don't expect to wander inside; security is active even on quiet days, especially with Olympic preparations underway.

Taking a Guided Stadium Tour

A guided coliseum stadium tour is the only reliable way to get onto the field, see the press box or tunnel areas, and hear detailed commentary on the 1932 and 1984 Games. These tours run seasonally and are not offered daily — availability shifts around USC's football schedule, maintenance periods, and Olympic construction work, so a date that works one month might not work the next. Tours typically last somewhere in the range of 60 to 90 minutes and involve a fair amount of walking and stair climbing, which matters if you're traveling with young kids or have mobility concerns. Book ahead rather than assuming you can walk up and join one; capacity is limited and these tours have sold out during peak USC football season in the past.

"Coliseum tickets" can mean two very different things, and mixing them up is the easiest planning mistake to make here. One is a ticket to attend an event — a USC football game, a concert, or another scheduled program. The other is admission to a guided tour when the stadium isn't hosting an event. They're sold through different channels, cost differently, and get you different levels of access.

Event Tickets vs Tour Access

Event tickets — for a USC Trojans game or a concert — put you in the stands as a spectator, with no backstage or field access unless you've paid for a premium package. Tour access is the opposite: no game happening, but you get into spaces like the field and tunnels that ticket holders on game day never see. Don't buy an event ticket expecting a tour experience, and don't book a tour expecting to watch a game. If you want both experiences, you'll need two separate visits, likely months apart given how the football calendar and tour seasons are structured.

Where to Book Officially

Always book through official channels — the Coliseum's own site, USC Athletics for football tickets, or verified ticketing platforms for concerts and other events. Avoid third-party resellers advertising "guaranteed" stadium tour slots at inflated prices; tour schedules change often enough that stale listings are common. Before locking in dates, check current prices and availability directly, since tour frequency and football scheduling shift year to year, particularly with Olympic-related construction affecting access periods. If you're building a broader LA trip, this is also the point to compare current tours and ticket options for the Coliseum alongside other LA attraction bookings, so you're not juggling separate platforms for everything.

Timing your Coliseum visit comes down to one decision: do you want the stadium full and loud, or quiet and open for photos and a tour? Both are valid, but they require opposite planning.

Event Days vs Non-Event Days

On USC football Saturdays in the fall, the Coliseum and surrounding Exposition Park lots turn into a tailgate scene with heavy foot and car traffic for hours before kickoff — exciting if that's what you came for, frustrating if you just wanted a calm look at the architecture. Non-event days are far better for independent sightseeing or joining a scheduled tour, since you'll have clearer sightlines to the peristyle and shorter security lines. Check the USC Athletics schedule and any posted event calendar before you go, because the Coliseum sometimes closes entirely to non-ticketed visitors on game days and during setup for concerts.

Season and Time of Day

Late afternoon light hits the peristyle and cauldron well for photos, and temperatures in LA's Exposition Park area are manageable year-round compared to desert destinations like Palm Springs. Summer brings more tourists and more events; winter and spring tend to be quieter outside of football season, which runs roughly September through November. If you're coming from overseas and building a wider California itinerary — say, pairing LA with San Diego or a drive up to Santa Barbara — a weekday morning at the Coliseum avoids both game-day crowds and the afternoon heat.

The Coliseum's real value for most visitors is as one stop inside Exposition Park, not a solo destination. Treat it that way and a single afternoon here easily outperforms a quick drive-by.

Nearby Museums and Gardens

The California Science Center, directly across from the Coliseum, is free to enter (though special exhibits and the IMAX theater cost extra) and includes the retired Space Shuttle Endeavour — a genuine highlight for kids and adults alike. The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County sits a short walk away and charges a standard adult admission in the range of $15–$18. Between the two museums is the Rose Garden, a free, quiet spot with rose beds and a central fountain — a good place to decompress after a crowded museum visit, though it's less impressive outside peak bloom in spring. Budget at least three to four hours if you want the Coliseum plus one museum properly.

Getting There and Getting Around

The Expo/USC Metro Station, on the E Line, drops you within a short walk of the Coliseum and the rest of Exposition Park — genuinely one of the easier major LA attractions to reach without a car. If you're driving, paid parking lots surround the park, but prices spike sharply on USC game days, sometimes several times the normal rate, so arrive early or take transit instead. Compared to Anaheim's Disneyland Resort or Santa Monica Pier, both of which assume you'll drive and pay for parking, the Coliseum's transit access is a real advantage for budget-conscious travelers and anyone nervous about LA traffic.