Charles Phoenix: Southern California in the 50s & 60s
Date
Saturday, November 22, 2025│3 pm
Location
Tickets
$30 | Advance tickets recommended
Note: A separate paid ticket is required for the Charles Phoenix presentation. General Admission to the museum is required if you plan to explore the L.A. on Wheels festival or other museum exhibits earlier in the day.
Paid parking will be available at the Blue Structure Parking Lot at Exposition Park Drive and Figueroa Street.
Charles Phoenix: Southern California in the 50s & 60s
Live Comedy Slide Show Performance Celebrating Mid-Century SoCal… Like We Mean It!
“The mood is up, and the standard of living is flying high!” says Retro Pop Culture Humorist, Charles Phoenix, as he launches classic SoCal pop-culture into the stratosphere!
With his unbridled enthusiasm, keen expertise, and eagle-eye for oddball detail, Charles lavishes spirited commentary on colorful, vintage sights and scenes of SoCal’s space-age suburbia, car culture, unique architecture, unsung attractions, legendary landmarks, glamourous Hollywood, world-famous theme parks, and much more galore!
Be prepared for your imagination to be inspired and your SoCal lovin’ spirit will soar like never before!
About Charles Phoenix:
The New York Times calls him “the King of Retro.” Charles Phoenix is a mid-century pop-culture expert, humorist, performer, author, explorer, and collector celebrating classic and kitschy American life and style. He is known for his spirited slide show performances, classic car Joyride videos, colorful coffee table books, test kitchen creations, and fun field trip tours. Growing up in Ontario, California in the 1960s and 70s, Charles was educated at theme parks, thrift stores, shopping malls, and his father’s used car lots.
Found Photos
In 1992, after a career in fashion design and trading classic cars, Charles discovered a box of Kodachrome vacation slides from 1957 while thrift shopping. Curating these slides and performing retro slide shows has been his passion ever since.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
3 pm – Charles Phoenix: Southern California in the 50s & 60s — an upbeat, comedic slideshow performance that brings mid-century SoCal to life with Charles Phoenix’s signature retro flair. Highlights include classic cars, space-age suburbia, quirky landmarks, world-famous theme parks, and Hollywood glamour, all presented through colorful Kodachrome images, spirited storytelling, and plenty of Charles Phoenix’s trademark humor and keen eye for oddball detail.
Note: Paid ticket required. Seating is limited and tickets are expected to sell out quickly.
Explore the L.A. on Wheels Festival
The Charles Phoenix: Southern California in the 50s & 60s presentation is a special, ticketed experience offered as part of L.A. on Wheels Day, a one-day celebration of creativity, mobility, and community in Los Angeles.
Note: General Admission to L.A. on Wheels Day provides access to festival activities—including discussions, skate demos, hands-on art activities, storytelling sessions, and the museum's collections. Admission to Charles Phoenix’s presentation requires a separate paid ticket.
L.A. on Wheels Day
Join us November 22 for a one-day festival celebrating creativity, mobility, and community with cars, bikes, skates, art, and more.
L.A. on Wheels is part of the Natural History Museum’s Being L.A. series, which, through sustained collaboration, invites Community Partners to speak on the natural and cultural heritage of L.A., and collects stories from Angelenos who work to build community, inclusivity, and access.