Featured image credit: ISKCON Los Angeles
When it comes to world-class museums, we have an embarrassment of riches in the Greater Los Angeles area. But some of the best museums in Los Angeles are the obscured diamonds only talked about in the inner circles of LA’s bohemian underground. We’ve discussed some of them on the JohnHart blog recently, like the Nethercutt Collection and Museum and the Museum of Jurassic Technology. Well, get ready to add another to the list because just a few hundred feet from the Museum of Jurassic Technology stands an attraction regarded as legendary by those in the know. It tells a sacred, transcendent tale across 11 dazzlingly psychedelic displays. It’s all a part of the experience the Diorama Museum of Bhagavad-gita offers.
Save the Drama for Your Diorama
In the 1930s, spiritual master Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati began to employ dioramas as a method of communicating his spiritual teachings. These dioramas innovatively presented philosophy with a tableau of visual accompaniment, reinforcing the lessons at their core. The dozens of dioramas initiated by Sarasvati started a trend that left a lasting impression on his student A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
Having established the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), colloquially simplified to the Hare Krishna movement, Prabhupada wanted to get the word out about the spiritual teachings of the sacred Bhagavad-gita text. So, in 1973, he sent a team of disciples from New York to Mayapur, India to serve as apprentices in the ancient art of clay diorama doll crafting. Their skills would then be employed to develop a museum devoted to schooling visitors on the transcendent lessons of the Bhagavad-gita.
The clay-working apprentices spent over a year developing their artisanal craftsmanship before returning to the United States. There, at a site at the edge of Culver City, they immediately got to work on the 11 dioramas that would bring color, joy, and enrichment to countless visitors. This was the genesis of the Diorama Museum of Bhagavad-gita.
Journey Through the Diorama Museum of Bhagavad-gita
Nearly life-sized dolls crafted from clay, bamboo, rice straw, and rice husks populate each diorama. By 1977, the Diorama Museum of Bhagavad-gita, also known as the First American Transcendental Exhibition (FATE), opened its doors to a curious public. It was a surprisingly advanced facility, using a master computer to keep its vast array of dolls, lighting rigs, projected images, special effects, and 16-track sound system operating in seamless synchronicity. Imagine a particularly enlightening Disneyland dark ride lost its way while traveling to Anaheim and you’re on the right path.
Each of the 11 dioramas came to life with narration from its clay automatons which explained their unique perspectives on the Bhagavad-gita’s profound teachings. All-in-all, guests can expect to spend about 45 minutes on the walkthrough tour. The stages of the dioramas include:
- Introduction – Prabhupada and the Bhagavad-gita
- Setting the Stage
- Changing Bodies
- The Precarious Condition of the Living Entity
- Choices on the Path of Life
- Equal Vision of the Sages
- Krishna’s Transcendental Manifestations
- God’s Universal Form
- The Ocean of Birth and Death
- Lord Chaitanya’s Sankirtan Festival
- Goloka – The Spiritual Realm
Each diorama is painstakingly unique, populated with ornate details and craftsmanship that even nearly half a century later continue to impress and inspire. The tour culminates in a celebratory conclusion soundtracked by clay pipes and harmonious chants. What other museum ends with a party? It’s just one of the reasons the Diorama Museum of Bhagavad-gita is lauded as one of the best museums in Los Angeles.
Culver City’s Hare Krishna Community
To the casual visitor, the Culver City location of the Diorama Museum of Bhagavad-gita may seem unusual. But Culver City actually boasts a burgeoning Hare Krishna community. And though most of them are very familiar with the dioramas on display in the museum, you’ll still frequently find them dining at the adjacent restaurant and gift shop. Guests can enjoy a low-cost meal of delicious vegetarian fare in a placid, casual environment. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon!
Maintaining the Diorama Museum of Bhagavad-gita Over the Decades
Over the decades, ISKCON has made several updates and renovations to the Diorama Museum of Bhagavad-gita without disrupting its traditional core design. In 1984, advancements in technology necessitated the addition of industrial-grade film projectors and state-of-the-art lighting effects. However, with time, the master computer began to malfunction, resulting in frequent technical difficulties that damaged the impact of the tours. In 1999, ISKCON instituted refurbishments to address these issues, shuttering the museum until 2001.
It reopened with new advanced solid-state system controls that were more resilient than their predecessors and facilitated a smoother, more seamless operation. ISKCON made further updates in 2010 which closed the museum for several years. It didn’t re-open until 2016. And you thought the maintenance schedule for the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland was bad! But ISKCON isn’t exactly operating with Disney funds either and with just a modest $16 admission fee, the Diorama Museum of Bhagavad-gita is a bargain, to say the least.
Still One of the Best Museums in Los Angeles
If you’re looking for a truly unique museum experience that’s a little off the beaten path, the Diorama Museum of Bhagavad-gita in Culver City remains one of the best museums in Los Angeles for our money. There usually isn’t a line (which is great because you’d definitely need a Lightning Pass for this one if it was smack dab in the middle of Disneyland). And you can get affordable, delicious vegetarian cuisine just a few feet away when you’re done with your tour.
Plus, if you’re in the mood for even more underappreciated curiosities, the Museum of Jurassic Technology is close by. So, head over to Culver City before another technological advancement shuts down the Diorama Museum of Bhagavad-gita for another year! Enlightenment awaits you!
