Hollywood's murals are scattered along side streets and alleys within a few blocks of Hollywood Boulevard, so the best way to see them is on foot with a short list of addresses. The most famous are "You Are the Star" on Wilcox Avenue, a 1983 painting of film legends watching you from theater seats, and "Hollywood Jazz: 1945-1972," a tile mural beside the Capitol Records Building on Vine Street. Both are free to see from the sidewalk. Newer works appear every year, and some older ones fade, get painted over or are restored, so treat any list as a starting point.
Notable murals in central Hollywood
The local business improvement district, the Hollywood Partnership, publishes a list of murals in the area. A selection that is easy to string into a walk:
| Mural | Artist | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| You Are the Star | Thomas Suriya | 1648 Wilcox Ave, at Hollywood Blvd | Painted 1983, restored by the artist in 2007 |
| Hollywood Jazz: 1945-1972 | Richard Wyatt Jr. | 1750 Vine St, Capitol Records Building | Created 1990, later remade in ceramic tile |
| Dolores Del Rio | Alfredo de Batuc | 6529 Hollywood Blvd, east side of Hudson Ave | Portrait of the Mexican film star |
| Set the Stage | Alexandra Nechita | 6800 Hollywood Blvd, rear of building | Painted 2021 |
| Walk of Fame Timeline Mural | Hollywood Chamber of Commerce with Art Share LA | 7028 Hollywood Blvd | History of the Walk of Fame |
| Aquarius | Not credited on the list | 6230 Sunset Blvd | On the historic Earl Carroll Theatre building |
Addresses are approximate guides to the wall, not to a business. Some murals face parking lots or alleys, so look around the side and rear of the building.
You Are the Star
This is Hollywood's best-known mural. Self-taught artist Thomas Suriya painted it in 1983 as his first mural. It turns the movie theater around: dozens of classic stars sit in a darkened auditorium and look out at the people walking by, so passers-by become the show. He returned to retouch it in 2007, and it was vandalized in 2018. It appears briefly in the film La La Land. Stand across Wilcox for a full-width photo.
Hollywood Jazz: 1945-1972
Richard Wyatt Jr., a Los Angeles artist who died in 2024, created this tribute to jazz musicians on the south-facing wall of the Capitol Records Building. Figures such as Nat King Cole, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker and Miles Davis line the wall. Strong sun faded the original paint, and Wyatt later recreated it in ceramic tile to make it last. Combine it with a look at the round tower itself, described in the Hollywood architecture guide.
Why Los Angeles has so many murals, and why there was a gap
Los Angeles has a long mural tradition, from the Chicano murals of East Los Angeles to the ten freeway murals painted for the 1984 Olympic Arts Festival along the 101 and 110. But from 2002 to 2013 the city effectively stopped approving new murals on private property. The pause grew out of legal fights over outdoor advertising: some advertisers had tried to pass off commercial signs as murals to get around sign rules.
In 2013 the city adopted Ordinance 182706, often called the mural ordinance, which allows non-commercial murals again and sets up a registration system run by the Department of Cultural Affairs. Key points:
- Murals that existed before the ordinance can be registered as vintage original art murals.
- New murals on private property need an application to the Department of Cultural Affairs, a neighborhood involvement step and a covenant recorded with the county.
- Registration cannot be granted or denied based on a mural's content, though commercial messages are not allowed.
- Rules for murals on single-family homes are stricter and depend on the council district, so check with the department first.
Details and fees change, so anyone planning a mural should start with the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs website.
A walking route
- Start at Hollywood/Highland station and walk west to 7028 Hollywood Boulevard for the Walk of Fame timeline mural.
- Head back east to the rear of 6800 Hollywood Boulevard for Set the Stage.
- Continue east to Hudson Avenue for the Dolores Del Rio portrait at 6529 Hollywood Boulevard.
- Turn south on Wilcox Avenue for You Are the Star.
- Walk east to Vine Street and north to the Capitol Records Building for Hollywood Jazz.
- Finish on Sunset Boulevard near Vine to see the Aquarius mural on the former Earl Carroll Theatre.
The loop is roughly two miles. Add the stars and theaters along the way with the self-guided Hollywood Boulevard walk.
Etiquette and tips
- Stay on public ground. Many walls sit beside private lots. Do not climb fences or block driveways for a photo.
- Credit the artist when you post pictures. Murals are copyrighted works, and artists rely on recognition.
- Do not touch or tag. Paint is fragile, and tagging a mural damages a work that may have taken months.
- Go in the morning. Side streets are quieter, and the light on east-facing walls is better before noon.
- Expect change. Murals are painted over when buildings change hands. If one on this list is gone, look for something new nearby.
Finding more
The Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles documents and helps preserve murals across the city, and the Department of Cultural Affairs maintains records of registered works. For other free ways to spend an afternoon, see our list of free things to do in Hollywood.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the You Are the Star mural?
It is on the side of the building at 1648 Wilcox Avenue, just south of Hollywood Boulevard. It was painted by Thomas Suriya in 1983 and shows classic film stars seated in a theater.
Is it free to see the murals in Hollywood?
Yes. The murals are on exterior walls visible from public sidewalks and alleys. You only need to stay on public ground and respect nearby private property.
Why did Los Angeles ban new murals?
From 2002 to 2013, new murals on private property were effectively blocked because of legal disputes over advertising signs. The 2013 mural ordinance created a registration process that allows non-commercial murals again.
Can I paint a mural on my building in Los Angeles?
Possibly, but new murals on private property must be registered with the Department of Cultural Affairs, which involves an application, neighborhood notice and review, and a recorded covenant. Single-family homes face extra limits that vary by council district.
Who painted the jazz mural at Capitol Records?
Richard Wyatt Jr. created "Hollywood Jazz: 1945-1972" in 1990. He later remade it in ceramic tile because the sun had faded the painted version.