Public Broadcast Stereo at The Wende Museum

If you grew up with PBS on in the background, this Sunday-afternoon show is for you. Public Broadcast Stereo is a live tour through the music behind the shows, performed by Helix Collective at The Wende Museum in Culver City on October 11, 2026. It's an unusual entry among the concerts in Los Angeles this month, and a very approachable one.

What to expect

Helix Collective is a Los Angeles chamber ensemble that likes to step outside the traditional classical mold. Here they play some of the most recognizable music written for public broadcasting, grouped by genre:

• Drama: Downton Abbey, Call the Midwife
• Mystery: Sherlock, Dickensian
• News: Fresh Air, Morning Edition, Marketplace
• Kids' shows: Reading Rainbow, Won't You Be My Neighbor, Magic School Bus
• Comedy: Monty Python's Flying Circus
• Documentaries: American Experience, NOVA, Independent Lens, Lost L.A.

Classical California's Brian Lauritzen hosts, talking the audience through the music between pieces. Expect the kind of show where half the room is humming along by the second tune. The museum says the program is made possible in part by the City of Culver City and its Cultural Affairs Commission, with support from Sony Pictures Entertainment and Culver City Arts Foundation.

The details

When: Sunday, October 11, 2026, 4:00 to 5:00 PM Where: The Wende Museum, Culver City Admission: The museum's page points to an Eventbrite RSVP, and we couldn't confirm a price, so check the listing before you go.

The Wende is a museum, historical archive and community center focused on Cold War art and artifacts, so it makes a fitting stage for a show about the soundtrack of public media. The set runs about an hour, which leaves room for the rest of your day.

Getting there

Look up the museum's address and parking before you head out, and give yourself some extra time on a weekend afternoon. Seating at a museum event can be limited, so arrive early and RSVP if the listing asks for it. The same program also plays at Fiesta Hall on October 10, which gives you a backup if the Sunday schedule doesn't work.

For anyone planning LA events this weekend, this works well as an easy daytime outing. It's also simple to bring kids or parents along, since the music is familiar to all of them. Browse more concerts for other shows around town, or see what else is on across Los Angeles.