Bergamot Station art gallery in Santa Monica

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The Ambrose Hotel

Sitting on eight acres, Bergamot Station (2525 Michigan Avenue, Santa Monica) is the largest art gallery complex and cultural center in Southern California. Unlike the smaller galleries, when you visit Bergamot you can park in one place and spend the day seeing art; not driving from one gallery to the next.

Inside the Bergamot, along with the galleries, the Santa Monica Museum of Art (open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday) showcases risk-taking works and its exhibitions and programs focus on pivotal moments in the history of contemporary art and culture. If you visit during the day, be sure to grab a bite to eat at Bergamot Station Cafe, known for its great sandwiches, homemade cookies, and fresh lemonade.

But Saturday is when Bergamot comes alive. Gallery openings every Saturday night (beginning at 6 p.m., typically) draw thousands each week. As many as a dozen galleries will stay open late and serve appetizers and wine (and, sometimes, an alcohol company like Absolut will sponsor an event). Galleries like Track 16 and William Turner tend to draw the biggest crowds.

Bergamot Station is in Santa Monica, near the Ambrose Hotel and numerous other west side hotels.

– Lesley Bracker