5 Hollywood studio tours, from Disney to Warner Bros to Universal. Which one’s for you?

In a city that is too often unjustly stereotyped as favouring the new, the Hollywood studio reminds us of how much history – and, specifically, pop-culture mythmaking – is rooted in and around Los Angeles.

There in these spaces, you might see a spot where US actor James Dean once stood, roll past the house used for the film Psycho, step into a partly dressed soundstage or walk through a sound-making Foley factory. These studios remain working palaces dedicated to crafting dreams.

That all may sound romanticised – the reality of “making it” in Hollywood is increasingly challenging, and the studio itself is threatened by a global, digital and consolidating production industry – but it is only meant to note what is at risk.

The studio tour has always been a go-to activity when out-of-towners come to visit, and it still is – as each tour has a slightly different flavour. Whether it is animation history you crave or museum-like installations, there is a tour for every kind of film buff.

1. Universal Studios

Best for: Seekers of thrills and cinematic magic