You cannot tour Marilyn Monroe’s Brentwood house: 12305 Fifth Helena Drive is a private residence, not a public museum or an established visitor attraction. The Los Angeles Conservancy labels it “Private Residence – Do Not Disturb,” and the Los Angeles Times reports that the privacy wall is the only thing visible from the street. Do not enter or disturb the property.
Where is Marilyn Monroe’s Brentwood house?
The house is at 12305 Fifth Helena Drive in Brentwood, Los Angeles. It is a private home in a residential neighborhood, not a site with public admission or an authorized house tour. The Los Angeles Conservancy lists it as a Historic-Cultural Monument and explicitly asks people not to disturb the residence: Los Angeles Conservancy: Marilyn Monroe Residence.
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Marilyn Monroe: The Biography | $19.85 | Buy on Amazon |
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My Story | $17.28 | Buy on Amazon |
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Marilyn and Her Books: The Literary Life of Marilyn Monroe | $24.77 | Buy on Amazon |
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The Last Days of Marilyn Monroe: A Biography of Hollywood's Tragic Star, JFK's Camelot, and the... | $12.29 | Buy on Amazon |
What can you see from the street?
Do not expect a view of the house or its interior. The Los Angeles Times reported in September 2025 that visitors can see only the privacy wall from the street: Los Angeles Times: Marilyn Monroe’s L.A. home escapes demolition — again. A drive-by is not a tour, and visibility may be limited by the property’s boundary and neighborhood setting.
- Stay on public streets and do not enter the property.
- Do not climb the wall, block the cul-de-sac, or disturb residents.
- Do not expect access to the home, grounds, or interior.
Why is the house historically significant?
The Los Angeles Times reported that the 1929 Spanish-style house was the first home Monroe owned independently. She bought it in 1962 for $75,000, a historical purchase price reported by the Times in 2010—not a current valuation. The Times also reported that she died there in August 1962. Its 2010 account described a red-tile roof, stucco exterior, garden, pool, detached guest house, and garage, but those details do not establish the property’s present condition or interior.
#1 Best Overall
For a documentary-minded visitor, the significance is the association between Monroe and a home she chose for herself near the end of her life, rather than a preserved interior open for visitors. The Los Angeles Conservancy reproduces Monroe’s reported remark about the house: “Anybody who likes my house, I’m sure I’ll get along with.” The Conservancy says she made the remark while the house was being considered for designation; it is not presented as an independently verified recording.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is the home’s landmark status?
The Los Angeles City Council unanimously designated the residence a Historic-Cultural Monument on June 26, 2024. The Conservancy says the designation provides added protection against demolition. The owners challenged the designation, arguing in litigation that no physical evidence of Monroe’s time remained; that was their position, not a settled finding about every feature of the property.
Rank #2
- Written at the height of her fame but not published until over a decade after her death, this autobiography of actress and sex symbol Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962) poignantly recounts her childhood as an unwanted orphan, her early adolescence, her rise in the film industry from bit player to celebrity, and her marriage to Joe DiMaggio.
In September 2025, the Los Angeles Times reported that Superior Court Judge James C. Chalfant upheld the designation. MyNewsLA reported on October 6, 2026, that a federal judge dismissed a later challenge by the homeowners: MyNewsLA: Judge Tosses Lawsuit Regarding House Where Marilyn Monroe Died. That is the latest located reported outcome; it does not establish whether an appeal or another case will follow.
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