What does it cost to film at The Huntington?

The location fee varies, depending on whether you’re shooting stills or motion picture (which includes video), the day of the week, and the size of your crew. The least expensive day is now Tuesday (when we are closed to the general public). Contact us for details.

Do I need to get a permit?

Yes and no. The Huntington is located in the City of San Marino, which does require a permit. Conveniently, filming on our property is permitted through our office. When you contact us to discuss location fees, we will also tell you what the permit fees will be. Please note that permits are required for prep and strike days as well as shooting days, and there is a rush fee for permits requested with less than ten days notice.

But I get all my permitting through a service. Can’t they do it for me?

No; we do it.

Do I need to pay for parking?

Not if your production is shooting here.

How do I get to The Huntington?

Here is a map based on the most current instructions from the Pasadena and San Marino traffic departments. Please distribute these maps to all members of your cast and crew, particularly the ones who have been here before and think they know how to get here. Following any other routes, particularly if you’re driving a truck, may result in traffic tickets and other unpleasant delays.

If you are simply coming to scout, and not driving a truck or obvious film vehicle, you may use any route you like, but aim for 1800 Orlando Rd., San Marino, CA 91108, instead of our Oxford Rd. mailing address.

Do you allow filming at night? What about the city?

Generally, filming here at night is not a problem, particularly if you’re not too close to the edge of the property, although there are restrictions on what time vehicles can exit. We will work with you to coordinate any special permission that may be necessary from the City.

Can I build a set at The Huntington?

Quite possibly – it depends on where and what it is.

“Anger Management” spent 3 weeks building a Zen monastery in our Lily Pond area; “American Wedding” turned our unfinished Conservatory into a luxury wedding venue; “Memoirs of A Geisha” built a thirty foot flowering cherry tree in our Japanese Garden; “Little Fockers” had an over-the-top children’s birthday party all over our Australian lawn and left it up for two months – so no matter what you have in mind, it’s worth at least asking about it.

I know I want to film there, what do I do now?

Contact us to arrange a scout and check availability of your preferred date. You will need to select a
specific area, or areas, and at the same time we can discuss logistics, rates, policies, etc.

My location just fell through; can I come shoot there tomorrow?

Probably not; we normally require a minimum of three working days to set up a simple shoot, and more time than that if there are complex requirements or more than one location. (But it’s worth a call, maybe we just had a cancellation and everything’s all set up and ready to go right where you were hoping to shoot.)

I heard you can only film at The Huntington on Mondays. Is that right?

That used to be true, but it’s no longer the case. Filming is possible in most areas of the property any day of the week. In fact, starting January 2008, Tuesday became the least expensive (and usually the easiest) day to film here because we’re now closed to the general public on Tuesdays instead of Mondays (although we do still have staff, researchers, and the occasional special event on the grounds.) There are a few areas where filming is restricted to non-public hours, which in practice means either very early, very late or on Tuesdays; such areas would include the Japanese Garden, the Chinese Garden, the Children’s Garden, and the Conservatory.

Can I come on a scout today?

Please call us to arrange a time. Scouting is by appointment only, and usually scheduled weekdays during business hours.

Do you allow student films?

Yes, but student film-makers must follow the same rules and procedures as everyone else, and we are unfortunately not able to offer any discounts, either on our rates or on the city permit fees.

I just want to take wedding (or engagement) pictures; am I in the right place on this website?

Not really. This information is aimed at commercial photography and motion picture production. If you (or your photographer) are taking pictures for your own personal use, like family pictures or wedding portraits, you could take advantage of our Portrait Photography Program. For more information about that program, call (626) 405-3426.

When are the roses, camellias, etc. in bloom?

The roses bloom from about mid April to January 2nd, when pruning begins. The wide variety of plants and thematic gardens means that something is always blooming.

See What’s Blooming for a month by month listing.

Do you have a hedge maze?

No.

How big is The Huntington?

The property covers 207 acres, of which approximately 120 are open to the public as gardens. (Some of the non-public areas, such as the back woods, are also filmable.)

Wow! What is this place?

The Huntington is a collections-based research and educational center set amidst 120 acres of breathtaking gardens. Three art galleries and the Library Exhibition Hall showcase magnificent collections of paintings, sculptures, rare books, manuscripts, and decorative arts. The botanical collection features over 14,000 different species of plants. For more about The Huntington, check out our main website at www.huntington.org.)