Beyond the movie palaces, Hollywood's most important buildings are the Capitol Records Building (1956), widely described as the world's first circular office tower; Frank Lloyd Wright's Hollyhock House (1919 to 1921), a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Barnsdall Art Park; Crossroads of the World (1936), a Streamline Moderne shopping court built around a ship; the Max Factor building (1935); and the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel (1927). Most can be seen from the street for free, and Hollyhock House opens for ticketed tours on a limited schedule.
Landmarks at a glance
| Building | Year | Style | Can you go in? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hollyhock House | 1919 to 1921 | Wright's California Romanza, Maya Revival influences | Yes, on ticketed tours |
| Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel | 1927 | Spanish Colonial Revival | Public areas of a working hotel |
| Max Factor building | 1935 (studio opening) | Hollywood Regency | Yes, as the Hollywood Museum, paid entry |
| Crossroads of the World | 1936 | Streamline Moderne and storybook styles | Courtyard visible from Sunset Blvd |
| Capitol Records Building | 1956 | Mid-century modern | No public access; view from the street |
Hollyhock House
Frank Lloyd Wright designed this house for Aline Barnsdall, an oil heiress and theater patron, and it was built between 1919 and 1921 on Olive Hill, a rise at Hollywood Boulevard and Vermont Avenue in East Hollywood. Wright decorated it with a stylized hollyhock, Barnsdall's favorite flower, which appears in the concrete, the furniture and the art glass. Rudolph Schindler and Richard Neutra, who later became major modernists in their own right, worked on the project. The house is owned by the City of Los Angeles, and in 2019 it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of "The 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright," the first World Heritage listing in Los Angeles.
The surrounding Barnsdall Art Park is free to enter and has lawns with wide views across Hollywood toward the hills. Tours of the house are offered on select days with advance tickets recommended, and schedules and prices change, so check the official Hollyhock House website before visiting. The Vermont/Sunset Metro station is a short walk away.
Capitol Records Building
Completed in April 1956 at 1750 Vine Street, the 13-story tower was designed by Louis Naidorf of Welton Becket and Associates. With its round floors, curved sunshades and tall spire, it is often compared to a stack of records on a turntable. A light at the top of the spire blinks the word "Hollywood" in Morse code. Inside are recording studios and echo chambers engineered by Les Paul, some of them underground. The building became a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 2006 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2024.
There is no public access, but the corner of Vine and Yucca gives a good view, and the jazz mural by Richard Wyatt Jr. covers a wall beside it. Our guide to Hollywood murals describes it.
Crossroads of the World
At 6671 Sunset Boulevard, Crossroads of the World opened in 1936 as one of the earliest outdoor shopping centers in Los Angeles. Architect Robert V. Derrah, known for the Streamline Moderne Coca-Cola Building downtown, designed a central building shaped like an ocean liner, with portholes, railings and a tower topped by a globe. Around it, smaller buildings in styles meant to evoke different countries gave visitors a sense of a trip around the world. The complex was declared Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument No. 134 in 1974 and was listed on the National Register in 1980. Today it houses offices, and the ship and globe are easy to see from the sidewalk.
Max Factor building
Max Factor, the makeup artist whose products shaped the look of early film stars, bought this building at 1660 North Highland Avenue in 1928. Its design is credited to architect S. Charles Lee, and after a remodel in the early 1930s the studio opened in 1935. It is Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument No. 593. The building now holds the Hollywood Museum, devoted to film and television memorabilia. It is one block south of the Walk of Fame and fits easily into the self-guided Hollywood Boulevard walk.
Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
The 12-story Roosevelt opened in May 1927, named for President Theodore Roosevelt, and hosted the first Academy Awards ceremony in 1929. It is a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument and sits across the boulevard from the Chinese Theatre. Public areas such as the lobby are part of a working hotel, so treat them as you would any private business.
Other buildings worth a look
- The movie palaces. The Egyptian, El Capitan, Chinese and Pantages theaters are architecture as much as entertainment. See the guide to Hollywood's historic movie palaces.
- Griffith Observatory. The 1935 Art Deco observatory on Mount Hollywood is a landmark you can enter for free.
- The Hollywood Bowl shell. The 2004 shell continues a series of shells on the site going back to the 1920s.
Tips for architecture walks
- Check which way a facade faces before you go; morning light suits east-facing walls and late afternoon suits west-facing ones.
- Carry a wide-angle lens or phone setting; Crossroads and the Capitol tower are hard to fit in from across narrow streets.
- Respect working buildings. Offices, studios and hotels are private, even when they are landmarks.
- Check tour schedules weeks ahead for Hollyhock House, as popular dates sell out.
- Look for plaques. Many designated monuments have markers with dates and architects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you go inside the Capitol Records Building?
No. It is a working office and studio building without public access. You can view it from Vine Street and see the jazz mural on the adjacent wall.
Where is Frank Lloyd Wright's Hollyhock House?
It is in Barnsdall Art Park at 4800 Hollywood Boulevard in East Hollywood, near the Vermont/Sunset Metro station. Tours are offered on select days with advance tickets.
What does the light on the Capitol Records Building spell?
The light on top of the spire blinks the word "Hollywood" in Morse code.
Why is Hollyhock House a World Heritage Site?
In 2019 UNESCO inscribed it with seven other Wright buildings as "The 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright." It was the first World Heritage listing in Los Angeles.
What is Crossroads of the World?
It is a 1936 shopping court on Sunset Boulevard built around a ship-shaped Streamline Moderne building with a globe tower. It is now used for offices and is a city landmark.